Thai berry pickers’ travel to Finland delayed due to permit issues

A group of Thai berry pickers was scheduled to arrive in Finland tomorrow, with flight tickets already prepared. However, they will not be able to depart as the Thai Ministry of Labor has not granted the necessary permits for travel. The ministry stated that these exit permits will be issued once the pickers’ expected payment levels in Finland are deemed satisfactory.

A resolution was anticipated yesterday, with discussions between Finland’s Minister of Labor, Arto Satonen, and his Thai counterpart, Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn. Yet the wait continues, and permits have not been granted.

Akseli Nevalainen, CEO of the Finnish berry company Polproducts Nordic based in Lieksa, expressed disappointment, stating that such discussions should have occurred much earlier. His company is expecting over 140 Thai pickers, some of whom were set to begin their work tomorrow. Now, flights must be postponed indefinitely.

According to Nevalainen, successfully bringing the pickers to Finland is crucial for the company’s operations; otherwise, revenue could plummet to a third of its potential. He emphasized, “This issue will determine the future of the company, it is indeed a significant matter.”

Nevalainen is frustrated by the uncertain situation, noting the hard work invested since the Finnish Ministry of Foreign Affairs decided in March to stop issuing tourist visas for Thai berry pickers.

Jarmo Tiukkanen, a senior advisor at the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment, confirmed to Yle that Finnish authorities cannot expedite the pickers’ arrival any further. All requested information has been provided to Thailand, with no additional requests following. “We have done everything we can. It is now entirely up to Thailand,” he stated.