One in seven Helsinki city employees has a foreign background – women dominate recruitment

Around one in seven employees working for the city of Helsinki has a foreign background, according to a new report by Helsinki’s urban research unit, based on Statistics Finland data from 2010–2023. The share has grown steadily, particularly since 2017, though it still falls short of matching the proportion of working-age residents with foreign roots.

The city employed nearly 40,000 people in 2023, with almost 6,000—over 15 percent—having a foreign background, defined as those whose parents were both born abroad or whose only known parent was born outside Finland. Many were born in Finland themselves.

Pasi Saukkonen, a senior researcher for the city, notes that while the share has risen further in 2024–2025, updated statistics are not yet available. The increase stems from three key factors: an aging workforce requiring replacements, a growing foreign-background population in Helsinki, and the city’s targeted recruitment from abroad—particularly in healthcare, social services, and early childhood education.

Foreign-background workers near parity with local demographics
In 2023, over 22 percent of Helsinki’s working-age residents (20–64) had a foreign background, exceeding the share among city employees. Neighboring cities showed even higher proportions: 27 percent in Espoo and 31 percent in Vantaa.

Healthcare and social services, including child daycare, employ the highest number of foreign-background workers—roughly one in five in 2023. Sriprai “Pai” Yingyong, a Thai-born early childhood educator at Kankarepuisto daycare in Jakomäki, is one of them. After completing her vocational training, the 43-year-old has worked there for nearly five years. While she secured employment quickly, others face challenges—a job, she says, has been crucial to her integration.

Language support a priority
About one in ten city employees speaks a native language other than Finnish or Swedish, a figure that reached 11.5 percent by late 2025. Many immigrant children grow up bilingual, a skill that benefits sectors like healthcare and education, where staff can assist clients in their native languages.

Helsinki accommodates employees still developing Finnish or Swedish proficiency, offering support to meet job-specific language requirements. “You can start working for us even if your language skills are still improving. Everyone must learn the necessary language as part of their role, and we provide that support,” says Tarja Näkki, the city’s director of workforce availability.

However, the Trade Union for the Public and Welfare Sectors (JHL) calls for more free language courses, such as those offered by adult education centers. “We’re concerned about how and when employers ensure language skills reach an adequate level,” says Stefan Loman, JHL’s Helsinki chair.