‘International talents boosting growth’ pilot supports companies in international recruitment 

NordenBladet — Due to a worsening labour shortage, companies have become increasingly interested in hiring new workers from abroad. A new service pilot aimed at facilitating international recruitment will be launched under the ‘Kokka kohti Suomea’ project (funded by the European Social Fund). The ‘International talents boosting growth’ service will offer SMEs assistance and funding to obtain services that support the settling of foreign talent in Finland. The service aims to facilitate the immigration of experts by providing them easy and quick services for settling in Finland and dealing with the authorities. The service pilot encourages companies to recruit skilled labour from abroad and provides them with tools to welcome new employees. “The Government aims to increase the immigration of skilled labour significantly. However, there is a fierce competition for talent all over the world. Seamless immigration services will make Finland a more attractive destination for international experts and help them stay and settle here with their families,” says Satu Salonen, Senior Specialist at the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment. Service is available to companies throughout FinlandThe ‘International talents boosting growth’ service provides companies and experts with first-phase entry services, such as assistance in finding accommodation and mentoring services for spouses. The pilot that will begin in mid-February is part of the Talent Boost programme, which promotes the immigration of skilled labour and is coordinated jointly by the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment and the Ministry of Education and Culture. Through the new service, SMEs can receive aid for the purchase of relocation services up to 80 per cent of the price of the service. The services will be provided by Oy Finland Relocation Services Ab Ltd, which has operated in the sector for a long time. The service pilot will start on 15 February 2022 and will be available throughout the country. Families’ needs also to be considered“The recruitment process often takes a lot of time in itself, which means that the personnel of a company is unable to support the newcomer as intensively as would be necessary. Employees with families in particular may have a lot of questions when they move to a new country for work,” says Project Manager Heidi Popova from the ELY Centre for Southwest Finland.The ‘International talents boosting growth’ service pilot is part of the ‘Kokka kohti Suomea’ project (ESF), which is coordinated by the ELY Centre for Southwest Finland.