The Finnish government has introduced legislation that will end the practice of Finnish berry companies bringing pickers into the country from abroad on tourist visas.
"Due to the problems encountered in the wild berry sector, foreign berry pickers will enter Finland as seasonal workers from now on. Following the change, it will be easier to monitor that the rights of pickers are protected and guarantee them a sufficient level of income," the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment said in a press release.
The legislative change enters into force from 17 February, and it effectively means the workers will in future arrive on employment-related visas.
Until now, foreign pickers have entered Finland on a Schengen tourist visa, allowing them to stay in the country and collect berries for a maximum of three months.
This arrangement left the workers vulnerable to exploitation, and for years the sector was the subject of rumours and investigations into suspected cases of human trafficking.
The investigations have led to a series of criminal trials, where Finnish berry firms stand accused of exploiting their foreign workers by subjecting them to long working hours for little pay and providing sub-standard living conditions.
In its programme for government, PM Petteri Orpo's (NCP) administration said it intended to combat the exploitation of workers coming to Finland from abroad.
The law change will not affect the right of Finnish citizens or people already residing in Finland to pick wild berries or to sell them.
The All Points North podcast probed the allegations of worker exploitation and human trafficking in Finland's berry sector. Listen to the episode via this embedded player, on Yle Areena, via Apple, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.
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