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18.10.2021 | Minister of Employment Tuula Haatainen and Under-Secretary of State Elina Pylkkänen will visit Stockholm on 18 October 2021. The programme includes a meeting with Sweden’s Minister for Employment Eva Nordmark and a visit to the Samhall company. Finland's new state-owned company to promote employment of the most disadvantaged people with partial work ability has been modelled after Samhall.

21.10.2021 | A state-owned special assignment company named Työkanava Ltd will be established in Finland. Its task is to promote the employment of people with partial work ability who are in the most difficult labour market position. The company would support their skills so that the people could find employment in the open labour market after working at Työkanava.

15.2.2023 | During 2019–2023, the Government’s working capacity programme sought solutions to the employment problems of people with impaired capacity to work. At the same time, the programme developed more effective services to support working capacity. The closing event of the programme on 15 February examined the employment of people with impaired work capacity from the perspective of social sustainability, inclusion and the service system.

7.5.2021 | In its mid-term policy review, the Government decided to set up an expert unit to support the creation and growth of social enterprises. The centre of expertise’s operations will be network-based and funded by both the working capacity programme for persons with partial working ability and the European Social Fund. The aim is to organise a call for applications to enable the centre to start operations in October 2021.

9.2.2021 | At the request of Minister of Employment Tuula Haatainen, Director General of Finnish Customs Hannu Mäkinen has formulated a proposal to improve the opportunities of people with partial work ability to find employment. Mäkinen proposes that Finland should take Sweden’s Samhall company as a model, but adapt it to the Finnish needs.

29.4.2021 | The Government is committed to a long-term approach in its work to raise the employment rate through decisions that will bring an estimated 80,000 new jobs.

22.6.2021 | To boost the employment of persons with partial work capacity, the Government decided in its mid-term policy review session to set up a state-owned company with a special assignment. The company is tasked with recruiting such persons for longer-term employment relationships and providing them with support in carrying out their duties. Another objective is to promote the opportunities for employees to advance in their careers and take up employment with new employers.

23.4.2024 | The Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment has appointed a working group to improve the employment, competence and working life participation of special groups, such as persons with impaired capacity to work, disabilities or a low education level, immigrants and older people.

31.3.2022 | Työkanava Ltd, a special assignment company wholly owned by the State, will start to employ people with impaired capacity to work who are in the most difficult labour market position. The Government submitted the bill concerning the Act on Työkanava for approval on 31 March. The President of the Republic is to approve the bill on Friday 1 April. The Act is intended to enter into force on 1 July 2022.

12.5.2023 | The measures launched during the working capacity programme to create a more inclusive labour market and to employ people with impaired working capacity should be continued and developed further. The employees’ ability to work is an essential factor in the pursuit of a higher employment rate. These are some conclusions of the evaluation report on the recently completed working capacity programme.

18.11.2021 | The low employment rate of people with impaired capacity to work is a common problem in the Nordic countries. However, a new kind of intermediate labour market, a social economy and social entrepreneurship can offer solutions that improve the employment of people with impaired capacity to work.

17.11.2022 | The Government proposes amendments to the Act on Municipal Experiments to Promote Employment to improve employment opportunities for people who have fled the war in Ukraine and to clarify the regulation on Työkanava Ltd.

8.12.2021 | Facilitating the employment of persons with disabilities will be the focus of a virtual Nordic conference on Thursday 9 December. The conference will highlight new kinds of intermediate labour markets and successful experiences of employing people with disabilities through social enterprises. The agenda also includes good practices for supporting work ability for people with disabilities at workplaces.

11.10.2022 | The Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment requests comments on the Government’s draft proposal to amend the Act on Municipal Experiments to Promote Employment. The legislative amendments would improve employment opportunities for people who have fled the war in Ukraine and clarify the regulation on Työkanava Ltd.

18.4.2023 | The working capacity programme sought solutions to the known employment problems of people with impaired capacity to work in 2019–2023. At the same time, the programme developed more effective services to support working capacity. The final report of the working capacity programme contains information on the programme measures and their results.

17.4.2024 | As part of its adjustment measures outlined in the spending limits session of 15–16 April 2024, the Government has decided to terminate the funding of Työkanava Ltd and dissolve the company. The launch of Työkanava’s employment activities has not met the objectives set for the company.

10.5.2022 | The Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment prepares to launch the operations of the state-owned special assignment company Työkanava Ltd on 1 July 2022. As the body responsible for the company's ownership steering, the Ministry has appointed a board of directors for Työkanava.

7.10.2021 | The Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment has allocated EUR 3 million in discretionary government grants to a new Centre of Expertise for Social Enterprises in accordance with the Government policy outlined in its mid-term policy review. Minister of Employment Tuula Haatainen signed the funding decision.

16.6.2022 | The board of directors of Työkanava Oy has appointed Sari Nikkola as the company’s chief executive. She will start in the position on 1 September 2022.

13.8.2021 | “The ministry's draft budget is aimed at boosting sustainable growth. We will invest in good management of employment, skills, innovations, low carbon solutions and digitalisation,” say Minister of Employment Tuula Haatainen and Minister of Economic Affairs Mika Lintilä about the draft budget of the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment for 2022.