Finland is suffering from a shortage of workers in several fields, and the country’s demographic dependency ratio is deteriorating at an alarming rate due to declining birth rates. One of the proposed solutions to these problems has been international students. The number of international students in Finland has grown rapidly. In 2014, there were 20,000 international students in Finland, compared to over 31,000 in 2023.
The discussion around international students too often shifts to how they can fix Finland’s demographic challenges and help fill the funding gaps in higher education. The narrative that immigrants are a financial burden has shifted to viewing them as tools or cash cows. However, when we talk about international students, we must remember that they are not instruments to fix Finland’s state-level issues. First and foremost, they are people with diverse backgrounds, different needs, and the right to be cared for.
According to the At What Cost? Being an International Student in Finland study commissioned by SAMOK and SYL, international students face significant challenges integrating into Finnish society. Finding employment in Finland is also seen as difficult. Particularly for students coming from outside the EU and EEA, the financial burden is heavy. The findings of the study are alarming.
If we truly want international students to stay in Finland after graduation, we must invest more in their individual needs and integration into Finnish society. This is a responsibility that falls on all of us in Finland. The newly elected municipal and county councils, chosen just last week, will be making decisions about our everyday public services—services that international students also need to access. These services must be available in languages other than just the national ones. At the same time, international students must have opportunities to learn the national languages.
Higher education institutions must also take an active role in supporting international students’ integration, for example, by helping them build professional networks. One of the biggest barriers to getting a job or internship is the requirement to speak Finnish or Swedish fluently. However, different jobs require different levels of language proficiency, and employers need to reconsider what level of language skill is truly necessary for a given role.
The same study also shows that Finland is viewed positively as a place to study. The safety and functionality of Finnish society are key factors attracting international students. There is clearly a desire among international students to stay in Finland but it’s time for us to put in the work to ensure they find their place in this society.