Finland’s customs agency lays off over 100 staff at eastern border crossings with no end date

More than 100 Finnish customs officers working at eastern border crossings will be temporarily laid off starting in June, with no set return date, public broadcaster Yle reports.

The largest layoffs will affect the Nuijamaa crossing in Lappeenranta and the Imatra crossing in South Karelia, where over 40 employees each will be furloughed. An additional 16 staff from northern border stations will also be laid off, while the Vaalimaa crossing in Kymenlaakso remains unaffected.

Susanna Nuutinen, a shop steward for the Saimaa Customs Association, described the news as a shock for workers, who have faced prolonged uncertainty since Russia’s border closure halted passenger traffic in late 2023. “The announcement silenced our entire team. For most, this came as a complete shock,” she said.

Stefan Aniszewski, director-general of Finnish Customs, called the layoffs unprecedented in the agency’s history. “We’ve never conducted layoff negotiations on this scale before,” he stated, adding that staff could return quickly if border crossings reopen—though there are currently no signs of that happening.

Many employees had been temporarily reassigned to other border stations, such as Tornio, Helsinki, or Turku, for nearly two years. However, hiring freezes and limited relocation options have left some with few alternatives. Jari Ylönen, chief shop steward for the Customs Union, called the layoff announcement “the worst day of my career” but acknowledged efforts to extend temporary assignments.

Layoffs will suspend work and pay but keep employment contracts active. Affected staff may seek other jobs, though restrictions apply to competitive or confidential work. Lenia-Marie Modinos, a labor market expert in South Karelia, noted that over 80 customs officers will join roughly 600 others already on furlough in the region.

Finnish Customs employs over 2,000 people nationwide.