Regional differences in population age structure have changed rapidly in recent years, with the Helsinki region showing the highest growth levels in the 30-44 year-old age group, a key factor in the labour market.
A big part of the story of general population growth in the capital area is immigration. Last year's net population growth in the Helsinki region was around 12,600. Internal migration from other parts of the country accounted for some 5,000 of the new residents. At the same time, around 7,600 immigrants from abroad moved into the Helsinki region.
Brakes of bureaucracy
The Helsinki region Chamber of Commerce is yet another backer of more immigration, saying the Finland needs more immigrants to ensure a sufficient labour force in both the private and public sectors.
Last year the majority of immigrants to Finland, 60 percent, came from Europe, with the largest single group being Estonians. However, the Helsinki region Chamber of Commerce says that immigration is being slowed by bureaucracy.
The Chamber of Commerce's Manager of Education Affairs, Markku Lahtinen, has proposed that an advice and guidance centre be set up to serve immigrants moving to the Helsinki region to work. He points to this kind of immigrant service in cities such as Amsterdam, Copenhagen and Oslo, where various permit applications can be filed and decisions received quickly.
The Helsinki region Chamber of Commerce also wants to see the abolition of the legal requirement for professionals from outside the European Union or European Economic Area that there are no suitable candidates from the EU/EEA for the jobs they apply for.
