Work and Employment

Eurostat's seasonally adjusted figures put Finland's unemployment rate at 10.3 per cent in August 2026, the highest in the EU, against an EU average of 6.1 per cent.

Statistics Finland's labour force survey shows 2,628,000 employed people in August 2026, 34,000 more than a year earlier, while the trend unemployment rate stood at 10.1 per cent.

The Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment proposed changes that would make it easier to refuse residence permits to employers suspected of exploitation. The changes are planned to take effect in March 2027.