Moving and working in Finland. Impossible in my case?

Macci151 · Post by **Macci151** » Wed Jan 07, 2015 6:11 pm

First of all I want to introduce myself.

I'm a 25 year old guy from Germany who has been working in a retail store for the last 7 years of his life. I currently have a position as Co-Manager there. This looks like nothing to complain at, but I'm sick of my country. I'm sick of living in a big city like that. I'm sick of everything here. I've been to Finland quite a few times now. I've spent several month in Finland being on holiday. I also started to learn Finnish about a year ago with a software called Assimil. I finished all the courses with it. But still my Finnish is just very basic and definitely not enough to life and work in this country. Last autumn I got along with Finnish. I could ask for the way. Could check in. Could have basic smalltalk with people and I understand most things they say, if they are speaking clearly.

I'd say my English skills aren't that bad. Additionally, I could also imagine doing something different as job. But are there any chances with my background?

Maybe someone has some advices? Or own experiences?

I'd appreciate all king of help.

**Sponsor:**

caster · Post by **caster** » Wed Jan 07, 2015 9:54 pm

Get employed by Lidl Germany and transfer yourself to Finland. You can always try back end job where there is not much interaction involved with customers. This is one example - try to look for German companies that operate in Finland.

Macci151 · Post by **Macci151** » Wed Jan 07, 2015 11:50 pm

That would probably be a possibility. But it's unlikely that they are looking for someone with a lack of language skills. During my journey through Finland I really didn't like the Helsinki Area. I really enjoyed Lapland, Central Finland, North Ostrobothnia and the entire more central regions. I thought I should look for jobs that no one else wants to do. As I could imagine doing something else as a job.

Maybe someone has some more input for me to give me some ideas.

Tiwaz · Post by **Tiwaz** » Thu Jan 08, 2015 10:12 am

Macci151 wrote:That would probably be a possibility. But it's unlikely that they are looking for someone with a lack of language skills. During my journey through Finland I really didn't like the Helsinki Area. I really enjoyed Lapland, Central Finland, North Ostrobothnia and the entire more central regions. I thought I should look for jobs that no one else wants to do. As I could imagine doing something else as a job.

Maybe someone has some more input for me to give me some ideas.

Doing what? 90% of jobs require you to be able to communicate with natives. And natives like to communicate in their native language.

Areas you mention are ones that have least jobs for "no habla"-population. There is already more than enough people without language skills to compete for quite limited amount of cleaner/dishwasher/whatever jobs where language and lack of skills are not obstacles.

Upphew · Post by **Upphew** » Thu Jan 08, 2015 10:59 am

Tiwaz wrote:Areas you mention are ones that have least jobs for "no habla"-population. There is already more than enough people without language skills to compete for quite limited amount of cleaner/dishwasher/whatever jobs where language and lack of skills are not obstacles.

Tourism might be possible, but that would be seasonal I suppose.

Smaller the place you want to live, more likely you need to start thinking own business idea.

Macci151 · Post by **Macci151** » Thu Jan 08, 2015 2:00 pm

I'm not planning to immediately move to Finland. It's just something that I want more and more every time I visit this country. Until then I'll be spending my time in learning more of the Finnish language. And of course I'm aware of the fact that it would be pretty hard to find something in a less populated place.

But I surely could imagine living somewhere near Oulu, near Rovaniemi and maybe even near Jyväskylä or Kuopio. Just to name a few bigger places. It was just the southern Region I didn't like too much.

Macci151 · Post by **Macci151** » Sat Jan 10, 2015 9:19 pm

I tried to mention the most important or useful information about my person. German is my native language, I'm fluent in English and I can have basic conversations with native Finnish people and I was able to get along during my last stay in Finland using Finnish only.

Unfortunately, I have probably one of the worst job qualifications when it comes to finding a job abroad. I might have a position in my job that most people won't get, but this is due to good relations. Creating my own business is something I have thought of for a while. Even before I started to think about emigration. I'm unsure how far I could get with about 30.000€. One thing there definitely would be is an incredible high risk of losing much, if not everything. I wouldn't mind working in a less valued job for the first one or two years, until I'm more fluent in the Finnish language. Looking for some German companies seems to be the most easiest thing out of all options.

Tiwaz · Post by **Tiwaz** » Sat Jan 10, 2015 11:05 pm

Risk of starting your own business is even greater when you do it outside your native area, unless you can somehow come up with businessidea where your poor ability to sell to locals is not a handicap.

You might succeed, but odds are firmly stacked against you.

betelgeuse · Post by **betelgeuse** » Sun Jan 11, 2015 2:14 pm

Macci151 wrote: I'm unsure how far I could get with about 30.000€.

For 1000 euros / month outside the capital area you are better of than people on benefits.

Macci151 wrote:I wouldn't mind working in a less valued job for the first one or two years, until I'm more fluent in the Finnish language. Looking for some German companies seems to be the most easiest thing out of all options.

Since you are coming from Germany you most likely qualify for earnings-related daily allowance in Finland after working for four weeks:

http://en.ytk.fi/benefits-abc/working-a ... witzerland

If you manage to land any job, you will not loose everything thanks to EU. The Finnish social security system will take care of every resident.

Macci151 · Post by **Macci151** » Sun Jan 11, 2015 2:35 pm

If I would move to Finland, I would do that to work. I don't want to "abuse" the Finnish Social System. It's my dream to live in Finland and I would want to have a job with an income that would keep me above water.

caster · Post by **caster** » Sun Jan 11, 2015 3:45 pm

Macci151 wrote:If I would move to Finland, I would do that to work. I don't want to "abuse" the Finnish Social System. It's my dream to live in Finland and I would want to have a job with an income that would keep me above water.

Determined to chase your dream at 25 - have you given a thought - at what age you want to live your dream fully?

Once landed - have you thought of possibility of "...Houston, we've had a problem..."

biscayne · Post by **biscayne** » Mon Jan 12, 2015 10:42 am

Get a level 4 or 5 qualification as a nursing assistant/care worker. There is a need for nursing assistants in the elder care homes specifically in the rural areas you mention due to an aging population which is not being replaced bythe young who all want to be in cities. Ostrobothnia/Satakunta has a big need. Even with not perfect finnish, because you are a man you will have an advantage (lifting people etc.). A qualification in being a nurses aide can even be done at night, takes less than a year and you don't need a licence which Registered Nurses do need. Then, once you are in Finland working, you can figure out what you really want to do.

Markmywords · Post by **Markmywords** » Sat Jan 17, 2015 1:49 am

Interesting thread... I was wondering if you might have a link for the nursing assistant/care worker courses you mentioned? Cheers

Marsh04 · Post by **Marsh04** » Sun Jan 18, 2015 3:18 pm

Cleaners are always needed. You can make something like 1200 euros/month. Your little Finnish will be enough to do your work.

Macci151 · Post by **Macci151** » Tue Mar 17, 2015 11:58 pm

I thought I should update this one.

As I said, I have some basic skills in the Finnish language. I was able to find my way along speaking Finnish only on my last journey. And of course, I'm still learning. Starting my own business abroad is something that I won't do. The risk is just too big. That big that I won't even waste a single minute continuing to think about it.

I'm aware of the fact that my current situation is maybe one of the worst when it comes to finding a job abroad. But I don't want to give up on that. It might be possible to find a job as cleaner or at a farm, but I would prefer to look for something more "stable".

Looking for a job in a smaller municipality that suffers from emigrating workforce could be another possibility, but that would require fluency in the Finnish language.

Maybe someone with personal experience could make some additional suggestions.

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