English speaking engineer

[wfdogg]

Hi there,

Im a 28y/o qualified civil engineer with masters in sustainable energy systems. EU citizen moving to Finland from UK in 3 weeks with pregnant partner(who is finnish) and our 2y/o daughter, to be closer to family and friends. Just a few problems though: No job, No house & No language.!!! Im leaving a perfectly good job in UK the day before I leave, and will not have been on jobseekers benefit at all - hence no 'U2' form. Is there any way I can get onto one of these crash courses to learn finnish - paid for by hospitable european partner - and improve my employability status? Or am I going to have to fork out from my scant reserves to 'integrate' if I want to become of some use to society: ie pay taxes and consume finnish goods and services?

Would appreciate your thoughts and advice. Thanks.

Ps: Im bringing over 2003 volvo v70 stuffed full of boxes for the move. What are customs like coming in from Tallinn on the ferry? And if/when Im stopped, are they likely to issue me with a heafty tax bill or impound my pride and joy!??

[Upphew]

http://213.138.145.18/netcomm/content.a ... anguage=EN
http://www.tulli.fi/en/finnish_customs/ ... /index.jsp
http://www.mol.fi/koulutukset/courseLis ... ageIndex=0

[rinso]

Is there any way I can get onto one of these crash courses to learn finnish - paid for by hospitable european partner -

You can enter an integration program, which includes a language course. But those courses in the Helsinki area are often full, so you'll have to wait or go private.

and improve my employability status?

Don't expect to much impact on your chances to find work. It takes more than an integration course to get your Finnish up to scratch.

[Rosamunda]

Does your current employer in the UK have any contacts with companies in Finland (suppliers, customers) through which you could network? Or do they deal with any companies in eg Germany, Sweden which may have suppliers/customers in Finland? That is how I would start to look for a job.

I think your degree/experience probably gives you a reasonable chance of finding a job - sustainable energy systems are a growing sector in Finland too eg: http://www.winwind.com/en/careers/open-positions/ and there are plenty of SME that specialise in geo-thermic heating systems and stuff like that. You need to scan the Sunday newspaper, MOL and google the sector. Cleantech is also growing in Finland. And mining (up north). I guess they all employ civil engineers.

Alternatively you could look for work teaching, a lot of the Universities of Applied Science run BA courses in civil engineering and environmental engineering in English so occasionally there are jobs for English speaking lecturers. eg http://www.metropolia.fi/en/degree-prog ... -services/
You can take a Vocational Teacher Training course (part-time, in English) which helps when applying for those jobs (and improves your salary prospects).

[mrjimsfc]

You could do the sensible thing and just become a "house husband". Just send the missus out to work each day until she comes to her senses and says "let's move back to the UK where you earn the living". Of course it will be very uncomfortable living in her parents house, never having sex "because they might hear" and watching your child grow up learning a language that you can't speak. Oh, say goodby to the Volvo. There's no place to park it at her parents house and the nearest parking rental is really expensive. You can sell it for almost the amount it cost you to bring it into the country.

You would do better to send your wife and child to Finland for a vacation and let your wife remember why she left Finland to begin with. You get the same amount of sex either way, you don't have to worry about getting another job and you can keep the Volvo.

I know this sounds terribly cynical but the realistic view is just that way. Sorry!

[Karhunkoski]

EU citizen moving to Finland from UK in 3 weeks with pregnant partner(who is finnish) and our 2y/o daughter, to be closer to family and friends.

A very common reason, and depending on what sort of support network you're leaving behind, it could be a most terrible decision.

I'm going to stick my neck out here and say, "statistically you're stuffed and you're making what could be the worst decision of your life". Be prepared for any or all of the following:

- feelings of isolation, loneliness, even boredom
- feeling like a child in your relationship (you won't be able to do much without her holding your hand)
- huge pressures and stresses on your marriage (in many areas you will become a useless piece of baggage)
- money problems (Kela money won't give you much of a life, and if there's only one salary coming in, I hope your wife is a high-flyer.)
- unless you're a language genius, be prepared for your kids to be speaking fluent Finnish in a matter of months, whilst you're still struggling to say who you are and where you come from. You will feel like an outsider with your own family.

(by the way, have you learned any other languages to fluency? If not, prepare for a 5 year battle with Finnish)

No malice intended with the above, and I'm sure most of us would like you to prove me wrong, me included. Good Luck!

[wfdogg]

Hi again,

I appreciate the positive feedback, particularly from Upphew, Penelope and Rinso. Thanks especially for the links and encouragement guys.

When I eventually do get settled in Finland I will endeavour to reach out to expats looking for help like you have.

(Mr Burns thing, I thought moving to another country was tough, but you got problems buddy.)

[sinikala]

Hi there,

Im a 28y/o qualified civil engineer with masters in sustainable energy systems. EU citizen moving to Finland from UK in 3 weeks with pregnant partner(who is finnish) and our 2y/o daughter, to be closer to family and friends. Just a few problems though: No job, No house & No language.!!! Im leaving a perfectly good job in UK the day before I leave, and will not have been on jobseekers benefit at all - hence no 'U2' form. Is there any way I can get onto one of these crash courses to learn finnish - paid for by hospitable european partner - and improve my employability status? Or am I going to have to fork out from my scant reserves to 'integrate' if I want to become of some use to society: ie pay taxes and consume finnish goods and services?

Would appreciate your thoughts and advice. Thanks.

Ps: Im bringing over 2003 volvo v70 stuffed full of boxes for the move. What are customs like coming in from Tallinn on the ferry? And if/when Im stopped, are they likely to issue me with a heafty tax bill or impound my pride and joy!??

It probably wouldn't hurt to send an open application to my employers, I'm a chemical engineer your skills on the civil side sound like something that *might* be of interest (don't want to get your hopes up).
Natch I don't want to splash my employer's name on here so I'll PM you.

There is no tax on removals goods within the EU with the exception of cars, but your 9 year old Volvo is unlikely to be taxed so long as you have owned it for over 6 months.
So long as the value of the car imported into Finland doesn't go above a certain threshold (about €40 000) then you'll pay no tax.

Upphew already linked to the relevant documents
http://www.tulli.fi/en/finnish_customs/ ... /index.jsp
http://www.tulli.fi/en/finnish_customs/ ... rs/008.pdf

But you'll still have to go through the rigmarole of letting the customs guys assess it, then you get a statement that there is no tax due on it, then you can get it inspected, converted for driving on the wrong side of the road (headlights / rear foglights), and finally registered. You'll also need winter tyres.

[odon]

I have to say;

mrjimsfc and Karhunkoski are giving you the true life situation (worstcase situation) in Finland, but then a lot of uk guys have landed here and most have survived the cultural shock, and even stayed long.....but then you have to go do it, to find out! good luck!

[onkko]

Finnish wife british husband. Wife or both living in finland. 2010.
Divorces 29, Marriages 107
doesnt look that bad.