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Finland has been ranked the world’s happiest country by the UN for four consecutive years now.

Their world-beating living standards, great education across the board, amazing social support, and lack of corruption, among other aspects, has seen them come out tops once more.

This is all while their population is ageing substantially, though, leaving their workforce lacking enough people “to help cover the cost of the greying generation”.

This is what recruiter Saku Tihverainen from agency Talented Solutions has said, mentioning how “it’s now widely acknowledged that we need a spectacular number of people to come to the country”.

More from The Japan Times:

While many Western countries are battling weak population growth, few are feeling the effects as sharply as Finland.

With 39,2 over-65s per 100 working-age people, it is second only to Japan in the extent of its aging population, according to the UN, which forecasts that by 2030 the “old age dependency ratio” will rise to 47,5.

The government has warned that the nation of 5,5 million needs to practically double immigration levels to 20 000-30 000 a year to maintain public services and plug a looming pensions deficit.

But as the happiest nation on the planet, there is the question of why there are not more people from other countries making the move to greener pastures.

While Finland scores high in international comparisons for quality of life, freedom, and gender equality, with little crime and pollution, it has a problem with anti-immigrant sentiment and a reluctance to employ outsiders.

But the Finnish are beginning to recognise that this is a big problem:

After years of inertia, businesses and government “are now at the tipping point and are recognising the problem” posed by a greying population, said Charles Mathies, a research fellow at the Academy of Finland.

Mathies is one of the experts consulted by the government’s “Talent Boost” program, working to make the country more attractive to outsiders, particularly those they need to boost the economy.

These include health workers from Spain, metalworkers from Slovakia, and IT and maritime experts from Russia, India, and Southeast Asia.

But those that they’ve targeted have not always been so happy with their move:

In 2013, five of the eight Spanish nurses recruited to the western town of Vaasa left after a few months, citing Finland’s exorbitant prices, cold weather and notoriously complex language.

Additionally, and most problematic, is that many foreigners also complain of a widespread reluctance to recognise overseas experience or qualifications, as well as prejudice against non-Finnish applicants.

A 42-year-old Brit with many years experience in building digital products for multinational companies had to face six fruitless months of trying to get a job in Helsinki while receiving offers from other major international companies with ease:

“One [Finnish] recruiter even refused to shake my hand, that was a standout moment.”

“There was never a shortage of jobs going, just a shortage of mindset,” said Ahmed

But workforce and talent shortages are going to force more companies to loosen their insistence on only employing native Finnish workers.

A paradigm shift is coming, so if you’re looking abroad for opportunity and can handle the cold, perhaps here’s your chance.

[source:japantimes]