Retention of international students requires concrete steps to build trust in their future in Finland. The joint statement by Akava Students, SAMOK and SYL proposes tangible actions to ensure international students can stay in Finland after their graduation.
Trust in the future has become a central theme in discussions around young people and students. However, there is a section of students who often gets overlooked in these conversations, specifically, do Finland’s international students believe in their future here? Finland does well in attracting international students, but it struggles to retain and provide the future that these students moved here to create. Although many international students would want to stay and build a future in Finland after their studies, 50% end up leaving after graduation. Limited job opportunities, restrictive immigration policies, discrimination, weak integration support and high tuition fees all contribute to this.
A key challenge of international student retention lies in the access to the Finnish labour market. International students face several significant barriers, including limited language skills, a lack of professional networks and discrimination. According to SYL and SAMOK’s At What Cost? survey results, four out of five respondents identified language requirements as a major obstacle to finding employment. A study by the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment of Finland found that job seekers with foreign-sounding names are less likely to be invited to interviews. In addition, up to 70% of jobs in Finland are considered “hidden”, meaning they are never publicly advertised and most international students don’t acquire sufficient networks to access them.
Having connections to Finnish working life is vital for anyone in order to build a life after graduation. International students who complete internships, summer jobs or theses with companies are 80% more likely to stay in Finland after graduation. This highlights the importance of building connections to working life during studies. There is a need for a stronger employer engagement through more entry-level opportunities and support for hiring international students. While such initiatives exist on the municipality-level, scaling them requires national-level action. SAMOK and SYL propose an international employment voucher to support companies hiring international students for the first time. Akava Students, SAMOK and SYL also call for more realistic language requirements, anonymous recruitment practices and stronger anti-discrimination guidelines in the workplace.
International students also face challenges related to permanent residence permits. The Aliens Act now excludes those pursuing bachelor lever degrees at Universities of Applied Sciences. Akava Students, SAMOK and SYL argue that the Aliens Act must be amended so that permanent residence permits are automatically granted to all those who have completed a higher education degree in Finland, without separate consideration or income limits. SYL and SAMOK’s report At What Cost? shows that plans to stay in Finland weaken over time, while current residence permit policies place higher education sectors in unequal positions and limit Finland’s knowledge capital.
Trust in the future is built through opportunities, stability and inclusion. Until Finland ensures these for international students, it will continue to lose the very people it seeks to attract.
Further information:
Mantė Žygelytė Board Member, Akava Students
Senja Suntola Board Member, SAMOK
Aada Aho Board Member, SYL
Viena Pentikäinen Board Member, SYL
