Ukrainian refugees

The unemployment rate among Ukrainians has increased significantly in southeastern Finland

The unemployment rate among Ukrainians has increased sharply in southeastern Finland, which causes concern both among the refugees themselves and among local communities. This problem has deep social roots and shows the difficulties that Ukrainians face in the process of integration into Finnish society. According to the Center for Economic Development, Transport and Environment of Southeast Finland, as of August 2024, the number of unemployed Ukrainians reached 397 people, which is 76% more than in the same period of 2023. Experts say that the main reason for such a sharp increase in the unemployment rate is the insufficient command of the Finnish language by Ukrainians. About this writes Over.

Maria Kostiainen, head of the organization “Ukrainians of the Lappeenranta region”, confirmed that the situation with the employment of Ukrainians in the region is extremely ambiguous and difficult. According to her, many immigrants come to Finland with high expectations and hope that they will be able to find a job quickly, but the reality turns out to be different. The difficulties associated with not knowing the Finnish language create serious obstacles for most people seeking employment.

“Many Ukrainians thought that they would be able to come to a new country and immediately find a job, but this did not happen. Some have found employment, but many are still waiting for language courses or continue to look for work. There are also those who are almost ready to return home because they could not find a stable place of work.” – says Maria Kostiainen.

She also emphasizes that ignorance of the Finnish language is the most important factor that prevents Ukrainians from successful employment. Although many Ukrainians are aware of the importance of language skills for work, not everyone is able to quickly master Finnish, and access to language courses is limited.

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The lack of free access to language courses adds even more challenges. According to Kostiainen, many immigrants are trying to get into Finnish language courses, but in many cases they have to wait for several months. Such queues significantly complicate the integration process, because without knowledge of the language, the chance of finding a job decreases significantly. “There are people who actively try to find work and hope that they will be able to work, but when this does not happen, they despair and stop trying,” Kostiainen shares his observations.

Despite difficulties with employment, many Ukrainians in the region do not give up and are actively engaged in training and upgrading their skills. According to the employment center of Southeastern Finland, in August of this year, 334 Ukrainians were studying, which is almost 200 more than in July. This shows that part of the immigrants is betting on education as a way to overcome difficulties with employment.

However, even educational programs do not always solve the problem. According to Kostiainen, limited access to Finnish language courses remains one of the main challenges. “I know that there are not enough places for all those who want to learn the language, and many have to wait quite a long time before they can start their studies,” she says. This factor significantly complicates the integration of Ukrainians into Finnish society and increases the level of social tension among immigrants.

Despite all the difficulties, Ukrainians continue to come to southeastern Finland. According to preliminary data, from January to August 2024, 256 Ukrainians arrived in South Karelia, and 402 in the Kyumenlaakso province. These figures are almost the same as last year, which indicates a stable flow of migrants seeking refuge and opportunities for a new life in Finland. However, the unemployment rate among Ukrainians is also increasing: it has reached 36% in southeastern Finland, which is significantly higher than the national average of 26%.

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This situation reflects a pan-European problem faced by millions of Ukrainians after the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. According to Eurostat, as of May 31, 2024, 4.3 million people, most of whom are citizens of Ukraine, received temporary protection status in EU countries. Finland, like many other European countries, faces the challenge of ensuring proper conditions for the integration of Ukrainian immigrants, particularly in the field of employment and language learning.

The situation in southeastern Finland shows the need to create new approaches to support Ukrainian immigrants. The Finnish government needs to increase the number of language courses and ensure better availability of educational and professional programs, which will help Ukrainians to integrate into the local labor market faster. Moreover, it is important to take into account the psychological aspect: many migrants, faced with difficulties, lose motivation to further search for work, which only deepens the problem.

Currently, Ukrainians in southeastern Finland are in a difficult situation: on the one hand, they want to stay in the country, integrate and find stable work, on the other hand, they face a number of obstacles, the main of which is the language barrier. In such conditions, state bodies and public organizations should cooperate in order to provide Ukrainians with proper support and assistance on the way to integration, because every new step towards learning the language and professional development is important for their future in a new country.

 

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