Thai berry pickers face uncertainty in Finland amid permit issues

This summer, the situation surrounding Thai berry pickers in Finland is fraught with questions and uncertainties. A central issue is whether Thailand will permit the berry companies to bring pickers to Finland. Even Finnish authorities are unclear; for example, police were surprised to find Thai pickers in the forests of Kainuu during a recent inspection. Both the pickers and the company in Lieksa had all necessary permits.

Thailand has been restricting the departure of pickers, requiring exit permits due to previous allegations concerning human trafficking in the berry industry. However, the specifics addressing how pickers can travel from Thailand to Finland remain ambiguous.

To work in berry picking, a residency permit is necessary, which is required to establish employment relations with berry companies. About 900 Thai nationals have obtained the necessary residency permits this year, with 1,300 applications submitted. The Finnish Immigration Service evaluates these applications, considering potential risks alongside the Employment and Economic Development Office.

Currently, the first pickers have arrived in Finland after Thai authorities did not enforce exit permit requirements at the airport. As the situation stands, the Finnish government does not actively monitor the entrance or departure of these pickers.

Moreover, individuals can come to Finland as entrepreneurs if they fulfill the requirements for a residence permit. This includes possessing a registered business in Finland and a viable business plan. There have been no known berry pickers arriving on entrepreneur residence permits.

The berry law, enacted in summer 2021 to improve pickers’ conditions, allows individuals to pick berries in Finland with a tourist visa for up to 90 days. However, the Finnish Foreign Ministry has halted visa applications from Thailand due to serious criminal allegations in the berry sector, though pickers from Thailand and its neighboring countries may still pick berries legally if they have other residency rights in Finland.