Thai berry pickers surprise authorities with arrival in Suomussalmi, Finland

Last week, police in Kainuu encountered an unexpected situation when they discovered 75 Thai berry pickers in Suomussalmi. This was surprising as authorities believed that the arrival of these workers should not have been possible yet. Finnish officials have granted work permits to 900 Thai nationals to come to Finland for berry picking; however, delays have occurred due to the Thai authorities hindering the workers’ departure.

Crime Commissioner Nina Similä from the Oulu police stated that finding Thai workers in Suomussalmi was a complete mystery, as it was previously understood that they would not be there due to strict exit controls imposed by Thailand. According to the police, there were no issues concerning the Thai pickers; all were employed by a legitimate company and possessed valid work permits.

The workers arrived in Finland from Bangkok in early August. Similä noted that their work permits were in order, granting them the right to be in the country, but the situation raised eyebrows regarding how their arrival went unnoticed.

The Migration Agency (Migri) has issued work permits to four companies, including Polproduct Nordic, which has successfully brought all of its Thai employees to Finland. Approximately 150 berry pickers are currently at work in Kainuu. Entrepreneur Akseli Nevalainen explained that the employees managed to leave Thailand without being asked for an exit permit.

Nevalainen expressed relief that his workers are in Finland, although he remains puzzled by the delays caused by Thai authorities. He emphasized that all necessary paperwork was completed in Finland. Last week, Thai authorities had requested additional information from Nevalainen’s company about workers’ earning potential in Finland, despite the fact that such opportunities had decreased due to these delays. Nevalainen is pleased his workers can finally start berry picking, stating that current blueberry yields exceed 100 kilograms per picker per day. The blueberry harvest in Kainuu is peaking, with the season expected to last for another two to three weeks before transitioning to lingonberries, which are harvested until October. Nevalainen remarked that the market conditions for forest berries are currently favorable. Additionally, the number of Thai pickers in Sweden has significantly decreased compared to previous years, creating high demand for berries.