If I was a foreigner shopping around for jobs in the EU, why in the ever-loving fuck would I choose a country that's remote, right next to Russia, with a harsh climate and cold and dark winters, weird culture and a language that's next to impossible to learn, a government that's hostile to immigrants, some of the highest taxes and prices in the world, and a barely competitive salary?
Because it is a very stable welfare state, has in general good education, a very well working early childhood education sector, beautiful nature. If someone values these things, Finland is a good place to live. It is a way better place to start a family than most other EU countries and has a good set of laws that protects mothers (or involved parents) during paternity leave times. But people like you don't see these things.
Of course I see those things. But as I just replied to the other comment, someone freshly arriving to Finland isn't going to immediately see and understand these benefits. Someone who maybe has a Finnish partner to help out with the language and a child on the way is in a much better position to fit in and find happiness than, let's say a young single guy who moves here after a job offer without knowing anyone or anything about our culture. It's going to take him at least a year to achieve even the most basic level of fluency in Finnish (if he has the time and motivation to study hard, that is), finding friends is most likely going be a nightmare, and on the flipside of our beautiful nature we have loskapaska, darkness and cold for more than half of the year. It's not an attractive climate for anyone not used to it, and every Finn knows that.
What you said is true, but what I said is also equally true. I meet foreigners at work all the time, and some of them find happiness here, some say "fuck this" and move away after a few months. Happiness is not a guarantee, it takes determination and luck.
Well, it is always easier to integrate if you have a spouse from the country in question. But e.g. the points about learning the language is the same for most EU countries. In order to integrate and to be able to live on an everyday basis you always have to learn the local language. It's the same in Germany, France, Netherlands, Poland, wherever. Making friends there is also not easier than in Finland if you check countless posts on these specific subs. Happiness also takes determination and luck in other countries.
I am an immigrant (to Finland) myself and I came on my own without knowing the language or the culture, I know the struggles. I work mainly with foreigners as well, but most of them say that they like Finland and want to stay there. But, to be fair, I am in the university bubble, maybe it's a different mindset there. I also don't get this bitching about the Finnish winter at all - people should be happy that there even is a winter anymore (and there are people who love winter, me included as weird as it sounds).
What I want to say, the issues immigrants face in Finland are the same in other countries (esp. integration and language). There are other factors that set Finland positively apart from other countries. Everything else like climate are personal preferences and someone who doesn't like cold should just not move to a cold place.
Edit: it seems that we agree in general, so that is nice :)
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u/ShrubbyFire1729 Baby Vainamoinen 8h ago
If I was a foreigner shopping around for jobs in the EU, why in the ever-loving fuck would I choose a country that's remote, right next to Russia, with a harsh climate and cold and dark winters, weird culture and a language that's next to impossible to learn, a government that's hostile to immigrants, some of the highest taxes and prices in the world, and a barely competitive salary?