Labour market test not applied as of 1 June to the extended permits of those already working in Finland
Labour market test, or the process of determining the availability of labour, will no longer apply to holders of a residence permit for an employed person who have worked in Finland for at least one year and who are transferring to another sector. The objective of this legislative amendment is to improve labour mobility.
Amendments to the Aliens Act will be effective as of 1 June 2019. One of the amendments is the removal of the labour market test for employees applying for an extension to the residence permit for an employed person who are transferring to another sector.
The requirement is at least one year of employment in Finland with a residence permit for an employed person, and a professional qualification for the sector in question. Employment and Economic Development Offices will continue to assess the employer’s operating environment pursuant to the Aliens Act.
Many sectors are experiencing a growing labour shortage. It is therefore necessary to – in addition to other measures – improve the labour mobility of foreign citizens already in the labour market. Removal of the labour market test for persons already working in Finland and transferring to other sectors will only apply to a few dozen residence permit applicants per year. However, in individual cases the legislative amendment may represent a major change, since it improves the supply of labour.
The legislative amendments will increase the supply of labour particularly in the cleaning services, manufacturing industry, and the construction and metal industry, and to some extent in the garden and agricultural sectors. In many of the sectors, the Centres for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment are now applying a more permissive labour market test as part of their work permit policies.
Inquiries:
Olli Sorainen, Senior Ministerial Adviser, Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment, tel. +358 29 5048 022