HELSINKI, April 26 (Xinhua) -- The majority of Finns support immigration as a way of maintaining the workforce, according to a survey by the pro-business think tank EVA released on Wednesday.
The percentage of people in Finland supporting the facilitation of immigration has gone up from 27 percent in 2019 to 55 percent this year, EVA said. However, 30 percent do not consider the population deficit to be a valid reason for facilitating immigration.
Immigration is a key topic on the agenda of a new Finnish government. Finns are highly critical of the top three political parties, saying that only those who work and support themselves independently should be admitted.
Sonja Hamalainen, immigration director at the Ministry for Labor and Economic Affairs (TEM), said the increased publicity given to the Finnish population problem has likely contributed to the change in public opinion on the issue.
Hamalainen said Finland will probably need between 20,000 and 30,000 thousand foreign workers annually by 2030.
Ministry of Labor and Economic Affairs statistics show that 130,000 jobs could not be filled in Finland last year. While the employment situation in Finland has improved, close to seven percent of the workforce was unemployed last year.
To obtain a work permit for Finland, non-EU nationals need a confirmed job. "Permits are not given for entering the country in search of employment," Hamalainen said.
