Finns stand in solidarity with the Ukrainian people. If the country facilitates their integration, among other things, through employment, it is also a way for Finland to solve, in part, the shortage of personnel in the services.
It is no coincidence that Finland opened its doors wide to Ukrainian refugees since the beginning of the Russian offensive. The country shares a 1,300 kilometer border with Russia to the east. It therefore has a common neighbor and also experienced the Russian invasion during the Second World War, during the Winter War.
” I come from Rubierjne, in the Luhansk region, in eastern Ukraine. We were invaded by the Russians. To escape the war, we took the evacuation route, like many Ukrainians. It was that or die says Karina Lavrignenka, in her thirties, who arrived in Finland last year with her husband. Both chose the country for the quality of its welcome and the beauty of its forests and lakes. Tall, swinging brunette, she is herself a force of nature. ” We had contacted Finnish social services via Facebook before coming. We were hosted by a family for five months. They helped us with the administrative procedures, to find accommodation and a job. We clean a school for Sol, a company providing cleaning services. “.
Integration through work
Karina Lavrigneka was previously a lawyer in Ukraine. Not being able to work in her area of expertise is a challenge for her.” I prefer to work, regardless of the field, so as not to depend on government aid without doing anything. I am like this. Two, we get by. We have to, because we want to stay here. And I’m confident, little by little things will evolve in the right direction », she philosophizes.
At Sol, the Finnish number one in maintenance services, Karina Lavrignenka earns the minimum wage, and benefits from the same rights as the Finns. “ All workers, no matter where they come from, and not just Ukrainians, have the same rights as Finns. I come from Kosovo. At first, I found a job as a cleaner. It was eleven years ago. I climbed the ladder. I did not come under the same circumstances as the Ukrainians. It’s harder for them than it was for me, but I understand them. I am in solidarity with what they are going through. My job is to give them directives, to supervise them, but also to make sure that they have the same rights as everyone here. explains Hekuran Jashari, his supervisor.
Finland has granted residence permits to 48,000 Ukrainians under temporary protection, 33,000 of them are of working age and more than 5,200 have already found jobs.
Learn Finnish to integrate and evolve
“ Ukrainians have a good level of education. They are often graduates and have professional experience. There are doctors, engineers, but also farmers or many women who work in hairdressing or beauty care. », relates Susanna Piepponen, adviser to the Ministry of Economy and Employment in Helsinki. “ We have a labor shortage, in the medical sector or childcare, for example, she continues. But for these jobs, you need to be able to communicate in Finnish or Swedish, our second official language. That is why we ask foreign nationals to take compulsory Finnish language courses for one year, where they are also taught the basics of Finnish society. One year to learn Finnish is not enough, but then they can practice the language in the workplace. Many of them want to stay in the country and if they speak Finnish, they will be able to integrate more easily concludes Susanne Piepponen.
The Sol agency currently employs 14,000 people from all over the world. The Finnish company recently hired around thirty Ukrainians. To retain new recruits, the company found them housing and furniture. If the refugees wish, the company even helps them to bring their families. ” It’s easy to hire Ukrainian workers because, as they are under temporary protection, they immediately get a work permit, emphasizes Johanna Friman, head of recruitment at SOL. For non-European immigrants, on the other hand, it is much longer. In cleaning, knowing Finnish is not essential to start working, and we have supervisors who speak Russian. »
“A friend recommended Helsinki to us”
This help is invaluable for Natalia Tsyba, who speaks neither Finnish nor English. Like many Ukrainians, Natalia Tsyba speaks Russian. This shy woman was a nursing assistant in a center for the physically handicapped in Ukraine. At 66, she left everything in a hurry. ” We lived in Pavlograd, in central-eastern Ukraine. The Russian army did not come to us, but there was shelling nearby and we were very scared. As the train was running, we took it to Warsaw and from Warsaw, the plane to Helsinki. It was a friend who recommended Helsinki to us. She told us that the political situation was peaceful, that there were no conflicts. She arranged everything over the phone. So I came here with my daughter, my grandson and me », recalls Natalia Tsyba. Once in Finland, the one who does housework, ” not a difficult job, but with too low a salary says she was helped by Finnish volunteers to find accommodation and work.
But adapting to Finland is not easy, recognizes Natalia Tsiba, far from all her bearings. “My grandson, who is 13, absolutely wants to stay in Finland. He tells me that he wants to come back to Ukraine for the holidays, but he wants to stay here to become a footballer. His parents will decide, but I will go back to Ukraine. »
Natalia, however, is grateful for the welcome she received in Helsinki. “ I like everything in Finland. Finns are welcoming. They are really very generous. The problem is that my family and my house are there », she said, her voice choked. “ All I want is for the war to end and for me to be able to return. » Coming back to Ukraine, yes, but tears are already flowing at the thought of having to leave her grandson and daughter.