Immigrants' Skills Too Often Unused

According to a survey by the institute, some 91 percent of working immigrants say they have good to excellent labour skills. The percentage is the same for mainstream Finns. Of unemployed immigrants, 76 percent say they have at least good skills. For unemployed mainstream Finns, that number was 61 percent. Nearly all immigrants say they are eager to work as well.

Currently around 65,000 of Finland's 130,000 immigrants are employed. Meanwhile about 20 percent are unemployed. In addition, some 25,000 immigrants are students, parents and pensioners. About one-third of them are actively seeking jobs.

In total, Finland has around 20,000 immigrants who are skilled and unemployed or outside the workforce. The institute says recruiting them could add a much needed boost to Finland's labour market. Language Is the Key

Language remains a key concern for immigrants searching for their first job. Experts point out that language skills improve on the job and work experience in Finland can open more doors in the future.

Services offered by employment offices are especially important for immigrants who often lack direct contact to the labour market. Some 49 percent of immigrant respondents said they used employment office services.

Furthermore immigrants clearly need more time to familiarise themselves at a new job than mainstream Finns. However employers don't always want to invest time to help immigrants because of cost concerns. The report urges employers to come up with ways to help immigrants become familiar with their job.

A total of 1,103 immigrants responded to the survey carried out by the Pellervo Economic Research Institute.