South Ostrobothnia recruits 24 Vietnamese nurses to address healthcare shortage in Finland

The South Ostrobothnia welfare region has successfully recruited 24 Vietnamese nurses to address an acute shortage of healthcare workers. One of the newly arrived nurses, Thi Anh Thom Vo, moved to Lapua with her family two weeks ago. The family includes her father, Ngoc Phuoc Nguyen, who works in the telecommunications sector, and their two children aged 9 and 6.

“I am very satisfied with our situation. We received a warm, furnished apartment, and the scenery here is beautiful,” Vo said. The decision to move to Finland was significant for the family. “We knew Finland is ranked as one of the happiest countries in the world with high-quality education. We also appreciate that Finland is a welfare state, which influenced our choice, along with the possibility of ensuring good educational prospects for our children. We want to stay here permanently.”

The welfare region received unexpected news in April: nurses recruited in Vietnam in December wanted to relocate to Finland with their families, leading to considerable excitement and logistical challenges. “It caused quite a commotion, but everything was managed with assistance from various parties,” reminisced Kaija-Riitta Suonsyrjä, the head nurse of the welfare region.

A total of 88 Vietnamese nurses are set to arrive, with half already in place. The welfare area believes that having families accompany the workers will enhance their commitment.

The nurses possess foundational qualifications and will undergo further training as practical nurses through an apprenticeship program with Sedu Education. They have also studied Finnish for the past six months with the help of a Finnish teacher in Vietnam. The nurses will primarily work in elderly care services across various towns including Kauhajoki, Lapua, Kauhava, and Ylistaro.

“The balance between work and family life is crucial,” Vo stated, highlighting the importance of family well-being.