Finland News Round-Up no. 2
First signs of lockdown baby boom detected in Finnish capital region
Some areas in Southern Finland are reporting a slight increase in rates of childbirth in early 2021. The spike in births is attributed to the “corona baby boom,” and more are expected throughout Spring 2021.
Finnish prime minister expects mandatory coronavirus tests to start at borders
According to Prime Minister Sanna Marin (SDP), a bill is currently being finalised which would require coronavirus testing at Finland’s borders. The bill will be discussed next Friday, according to Marin.
Young people less satisfied with their lives
The Finnish Youth Research Network recently released survey results which indicate record low life satisfaction among 15-25 year-olds. Specifically, life satisfaction declined sharply among both Finnish and immigrant girls and among immigrant boys. The decline is attributed to impacts of the coronavirus crisis and related restrictions.
Coronavirus latest: Four more deaths, ICUs less busy, more than 210,000 vaccinated
Click here for YLE’s latest data on coronavirus infections, deaths, and vaccinations.
"Brain waste" squanders potential and talent in Finland
Recent employment targets announced by the Finnish government give cause for reflection on the experiences of Finnish Returnees and foreigners, who struggle to find work in Finland despite possessing foreign qualifications and experience
Think tank: Home care allowance linked to lower employment among migrant women
Finnish Business and Policy Forum (Eva) published a report about immigrant women that created an outrage among many different people living in Finland, especially the ones whom the article was about. Read more in our blog post about this report and the reactions on it here.
FIOH publishes recruitment anti-discrimination guide
In response to increased studies finding evidence of hiring bias in Finnish companies, The Finnish Institute of Occupational Health (FIOH) recently published a guide to promoting diversity in recruitment. Among other recommendations, FIOH suggests using varied channels for advertising a job and using anonymous recruitment.
Vocational colleges see mounting degree delays and dropouts
Challenges presented by the coronavirus pandemic have impacted students in vocational programs. Because these programs often involve hands-on, in-person work, they have been more affected by the pandemic than programs that can arrange asynchronous or online learning.
As a result, the rate of dropouts and delays among vocational schools have increased sharply in the last year.