German engineer finds job in Finland’s high-unemployment Imatra after a half-joking remark

A 31-year-old German engineer has secured employment in Imatra, a Finnish city with an unemployment rate exceeding 18 percent, after initially asking for a job “half as a joke,” reports Finnish public broadcaster Yle.

Jörn Erlenmaier, originally from near Frankfurt, moved to Imatra a year and a half ago. Despite the city’s severe labor market challenges—where unemployment recently surpassed 18 percent—he now works as a product group manager in fire safety at Teknosafe, a local company.

His path to employment began with a casual inquiry. During a visit to a potential distributor in Imatra, Erlenmaier expressed interest in working in Finland. “He first mentioned wanting to work here, then actually asked for a job,” recalled Anna Helminen, Teknosafe’s managing director. Though no positions were available at the time, a year later, his half-serious comment led to a signed contract.

Erlenmaier attributes his successful integration to diligent Finnish language studies, which he began as an exchange student in Jyväskylä in the late 2010s. Now, he attends Finnish courses three times a week in Imatra. “Everything depends on yourself. If you want to integrate and learn the language, it’s all manageable,” he said. “It’s normal that in Finland, I should speak Finnish.”

His story reflects a broader, if uncommon, trend. Imatra’s marketing and tourism director, Jaakko Jäppinen, noted that others from Central Europe—including a French family drawn by ice hockey—have also relocated to the city. Authorities are actively promoting Imatra through digital campaigns to attract more residents.

For Erlenmaier, the move stemmed from a long-standing connection to Finland. After meeting Finns while studying in Ireland in 2016, he visited Kouvola and Lappeenranta before settling in Imatra, drawn by its natural beauty, including the Vuoksi River and Lake Saimaa. Beyond work, he has built social ties through local volunteer fire brigade activities.

While his job search method may not be typical, his case offers a rare bright spot in a city grappling with economic hardship.