Employment rate of foreigners fell at the end of 2024

According to the Labour Force Survey, the employment rate of foreigners was 59.6 per cent in the last quarter of 2024. The economic downturn is still reflected in the employment rate of foreign citizens, which fell slightly from the previous quarter.

The figures in the Employment Bulletin for February 2025 show that:

• In February, the number of unemployed foreign jobseekers totalled 49,896, which is 15 per cent of all unemployed jobseekers. The number of unemployed foreign jobseekers increased 18 per cent (7,597 persons) from the previous year. 
  • The number of unemployed foreign jobseekers continues to increase. In the long term, this is explained by the growth of foreign labour in Finland. The subdued labour market situation also contributes to this growth. 
• According to the Labour Force Survey, the employment rate of foreigners was 59.6 per cent in the last quarter of 2024. The economic downturn is still reflected in the employment rate of foreign citizens, which fell slightly from the previous quarter. 
  • In addition to the economic downturn, the fall in the employment rate may be caused by the fact that an increasing number of Ukrainian beneficiaries of temporary protection are now part of the Labour Force Survey’s sample. At least for the time being, the employment rate of Ukrainians is lower than average, which may have an effect on the employment rate of foreigners as a whole. The employment rate of Ukrainians staying in Finland can be expected to increase in the future as the human capital supporting employment grows over time. 

On the basis of the register data of the Employment Service Statistics and the survey data of the Labour Force Survey, the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment has published a monthly review of employment among foreign citizens and foreign-language speakers and of their participation in employment promotion services. In future, the Employment Bulletin will be produced by the KEHA Centre.

March 2025 review of unemployment of foreign citizens and foreign-language speakers and their participation in employment promotion services (in Finnish)

More information:
Employment Bulletins