Union urges Finland to bar staffing firms from fast-track work permits
Wednesday 30th September 2026 on 17:15 in
Finland
Finland’s Construction Union wants the Finnish Immigration Service to stop staffing companies using a fast-track process for bringing in foreign workers, Yle reports. The agency says current law does not allow it to exclude companies solely because of their industry.
The union’s demand follows a case at a battery materials factory construction site in Kotka, where staffing company Eezy Sonire brought in more than 300 Chinese workers through client companies using a simplified, certification-based procedure.
Some workers moved this summer from Eezy to a Chinese-owned installation company registered in Finland, and their employment terms worsened, according to the report. The company pressured workers to sign an agreement that was illegal under Finnish law and could, for example, allow wages to be reclaimed.
The Immigration Service’s certification list includes 70 employers. Workers recruited by certified employers can have their residence permit applications processed faster, but certification does not remove the usual checks on employment terms or whether applicants understand the work.
Construction Union specialist Jussi Sakari said staffing companies should not be allowed to use simplified procedures because they provide workers to other businesses rather than offering jobs themselves. He said the certification system was problematic and could enable planned exploitation.
The Immigration Service acknowledges the risk of exploitation but says it must grant certification when applicants meet the legal requirements. It can revoke certification if an employer fails to meet its obligations, and in the most serious cases can stop issuing the company residence permits. The agency would not say whether it had started or planned action against any specific employer.
The agency said the system could be reviewed to determine which businesses it works best for, but argued that abolishing it entirely would not be sensible. It also noted that work-related exploitation can occur whether or not an employer is certified.