Parents looking for job

BubblyI · Post by **BubblyI** » Fri Dec 26, 2014 8:36 pm

My parents, age 52 and 47, currently living in Bosnia and Herzegovina are looking for anytype of job in Kainuu/Oulu region. They speak english at intermediate level, they are hard working, honest, decent and not affraid of hard work, they have background as self employers for over 20 years as bookstore owners. If you have any information or you are looking for someone to take care of your garden, clean your house, take care of your children, any type of job which doesn't require a lot of language skills and you want someone hardworking and decent, please, please contact me. Thank you!

**Sponsor:**

BubblyI · Post by **BubblyI** » Sun Jul 31, 2016 8:53 pm

Bump! Anyone?

BubblyI · Post by **BubblyI** » Mon Aug 01, 2016 11:39 am

roger_roger wrote:
BubblyI wrote:they have background as self employers for over 20 years as bookstore owners
why leave the profession after 20 years? They can still be bookstore owners here too. Try to contact suomalainen kirjakauppa to start a store as their franchise, or learn more about opening and operating your own business in Finland.

The problem is a bit deeper than it seems. Bosnia and Herzegovina is not in EU, hence, it is not possible for them to have working permits in EU.In fact they cannot spend more than 3 months abroad without having to return to country. In order to get a working permit, one needs to have a employer who will offer them contract, and by having a contract they can get working visa to stay in the country.

Cite from http://www.expat-finland.com/moving_to_ ... tml#non_eu : "Foreign employees who are non-EU citizens and equivalent persons generally need a residence permit for an employed person to work in Finland. An alien who has entered the country either with a visa or visa-free is not allowed to engage in remunerated employment in Finland but, rather, has to apply for a residence permit. A residence permit can be granted on the basis of either temporary work or work of a continuous nature. "

It would be easier if they wouldn't have to change their profession, but language barrier is something one needs to consider in that age. And they are willing to make that sacrifice in order to be able to have normal life. I now it goes beyond someones comprehending, but "normal" life is not applicable everywhere and it doesn't have the same meaning everywhere. I would really love if someone has something to offer, or offer some help in some kind of way. My dad can also do driving jobs, mom is a great cook. So yeah, anything to help out with bureaucracy or advice or any kind of helpful information would be appreciated.

BubblyI · Post by **BubblyI** » Mon Aug 01, 2016 12:01 pm

roger_roger wrote:
BubblyI wrote:The problem is a bit deeper than it seems.
It depends how you look at it. If you have enough money to open and operate a bookstore here, I do not see any issues. As I said earlier, look for options about doing business in Finland.

Lol, I wouldn't be on the forum looking for alternatives if the money wasn't issue. Believe it or not, there are countries with average wage less than Finnish student financial aid. And the students are the poorest category in Finland...So, how can you have money to open and operate a business in Finland?

But this is going off topic, so thank you for your time and comments, but I need something more realistic.

rinso · Post by **rinso** » Mon Aug 01, 2016 1:48 pm

With their age, lack of language skills, and no relevant experience (if they don't want to continue as booksellers) they are almost unemployable. Yes, they can do gardenwork and so, but as non EU they have to find a job that cannot be done by an EU citizen. So their employer must go through an administrative process to prove they are the only ones capable of doing it. The chance of that happening is almost zero.
If they want any chance they have to stay in the book business. Contact publishers in Finland and see if there is any need for knowledge about SE European literature.

Flossy1978 · Post by **Flossy1978** » Tue Aug 02, 2016 1:45 pm

Stay in their own country.

If there is high unemployment amongst Finns, then it is even worse for foreigners. Especially quite old foreigners with no real skills, no language, and no connections.

May I ask why they want to move to Finland? Especially at their ages? Starting over again?

leisl · Post by **leisl** » Mon Aug 08, 2016 1:56 am

Others sort of noted it but it seems to be quite clear. Non-EU - no residence permit - no permission to work. You knew this already

so it's good you did some research. But... without permission to work, you cannot be offered ANY job in Finland unless the employer can prove there were no EU citizens to fill the vacancy. Sorry.

An exception is if your parents have a rare skill, for example, something using their native language, qualifications or experience. Or if you are already self-employed and making money off a website or some other business they can move here which would support them. I don't think Finnish immigration will believe that a specialised Bosnian bookstore would be profitable here or grant a permit for that. Probably not enough Bosnians buying books in Finland to support a store.

They could pick berries though, which is a different set of rules. But it's a bit late this year I think.

leisl · Post by **leisl** » Mon Aug 08, 2016 1:58 am

PS. They could enrol in university. It's not actually too old, believe me.

biscayne · Post by **biscayne** » Fri Aug 12, 2016 10:41 am

I lived in Slovenia for over 15 years, so I am very familiar with the situation in BiH, loads of experience of people coming up to Slovenia to work for 800e a month and thinking they had hit the jackpot, I know how things are down there. I can imagine they want out, and I know you don't want to hear this, but at their ages, being non-EU and not having the money to start up a viable business, I just cannot see how this is ever going to work.

One poster mentioned about study, that they could enroll, that it is never too late. Ok, but the problem is, that Finland has now introduced fees for studying for non-EU students and they will be about 10k per year or therebouts. I know this, because I am working for a University here at the moment on a project trying to attract fee-paying students. Also, as they don't know Finnish, their English would need to be good enough to study, and for that they need the IELT's, which is about 660e each to take the exam. In any case even graduates find jobs with difficulty if they are foreign and non-finnish speaking.

You live here, so you understand the cost of living. It is so expensive that when I finish here, I am actually thinking I will go back to Slovenia (I am not Slovene) because the salary I earned there afforded me a better life than here! I would need to earn 3 times what I did there to live the same quality, but I would only get double, or a bit less.

This is just not going to happen for them.

BubblyI · Post by **BubblyI** » Fri Aug 12, 2016 5:26 pm

Thank you guys for more uplifting and welcoming words. I am sorry for others who have a bit narrow views of how life is in other countries, because in the end, that only affects them much more, since they are unable to appreciate how different their life and surrounding is, in contrast how it could have been. I wish everyone goes somewhere else like a tourist, to enjoy, experience and have fun in new places, but unfortunately that isn't so. And If someone needs to explain that to you, then I feel sorry for you.

Those who want to start over and are able to do so are lucky ones, and few ones, but most of others are going because they need to. The language is problem I agree, but people are adjustable, and hardworking when they need and want something. For example, my mother in law who had only elementary school education has managed to get secondary education in Finland, learn the language and work in Elementary School as help to teachers(koulunkäyntiavustaja) IN FINNISH language. All that she managed to do in less than 10 years(7 to be precise) and she is older than my folks (55). She came as refugee, yes, she had different set of circumstances, but nevertheless, if one wants something, it is never too late, or one is never too old!

Anyway I am not losing hope, some of those suggestions I have already considered, I will still continue to look and think and hope something will come up. I am working hard and trying to fit in myself so I am able to do more. I am optimistic that Universe will give a wink,open up some paths and creative juices will flow, so something will come up. Thanks for optimism, at least if nothing else!

Flossy1978 · Post by **Flossy1978** » Sat Aug 13, 2016 1:02 am

It is not about optimism or "if you work hard enough......". It is about reality. All you posters speak the same things when you don't like people telling you the truth of the matter.

The reality of the situation is, your folks are older in age. Finnish is already a difficult language for even younger adults and older children to learn. On the very rare and odd occasion you will find a freak of nature who does learn the language properly. You might just have more chance of winning the lotto, than learning Finnish to such a high degree, if you are not Finnish

I wonder if you think it will go as wonderfully as it seems it did for your Mother-In-law? To begin with, you are right, your MIL came as a refugee. Which means lots of doors would have been opened to help her integrate and live in Finland. Your Parents would just be another set of foreigners who could apply for language course and be sent to TE office. Nothing much more I believe.

It is so horrifically difficult for Finns to find jobs these days and from all I've read, it doesn't look like it will get any easier any time soon.

There are so many stories of much younger adults who have turned up in Finland, only to go back home eventually, because they too tried as hard as they could....... But life isn't all roses. Finland is a bloody hard country to try to integrate into, in every sense of the word. So, if your Parents do by some miracle get into Finland, how will they survive?

Anyway, I don't think your Parents' chances are very high at all, but I wish you luck.

cors187 · Post by **cors187** » Sun Aug 14, 2016 12:12 am

Manual work= Its not very hard to increase the efficiency of most jobs here. I mean you can come into a job and work harder than the average . Its really easy here and many non finnish speakers just go for it and do more output.
The problem comes when your doing it year after year at the normal paid salary.
You wont go anywhere on average.

May aswell live in an area that you grow your own fruits and vegs, meat etc. Living standard is actually better.
Many succeed here but i think if they could have put the same effort and same intensity , using intuitive and strategical business steps they would have done better elsewhere.
This is the real truth.
Same effort,intensity,intuition and strategy used in other countries gets better results.

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