Despite alarming situation in Ukraine, demand for seasonal workers similar to previous years

Instructions for employers on the safe entry of seasonal primary production workers have been completed. Seasonal workers entering Finland must be vaccinated as specified in the instructions of the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare. Workers critical for security of supply, including primary production workers, will be allowed to enter Finland, but unvaccinated persons will be tested at the border.  

The war in Ukraine will make it more difficult for the Ukrainian people to come to Finland for seasonal work. Efforts will be made to facilitate the issuance of seasonal work certificates and entry into the country and to help meet the vaccination requirements for people from Ukraine.

Vaccinated workers are allowed to enter the country if they have a vaccination certificate or a certificate of recovery from COVID-19. Unvaccinated persons will be tested at the border immediately after arrival in Finland, and retested 72–120 hours after the first test. More detailed safety recommendations concerning COVID-19 are available on the website of the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare guidelines on travel and the coronavirus pandemic). Regional restrictions imposed due to the COVID-19 epidemic may also affect the operation of farms. The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry strongly recommends that all seasonal workers get vaccinated before arriving in Finland. The Ministry also recommends that workers carry a negative COVID-19 test certificate issued no more than 72 hours before arrival. 

Exceptions to these restrictions may be allowed for people from Ukraine coming to Finland and those who may seek seasonal work later. Updated information is available on the websites of the Finnish Immigration Service (migri.fi) and the Finnish Border Guard (raja.fi).

The number of seasonal workers needed in primary production is around 16,000. 

“We are all deeply concerned over the war in Ukraine. I will do everything in my power to ensure extensive cooperation between the authorities to guarantee the entry of seasonal workers in Finland in the next growing season, and every effort will be made to make this possible. This is something we can do to help Ukraine and Ukrainians at war. We will follow the developments very closely. As in the previous springs during the COVID-19 pandemic, I want to stress the importance of observing health security practices in the farms and the responsibility of the farms for their employees,” says Minister of Agriculture and Forestry Jari Leppä.

Inquiries at the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry

Kirsi Heinonen, Senior Ministerial Adviser, tel. +358 295 162 059, firstname.lastname(at)gov.fi

Appendix: Safe entry of seasonal primary production workers into Finland – instructions for employers