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11.6.2026 | The Government will conduct pilot projects to reduce youth unemployment in cities with high youth unemployment, focusing on neighbourhoods and districts. Helsinki, Espoo, Vantaa, Turku, Tampere, Oulu, Pori, Lahti, Kuopio, Jyväskylä and Joensuu have joined the pilot.

7.10.2025 | The Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment is preparing the introduction of an employment voucher for young people, which was decided in the government budget session in September. The launch of the employment voucher is planned already for the beginning of next year. The purpose of the employment voucher is to help young people find work in the open labour market by temporarily reducing the costs of recruitment.

19.12.2022 | Young people in Iraq are worried about the climate crisis, armed conflicts, unemployment, migration, discrimination and social exclusion, and deficiencies in the education and healthcare systems. They discussed social problems and solutions to them in a workshop on peace building and media skills organised in Erbil.

25.5.2022 | According to the labour market forecast extending until 2024, employment will improve in Finland. The number of employed people will continue to increase, but the rapid post-pandemic growth in employment is expected to slow down towards the end of 2023.

9.11.2021 | According to estimates, 55,000 more people will be employed this year than before and employment will grow by another 22,000 people in 2022. The employment rate is expected to rise to 73.8% in 2023.

30.4.2026 | FINNISH GOVERNMENT PO Box 23, FI-00023 Government, Finland vn.fi/en Tel. +358 295 16001 VALTIONEUVOSTO PL 23, 00023 Valtioneuvosto vn.fi p. 0295 16001 1(6) Measures to support economic growth, employment and households decided on in the government...

25.3.2026 | The final report of the expert group appointed by the Ministry of Education and Culture examines the decline in young people’s confidence in the future. The group presents 36 recommendations to improve the situation. The final report was submitted to the Minister of Youth, Sport and Physical Activity Mika Poutala on Wednesday, 25 March 2026.

3.6.2026 | The Government submitted its second supplementary budget proposal for 2026 to Parliament on 3 June. The supplementary budget includes employment measures outlined in the spending limits session and investments in counter-drone capabilities and defence more broadly. The proposal also includes an increase to revenue estimates.

9.3.2026 | EU ministers will convene for a meeting of the Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs Council in Brussels on 9 March. Minister of Social Affairs and Health Wille Rydman will represent Finland at the meeting.

22.12.2025 | On 22 December 2025, the Government adopted a decree on a new grant that employment authorities can use to help companies hire unemployed young people under 30 years of age. This grant is also known as the employment voucher or recruitment subsidy. The subsidy granted to a company covers half of the young person’s salary for six months, but no more than EUR 1,500 per month.

22.4.2026 | Prime Minister Petteri Orpo’s Government has agreed on the General Government Fiscal Plan for 2027–2030. Both the global economy and Finland’s finances are facing challenges. In its spending limits session, the Government focused on new targeted measures to strengthen people’s confidence in the future and improve the conditions for growth and employment.

11.2.2026 | The demand for skilled labour in the maritime industry is growing. Competence requirements in the sector, especially for highly skilled tasks, are changing. This is the conclusion of a report on the skills needs of the maritime industry published by the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment on 11 February 2026.

7.11.2025 | The Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment will hold a public consultation from 7 to 23 November 2025 on a draft government decree setting out provisions on a government grant, which the employment authorities could use to help companies hire unemployed young people under the age of 30. This grant is also known as the employment voucher or recruitment subsidy. It would be awarded to businesses to cover half of the young person’s salary for six months.

27.11.2025 | Prime Minister Petteri Orpo visited South Africa on 26–27 November. In Pretoria, Prime Minister Orpo met for discussions with the Deputy President of South Africa, Paul Mashatile. This was the first-ever visit by a Finnish prime minister to Pretoria, the administrative capital of the country. The main purpose of the visit was to promote commercial and economic relations between Finland and South Africa, and the Prime Minister had several meetings related to export promotion.

EN 1 EN SFC2021 INTERREG Programme CCI 2021TC16RFCB013 Title (Interreg VI-A) Finland-Estonia-Latvia-Sweden (Central Baltic) Version 3.0 First year 2021 Last year 2027 Eligible from 1 Jan 2021 Eligible until 31 Dec 2029 EC decision number C(2023)38...

10.10.2025 | On Friday 10 October, the Government submitted its third supplementary budget proposal for 2025 to Parliament. Among other things, the proposal sets aside an appropriation for investments in the preparedness of the Finnish Defence Forces’ healthcare services for emergency conditions and updates the tax revenue estimates to correspond to the latest forecast. 

12.3.2025 | A survey by We Foundation shows that groups for extracurricular activity organised by municipalities free of charge as part of the school day provide the majority of the participants with a safe space that is free of bullying, discrimination and racism. The results confirm that groups based on the Finnish model for leisure activities increase student wellbeing and are the only opportunity for many children and young people to have a hobby. The survey covers 20 municipalities of different sizes.

29.4.2025 | FINNISH GOVERNMENT PO Box 23, FI-00023 Government, Finland vn.fi/en Tel. +358 295 16001 VALTIONEUVOSTO PL 23, 00023 Valtioneuvosto vn.fi p. 0295 16001 1(11) Government discussions on the General Government Fiscal Plan 22–23 April 2025 Entries in t...

19.9.2023 | In its first budget session, the Government of Prime Minister Petteri Orpo decided on solutions that will return Finland to a sustainable growth track. The Government will launch structural reforms to boost employment and growth, which will have positive impacts on general government finances in the next few years. In addition, the Government decided on consolidation measures.

19.9.2023 | In its first budget session, the Government of Prime Minister Petteri Orpo decided on solutions that will return Finland to a sustainable growth track. The Government will launch structural reforms to boost employment and growth, which will have positive impacts on general government finances in the next few years. In addition, the Government decided on consolidation measures.