Government issues a decree on current labour shortage sectors

On 5 June 2025, the Government issued a decree on sectors with labour shortages in which the holders of residence permits for employed persons may seek work more flexibly. At the same time, the Government wants to facilitate the supply of labour in sectors suffering from labour shortages.

The right to work of a holder of a residence permit for an employed person will be extended in accordance with the Government Programme. Going forward, the holder may, in addition to the field of employment for which the permit was originally granted, work in sectors identified as labour shortage sectors by the decree. As long as the residence permit is still valid, seeking work in a labour shortage sector does not require a new residence permit. This extension will apply to residence permits for an employed person, where the permit has been issued for a specific field or fields of employment.

The fields of employment that are currently estimated to have problems with the availability of labour throughout the country are:

• general practitioners,
• chief physicians and medical specialists,
• audiologists and speech therapists,
• process operators for processing of metals,
• nurses, etc.,
• dental hygienists,
• funeral service workers,
• practical nurses and
• firefighters.

The decree on labour shortage sectors issued under the Aliens Act will enter into force on 11 June 2025 and will remain in force for one year. However, a mid-term review of the sectors will be carried out six months after the entry into force of the decree, with changes possible at that point. The content of the decree will be reviewed frequently to ensure that the list corresponds with the current labour market situation. Due to the present labour market situation, the list is relatively short and its effects on holders of residence permits will be less significant compared to a situation where several sectors suffer from national labour shortages.

Defining labour shortage sectors is based on official statistical data

The Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment, in cooperation with the Development and Administrative Services Centre (KEHA Centre) and the Centre for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment (ELY Centre), determines the sectors suffering from labour shortages. The definition is based on statistical data on open job vacancies and jobseekers as well as local reports by ELY Centres on sectors where the availability of labour has deteriorated.

Inquiries:
Teresa Salminen, Special Adviser to the Minister of Employment, tel. +358 295 047 318 (questions to the Minister of Employment)
Jarmo Tiukkanen, Senior Ministerial Adviser, Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment, tel. +358 295 047 355
Juho Peltonen, Senior Specialist, Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment, tel. +358 295 047 119 (definition of labour shortage sectors)