advice needed.. moving to finland, what to do there?

tista · Post by **tista** » Fri Jun 01, 2012 2:08 pm

Hello everybody,

I readed couple topics in the forum and i find the forum very helpful for people who is interested in Finland. So i registered too.

I am married with a Finnish citizen woman and we have a 5 months old son.I am myself a turkish citizen. We currently live in Turkey but we are thinking to move to Finland for a better life (at least we hope it will be so).I graduated from university as mechatronics engineer. In Turkey i work as a design engineer, I have a good work but we cant live here in peace. My wife has no possibility for the life here, no school without turkish language, no language course in place where we live, no friends etc. And for me, if i find a work in Finland, i probably will earn 3-4 times more than what I earn here, better working conditions etc. So we are thinking abt moving to Finland.

I search job for myself in internet from Finland. I have applied many companies for 1-2 months but got no positive feedback. Is it really so difficult to find a work in Finland for a non finnish speaker? At the same time, I improve my english language to pass IELTS exam so that i can apply a university in Finland for master education.but then i have worries about our financial situation to take care of my family. Can we live then with only Kela money? I will have residence permit because I have finnish citizen wife, so they will pay me some money from Kela. Some child benefit will come too. And my wife will take also some money from Kela because she has no work yet. Would this all money be enough for normal life in Finland?

Another option is to study finnish language. I think government has free finnish courses for foreign people.

So this is my story, I wanted to share with you. I appreciate any advice.
Thanks.

**Sponsor:**

rinso · Post by **rinso** » Fri Jun 01, 2012 2:21 pm

Is it really so difficult to find a work in Finland for a non finnish speaker?

Yes it is extremely difficult. You have to be lucky to find something.

so they will pay me some money from Kela. Some child benefit will come too. And my wife will take also some money from Kela because she has no work yet. Would this all money be enough for normal life in Finland?

What do you consider normal? These hand outs are absolute minimums, so no luxury, no car, no holidays. You probably have a better life in Turkey.

I think government has free finnish courses for foreign people.

It is called "integration program". Search this forum for more info (search box right top).

tista · Post by **tista** » Fri Jun 01, 2012 2:51 pm

Thank you for your answer rinso.

what do you think about master education in Finland? do universities work there with companies as co-operation? would it be then littlebit easier to find a work? In that time i can learn littlebit finnish too.

Rip · Post by **Rip** » Fri Jun 01, 2012 2:54 pm

You won't starve here on benefits, but most of the people here too work (and typically both adults of a family) because of the money, not because of it's great fun. Your wife should be able to see online how much public assistance is available.

Salaries here I'm sure are higher (even net of taxes), but so are living expenses. Engineering fields do have some positions were speaking of Finnish isn't required, but still not very easily at least for any positions were you would need to converse with customers (unless they are all outside Finland). Finding that job in advance would be great, on the other hand the fact that you do not have a residence permit yet, makes companies even less likely to be interest in you. Unfortunately the economic news aren't very good here (either?)

There are language courses offered by the government for immigrants, though you have considerable more to choose from (both in regard to "what" and "when") if you can pay a bit for them.

Rather many students find a job in the place where they did their thesis, but there is no guarantee with that.

Rosamunda · Post by **Rosamunda** » Fri Jun 01, 2012 3:03 pm

What do you mean by Master Education? What do you want to teach?

WIth your background it might be better to take a diploma in Vocational Education such as this one (which is in English):

http://www.haaga-helia.fi/en/school-of- ... -education

These are part-time courses so you could study Finnish at the same time and/ or find a part-time job. The qualification would help you to find a job teaching eg engineering (in English) in a vocational school.

There are very few Masters Degree Programmes in Education which are taught in English and it is quite difficult to get in. There is one, for example, in Oulu:

http://www.oulu.fi/ktkold/kasope/english/

tista · Post by **tista** » Fri Jun 01, 2012 3:15 pm

Rosamunda wrote:What do you mean by Master Education? What do you want to teach?

I dont want to teach, I want to get master education in a university. I checked master programmes in Finnish universities and i found couple suitable ones for my study. For example, there is one in Lappeenranta uni.

http://www.lut.fi/en/admissions/degree- ... fault.aspx

tista · Post by **tista** » Fri Jun 01, 2012 4:06 pm

Rip wrote:
Salaries here I'm sure are higher (even net of taxes), but so are living expenses.

How much is an engineer salary in Finland per month (when taxes taken away)? I know that it depends of position, experience etc. but as average ?

Upphew · Post by **Upphew** » Fri Jun 01, 2012 4:50 pm

tista wrote:How much is an engineer salary in Finland per month (when taxes taken away)? I know that it depends of position, experience etc. but as average ?

http://www.uil.fi/portal/page?_pageid=1 ... ema=PORTAL

tista · Post by **tista** » Fri Jun 01, 2012 5:06 pm

Upphew wrote:
tista wrote:How much is an engineer salary in Finland per month (when taxes taken away)? I know that it depends of position, experience etc. but as average ?
http://www.uil.fi/portal/page?_pageid=1 ... ema=PORTAL

Thank you. I expected more

tizlit · Post by **tizlit** » Sat Jun 02, 2012 11:36 am

First a residence permit for you in Finland, then waiting for the ”integration program” which may take over 1,5 year to find a government proved school, as places are scarce. And to study Finnish language, it will take you years. As RIP pointed out, you have more options if you are able to pay for this tuition.

Finland is not the paradise so many people seem to fantasize, sorry to say. You have to be able to live, KELA pays you about 500 E per month for unemployment benefit, then child benefit also, do not know about your wife´s situation, she better find some work. The living expenses are high here. So it might not be easy for the first 2 years. We are not talking about no cars, etc but just to manage everyday expenses, I have been through this.

I wish you good luck, and hope you will find some job offer prior to yr arrival here.

Samer2010 · Post by **Samer2010** » Sat Jun 02, 2012 1:00 pm

tizlit wrote:then waiting for the ”integration program” which may take over 1,5 year to find a government proved school, as places are scarce.

tizlit, Would you mind explaining this part? I am really having a hard time believing or even understanding what you have written. As far as I know, Almost all foreigners in Finland (Legally+No criminal records) have the right and the access to these integration programs to learn the language.

@tista
I don't wanna sound like a broken record, But life is tough (And sometimes $hit) everywhere. As a matter of fact, Life in "Turkey" is much better than other places.

I think you have 2 solutions, and none of them is easy:

1) Change you life in Turkey positively: e.g. Moving away from the village which you live in now, So your wife can go to learn language and have a better social life and make connections.

2) Pack your stuff, and come to Finland. But you ought to get real, Stop dreaming about getting a job while you are abroad or things the like. BTW, There are plenty of Turkish pizzerias here in Finland, So this might be an opportunity for you to find a (part-time) job to support your family at least in the beginning (I know you're an Engineer, But that doesn't matter. What matters most is as they say: Bring home the bacon).

Wish you the best of luck !

rinso · Post by **rinso** » Sat Jun 02, 2012 1:12 pm

Samer2010 wrote:
tizlit wrote:then waiting for the ”integration program” which may take over 1,5 year to find a government proved school, as places are scarce.
tizlit, Would you mind explaining this part? I am really having a hard time believing or even understanding what you have written. As far as I know, Almost all foreigners in Finland (Legally+No criminal records) have the right and the access to these integration programs to learn the language.

Foreigners who are less than 3 years in the country can follow an integration program. But since there are a limited number of places in the approved courses, they have to wait till a place is available. Which can take a long time.

Pursuivant · Post by **Pursuivant** » Sat Jun 02, 2012 3:42 pm

Samer2010 wrote: As far as I know, Almost all foreigners in Finland (Legally+No criminal records) have the right and the access to these integration programs to learn the language.

Yes, you also have right and access to public dentist. Now try go book a time.

Rara · Post by **Rara** » Sat Jun 02, 2012 6:46 pm

My opinion, I think option 1 or living in turkey is better for your situation.
Especially you have good job in Turkey. Your wife can learn Turkish language or she can start a business at Turkey also.
At least one of you have job, its better than just depend on Kela support (Both of u jobless at here).
Saving money first, and when enough saving, can apply residence permit.
At least not so struggle in the beginning of life because beside kela you have saving.

For sure , not easy life at here if just depend on kela.
Turkey is beautiful country...,more fun and lively.

Sami-Is-Boss · Post by **Sami-Is-Boss** » Sat Jun 02, 2012 8:52 pm

It seems as if you're exchanging a situation in which your wife has no friends, no job, and feels like she doesn't fit in for a situation in which you wil have no friends, no job, and feel like you don't fit in. Just try harder to learn Finnish than you've ever tried to go anything before, and in the meantime to keep your relationship functioning, ask your wife to extend you the same courtesy for Turkish. Your common language is English, I assume?

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