In a surprising turn for a Finns Party member, Minister of Social Affairs and Health Kaisa Juuso made a passionate case for immigration during Parliament's first question hour of the year, reports tabloid Iltalehti.
The minister issued an urgent warning that health services would collapse without a significant increase in immigration to Finland.
"In the next ten years, 25–30 percent of our nurses will retire. We need workers to replace them, and that includes foreign labour — there's no way around it. Our population is ageing rapidly and we must take care of them," Juuso said.
IL reported that the Finns Party has rarely supported foreign labour, making Juuso's remarks particularly notable.
"I encourage welfare regions to invest in home care, family care and every possible measure to get Finnish nurses into the workforce. But we know that this will by no means be sufficient in the future. The way things are developing, we will also need foreign labour," Juuso said.
According to IL, as Juuso painted a grim picture of Finland’s healthcare sector, opponents repeatedly interrupted with shouts of "With what money?"
This week's All Points North episode looks at ways people can find jobs in Finland.
Listen to the episode via this embedded player, on Yle Areena, via Apple, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.
Unhappy pensioners
The number of retirees who feel their pensions are too small has significantly increased over the past year, according to a survey by pension firm Ilmarinen.
Talouselama reports that 52 percent of respondents felt their pensions were insufficient, up from 44 percent last year.
After mandatory expenses, respondents are left with an average of about 500 euros per month, the survey found.
"An increasing number of people feel their pension is insufficient, and more than half of retirees report having to cut back on expenses. Contributing factors include the state of Finland's economy, such as austerity measures, employment trends and the overall atmosphere," Ilmarinen researcher Jouni Vatanen said.
Vatanen added that it is important to encourage everyone of working age to start planning for their retirement early.
"At the same time, we should find ways to help as many willing and able retirees as possible find part-time work," Vatanen said.
Ilmarinen's survey in December-January explored retirees' financial readiness, including their economic situation and digital skills. It received 1,069 responses from private-sector pensioners under 75.
For a weekly roundup of the top stories from Finland, as well as an Yle Areena tip, sign up for Yle's newsletter service with your Yle ID.
How prepared are you?
Friday marks National Preparedness Day in Finland, which is observed annually on 7 February to remind people to be self-sufficient without utilities for at least 72 hours during emergencies.
A survey conducted by the Finnish National Rescue Association (SPEK) last year revealed many Finns do not follow the official 72-hour preparedness guidelines, according to tabloid Ilta-Sanomat.
The biggest gap is in water preparedness: only about one-third have enough bottled water for three days.
"Preparedness begins with water. Yet, for many, canned goods come to mind when thinking about preparedness," said Essi Kulju, a preparedness expert from SPEK.
The organisation advises that even in tough economic times, ensuring access to water should remain a priority.
The survey also revealed nearly half of Finns lack a clean, covered bucket or canister for fetching drinking water. According to SPEK, contrary to common belief, buckets are not provided at water distribution points, which are typically set up in water supply disruptions lasting over a day.
"Although we're a bucket nation, a significant stumbling block in preparedness is that a bucket may not be clean. Once there is no running water, you can no longer wash the bucket," Kulju said.
Users with an Yle ID can leave comments on our news stories. You can create your Yle ID via this link. Our guidelines on commenting and moderation are explained here.
