Two-thirds of the wild berry pickers who applied from Thailand have obtained special residence permits, the Finnish Immigration Service confirmed on Tuesday. The new measures were introduced to combat human trafficking issues encountered in previous years.
Every summer, a few thousand pickers, many of whom come from Thailand, travel to Finland to pick berries in the forests and tundra of the region.
New Rules for 2024
Starting this year, all wild berry pickers must apply for a worker's residence permit, as confirmed by the Finnish Immigration Service (Migri) on Tuesday, July 16. The new rules were adopted following "serious allegations and suspicions of human trafficking during the 2023 harvest season" and "legislative changes in Thailand," according to the Finnish Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Before 2023, pickers arrived in Finland with a Schengen tourist visa, but now, under the new rules, they will no longer receive this type of visa, making it impossible for them to travel to other Schengen countries without specific visas for those countries.
The Evaluation Process
This year, the Finnish Immigration Service received 1,300 applications and issued 900 positive decisions, about two-thirds of the total. All applicants are Thai citizens. The application process begins with identity confirmation at the Finnish mission in the country of origin, followed by an evaluation by the Office for Economic Development and Employment.
Finally, the Finnish Immigration Service assesses whether the conditions for residence in the country are met and if there are any risks. Applications with indications of labor exploitation or human trafficking have been rejected. Wild berry pickers are often in a vulnerable position as they do not know the language or their rights in Finland.
The Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment has requested legislative changes to include wild berry pickers in the seasonal worker legislation, with the changes expected to take effect for the 2025 harvest season.
Read full article: Infomigrants
Photo credit: Francois Bianco
