JYY is very concerned about the well-being of international students, their future prospects and the sustainability of the Finnish economy in the light of the data presented in the Specialists in Finland report. The report shows that Finland will potentially lose a lot of its international talent as a result of the immigration policy proposals in Orpo’s government programme.
JYY condemns the unsustainable situation created by the Orpo-led government, where international talents are forced to live in a constant limbo of uncertainty. A limbo in which you are not sure of your livelihood, let alone the continuity of your residence permit. The mere existence of the government programme’s immigration legislation would mean that 71 % of international talent currently living in Finland would not come to Finland.
“If the policy proposals in the government programme were to enter into force, 84 % of international students would consider moving out of Finland according to the survey. Such a large migration wave would impoverish the Jyväskylä region and the student community not only economically but also socially”, the Board Member of JYY responsible for international affairs Tiina Toivanen states.
However, emigration is not a matter of choice: Finland would have lost 61 % of its current international talent if immigration legislation had been in line with the proposals in the current government programme in 2018–2023. Most of this 61 % are high-income earners (over €3,500/month). With the government’s planned immigration legislation, Finland would lose a significant amount of tax revenue, despite tax cuts.
JYY demands that the government does not proceed with the preparation of the legislation drafts restricting skilled immigration, but instead proposes better and more sustainable solutions to ensure the well-being of Finland and international talents.
Source: Report by Specialists in Finland: IMPACT OF PM ORPO’S GOVERNMENT PROGRAM ON FINNISH INTERNATIONAL WORKFORCE. The report is based on a survey conducted using Google Forms, and the survey methodology has attracted criticism. Nevertheless, JYY feels that the results cannot be ignored.