A ministerial working group on employment and entrepreneurship in Finland announced an action plan to support people who have fled Ukraine and now reside in Finland. 

The plan seeks to support Ukrainians with their integration into Finnish society and help them find employment. It comprises 30 different measures which are being implemented in 2024 - 2027.

Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, approximately 43 000 Ukrainians have applied for temporary protection and still reside in Finland. In April 2024, of the 30 000 in this group who are of working age, approximately 7 200 were employed and 11 900 were unemployed and seeking employment. The plan addresses the needs of those who wish to enter the Finnish labour market but have not yet been able to do so.

Poor language skills in Finnish, Swedish, and/or English can hinder attempts to enter the labour market in Finland. Other factors include not having relevant or sufficient work experience, training or education. The Finnish government aims to address this by strengthening cooperation between employment services and potential employers and career services, as well as by offering training to promote language learning and integration. For example, those displaced from Ukraine are now able to gain access to more information about job seeking and Finnish working life in their own mother tongue. Simultaneously, the government is also working to officially recognise Ukrainian qualifications more quickly, and to open up more studying opportunities to those from Ukraine.

The government also plans to grant additional funding to support the movement of those displaced from Ukraine from reception centres to municipalities. This funding will help municipalities and county wellbeing services to maintain employment, integration and inclusion services, as well as other activities, for those who have applied for a municipality of residence. Additionally, access to mental health care in the Ukrainian language is being made increasingly available. Those displaced from Ukraine who have already been designated a 'home municipality' in Finland will now also be able to access social and health care services more easily.

In addition, the action plan addresses recent cases of exploitation in the Finnish labour market. In order to protect e.g. individuals under temporary protection, more information on the rules of the Finnish working life has been made available in Ukrainian. This information will be distributed to people at reception centres, local employment offices (TE Offices) and other services frequented by those displaced from Ukraine. Authorities will also be supported to advise victims and help them take appropriate measures in situations of exploitation.