Finnish berry firm appeals visa rejections in court

A Finnish berry company, Marja Bothnia Berries, is appealing rejected visa applications for its seasonal workers to the administrative court, after the Ministry for Foreign Affairs denied 1,400 of 1,600 visa requests.

The ministry cited risks of worker exploitation, alleged failures by employers to meet legal obligations, and criminal suspicions tied to the wild berry industry as grounds for the rejections.

Company CEO Tommy Gustafsson said officials had “condemned them before trial” and denied the allegations. The firm has also filed complaints with the ministry, the Parliamentary Ombudsman, and the Chancellor of Justice, all of which the ministry has dismissed as unfounded.

Marja Bothnia Berries, based in Korsholm (Mustasaari), employed over 730 Thai berry pickers last year, with the best-earning worker taking home more than €15,000 after expenses. This year, the company planned to hire nearly 850 seasonal workers, but only around 450 managed to submit fingerprint identification. Of those, about 100 received visa rejections, while 750 have yet to receive a decision.

The Ministry for Foreign Affairs stated that its Bangkok embassy has received 2,200 applications this year but has limited processing capacity. Approximately 20–30% of applications remain unprocessed.

Gustafsson noted that authorities, including the Finnish Immigration Service and the embassy, have requested multiple clarifications from the company, including details on wages, accommodation, meals, and worker expenses. The first such request was submitted on June 17, the same day the embassy issued its first visa rejections.

Katja Luopajärvi, head of the ministry’s immigration unit, said visa processing began in April and that decisions were made case-by-case based on available official data. She acknowledged that exploitation risks in the berry industry had been factored into assessments.

Marja Bothnia Berries is one of five companies under investigation by the Finnish Competition and Consumer Authority (KKV) for alleged cartels in berry purchasing and data exchange. The case is set to proceed to the Market Court this autumn. The company denies the allegations. Additionally, several Finnish berry firms, including Marja Bothnia Berries, face bribery accusations, with Thai authorities suspected of demanding payments.