How hard is it to find non-specialised office jobs (like secretarial, customer service etc.) in Finland for someone who doesn't speak Finnish? I'm considering moving to Finland in the next few years and want to know how realistic my chances are of finding a job.
I'm Austrian, so EU-citizen. I speak German (mother tongue) and am also fluent in English and Swedish, which is why I'd pick a city with a relatively big Swedish speaking population, to make things a bit easier.
Of course I plan to learn Finnish if I indeed decide to move, but am not kidding myself into believing that I could learn enough Finnish prior to moving to be able to work in an exclusively Finnish speaking environment.
Office Jobs for non-finnish speakers
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Re: Office Jobs for non-finnish speakers
Since you are fluent in Swedish, look at places like Turku. Or if you like islands, Åland - you will hardly use Finnish at all there!
I think the chances of getting such a job in the majority-Finnish-speaking areas (95% of the country) without good Finnish are close to zero. But Swedish is an official language, so in principle you should be all set ...
I think the chances of getting such a job in the majority-Finnish-speaking areas (95% of the country) without good Finnish are close to zero. But Swedish is an official language, so in principle you should be all set ...
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Re: Office Jobs for non-finnish speakers
Nearly impossible.
A majority of young Finns are fluent in at least Finnish, Swedish and English.
Why would anyone hire you instead?
Except for IT, it is nearly impossible to find any job without Finnish.
In such an environment you might be fine with Swedish when you are a customer, since people working in customer service have to speak both languages in such places.
The Åland Islands are the only unilingually Swedish part of Finland.
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Re: Office Jobs for non-finnish speakers
5% of the population of Turku are native Swedish speakers, this is not not even above Finnish average.SecretCode wrote: ↑Fri Mar 12, 2021 2:17 pmSince you are fluent in Swedish, look at places like Turku.
Helsinki has a higher percentage of native Swedish speakers than Turku.
Re: Office Jobs for non-finnish speakers
Thank you!FinlandGirl wrote: ↑Fri Mar 12, 2021 3:49 pmNearly impossible.
A majority of young Finns are fluent in at least Finnish, Swedish and English.
Why would anyone hire you instead?
Except for IT, it is nearly impossible to find any job without Finnish.
In such an environment you might be fine with Swedish when you are a customer, since people working in customer service have to speak both languages in such places.
The Åland Islands are the only unilingually Swedish part of Finland.
Well, I assume if there ARE jobs available where you don't need to be able to speak Finnish, I should have a chance shouldn't I
Thank you! Yes, Turku is one of the places I planned to look into.SecretCode wrote: ↑Fri Mar 12, 2021 2:17 pmSince you are fluent in Swedish, look at places like Turku. Or if you like islands, Åland - you will hardly use Finnish at all there!
I think the chances of getting such a job in the majority-Finnish-speaking areas (95% of the country) without good Finnish are close to zero. But Swedish is an official language, so in principle you should be all set ...
Does either of you know how life is in Åland? Is it more like in Sweden or still very "Finnish-style", despite being predominantely Swedish speaking? I'm mainly interested in schools, since I left Sweden several years ago with my then 9 year old, because I found the schools so horrible.
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Re: Office Jobs for non-finnish speakers
When there are two candidates with equal qualifications for a position, except that one has the additional skill of speaking Finnish, why would anyone choose the candidate who lacks that skill?Spucks wrote: ↑Sat Mar 13, 2021 7:55 amThank you!FinlandGirl wrote: ↑Fri Mar 12, 2021 3:49 pmNearly impossible.
A majority of young Finns are fluent in at least Finnish, Swedish and English.
Why would anyone hire you instead?
Except for IT, it is nearly impossible to find any job without Finnish.
In such an environment you might be fine with Swedish when you are a customer, since people working in customer service have to speak both languages in such places.
The Åland Islands are the only unilingually Swedish part of Finland.
Well, I assume if there ARE jobs available where you don't need to be able to speak Finnish, I should have a chance shouldn't I
I am curious why you are considering Finland but not Norway.
Since you speak Swedish and English but no Finnish, you have better chances of finding a job in Norway than in Finland.
I am not aware of any substantial differences between schools in Åland and Swedish language schools in other rural parts of Finland.Spucks wrote: ↑Sat Mar 13, 2021 7:55 amDoes either of you know how life is in Åland? Is it more like in Sweden or still very "Finnish-style", despite being predominantely Swedish speaking?
I'm mainly interested in schools, since I left Sweden several years ago with my then 9 year old, because I found the schools so horrible.
Re: Office Jobs for non-finnish speakers
In that case, of course, if everything else is equal.FinlandGirl wrote: ↑Sat Mar 13, 2021 7:37 pm
When there are two candidates with equal qualifications for a position, except that one has the additional skill of speaking Finnish, why would anyone choose the candidate who lacks that skill?
I am considering Norway as well, though I assume it's easier for me in the EU - haven't yet checked if I'd need any permits. Also Finland seems very likeable to me and I think Finnish sounds great, so I'd like to learn it and would love for my kid to speak it.FinlandGirl wrote: ↑Sat Mar 13, 2021 7:37 pmI am curious why you are considering Finland but not Norway.
Since you speak Swedish and English but no Finnish, you have better chances of finding a job in Norway than in Finland.
Great, thank you!FinlandGirl wrote: ↑Sat Mar 13, 2021 7:37 pmI am not aware of any substantial differences between schools in Åland and Swedish language schools in other rural parts of Finland.
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Re: Office Jobs for non-finnish speakers
You have to right to live and work in any EU or EFTA (Norway/Iceland/Switzerland/Liechtenstein) country.Spucks wrote: ↑Sat Mar 13, 2021 9:21 pmI am considering Norway as well, though I assume it's easier for me in the EU - haven't yet checked if I'd need any permits.FinlandGirl wrote: ↑Sat Mar 13, 2021 7:37 pmI am curious why you are considering Finland but not Norway.
Since you speak Swedish and English but no Finnish, you have better chances of finding a job in Norway than in Finland.
Re: Office Jobs for non-finnish speakers
Thanks! I still prefer Finland, thoughFinlandGirl wrote: ↑Sat Mar 13, 2021 9:32 pmYou have to right to live and work in any EU or EFTA (Norway/Iceland/Switzerland/Liechtenstein) country.