Immigration policy setbacks threaten the entire labor market
The bargaining position of all Finnish workers is weakened when the working conditions of migrant laborers are undermined. A chain is only as strong as its weakest link, researchers from the University of Jyväskylä conclude.
The Finnish government is advancing several interlinked political reforms that together systematically erode the rights of migrant workers, weaken labor protections, and undermine social solidarity, according to a new policy brief funded by EU. The paper provides information on the conditions of temporary migrant workers in Finland and offers recommendations for improving their situation.
The policy brief reviews the circumstances of temporary migrant workers in Finland and suggests ways to strengthen their position. It was prepared for the JUSTMIG project by University of Jyväskylä researchers Professor Nathan Lillie and Postdoctoral Researcher Quivine Ndomo.
Migrant workers in Finland already face structural disadvantages. According to the researchers, this is especially evident in the health and social care sector, where they are increasingly employed. These disadvantages include the socioeconomic and legal restrictions caused by temporary residence permits, the non-recognition of foreign qualifications and expertise, employer discrimination, and exploitative recruitment practices.
“A chain is only as strong as its weakest link. The government’s plan undermines the bargaining power of all workers, as weaker migrant labor lowers the labor standards across entire sectors. The plan also threatens to worsen migrant workers’ vulnerability by promoting circular internal migration – forcing them to constantly move between temporary jobs – thus restricting access to permanent residence permits, and exposing them to poor working conditions,” Ndomo comments.
Trade union gains are at risk
According to Lillie and Ndomo, the government’s reforms are a step backwards for society. The situation risks deteriorating rapidly if trade unions, Finnish workers, and migrant laborers do not join forces, perceive the reforms as a common threat, and mount an effective resistance.
“The reforms increase insecurity among migrant workers. They become a channel through which the erosion of working conditions is normalized across the entire workforce,” Ndomo explains.
“Employers and the government are creating a labor market segment deprived of the social protections that safeguard Finnish workers. This enables them to pit short-term migrants into wage competition with other workers,” Lillie warns.
Policy recommendations for improving migrant workers’ conditions
Finnish trade unions and policymakers should adopt more inclusive approaches to union organizing and strengthen solidarity between Finnish and migrant workers in order to counter the segmentation of the care labor market.
Within the JUSTMIG project, recommendations were drawn up for policymakers, trade unions, and workers to improve the conditions of migrant labor in Finland. These involve developing broader cross-sectoral strategies beyond collective bargaining that also address secure residence, recognition of qualifications, and non-discrimination alongside labor protection in the care sector.
Furthermore, trade unions should expand their mandate and organizational strategies to foster community and solidarity between migrant and Finnish care workers, particularly in segmented workplaces.
“Trade unions should also oppose restrictive immigration policies that heighten insecurity and undermine the professional standards of migrant care work,” Lillie and Ndomo recommend.
