Lapin winter season jobs draw thousands of applicants despite industry scrutiny

Thousands of applications have flooded in for winter season jobs in Lapin’s tourism sector, despite widespread reports of worker mistreatment and exploitation.

Recruitment firms assisting Lapland employers began hiring for next winter immediately after the previous season ended, but intensified efforts this summer as interest surged. The surge in applications comes despite findings from the Service Sector Union PAM that 27% of seasonal workers in Finland reported workplace exploitation, with the figure rising to 40% among foreign workers.

The Finnish Hospitality Association MaRa has called for stricter oversight and licensing of activity service companies in Lapland, alleging some operate outside legal requirements. In spring 2026, PAM imposed a three-week hiring ban on Nordic Unique Travels, citing violations of collective bargaining agreements.

Despite negative publicity, well-regarded employers report increased visibility and applicant interest. Rami Korhonen, CEO of Lapland Safaris, said heightened awareness of industry issues has strengthened the position of companies that maintain fair labor practices. “It has increased applicants’ awareness of problems, which benefits employers who handle things properly,” Korhonen said in an email to Yle.

Hannu Wärme, interim CEO of Santa’s Hotels, said the hotel and restaurant sector in Lapland remains attractive to job seekers, with demand still high. Recruitment platforms report hundreds of listings in late June and early July, including dozens directly tied to the upcoming winter season. Bolt listed nine English-language postings for Lapland winter jobs during the same period.

Bondata Lapland, which provides staffing for tourism businesses, expects to hire 300 seasonal workers but has already received over 10,000 applications. The company runs recruitment campaigns across Europe and domestically to fill roles such as servers, chefs, receptionists, housekeepers, and guides, as well as some management positions.