Spanish seasonal worker describes Lapland housing as inhumane: “Even prisoners likely have it better”

A Spanish seasonal worker in Finnish Lapland has described his living conditions as comparable to a Soviet-era labour camp, with up to 40 workers sharing cramped facilities where some slept in saunas and showers, Yle reports.

Sergi Alos, who worked in Rovaniemi’s tourism sector, told the Finnish broadcaster that his accommodation—a former care home—housed over 40 foreign seasonal workers at once, with just three toilets, two showers, one washing machine, and a small kitchen. Each resident, including those sleeping in the sauna or shower, paid €300 per month in rent.

“In Finland, even prisoners probably have better conditions,” Alos said. “It’s like a Soviet forced labour camp, a gulag.”

Alos arrived in late October and initially worked for a company that provided shared housing in a converted grocery store for 26 people. After switching employers, he ended up in the overcrowded care home. “People should have the right to privacy and adequate rest,” he said, adding that he never expected to face such treatment in Finland. “It’s as if I’ve lived without human rights.”

His experience aligns with a recent survey by the Service Union United (PAM), which found that 40% of foreign seasonal workers in Lapland’s tourism industry reported workplace exploitation. Issues included unpredictable schedules, unpaid overtime, denied breaks, and unsafe working conditions. Many workers quit and left the country rather than endure the conditions, according to PAM’s regional director Henna-Kaisa Turpeinen.

Alos also described excessive surveillance and restrictions at work, including GPS tracking of tour groups and bans on bathroom breaks for customers. “If we took even a short break, I’d get yelled at—even if it was for an elderly client who needed the toilet,” he said.

Another worker, French national Pierre Laporté, reported 12–16-hour shifts without breaks. “Bus drivers get rest stops, but we don’t,” he said.

The employer in question, Arctic GM, denied categorically banning toilet breaks but acknowledged the scarcity of facilities in remote areas. Company CEO David Szekeres told Yle that short stops were permitted, though he confirmed messages from supervisors discouraging breaks to avoid missing the Northern Lights.

PAM attributed the persistent exploitation to weak oversight and a lack of penalties for repeat offenders, allowing some companies to operate year after year despite violations.