The Confederation of Finnish Industries (EK) is urging a reversal of the government's immigration policies, voicing disappointment with the current direction.
The business lobby is calling for a sharp increase in labour-based immigration. The EK is targeting around 45,000 arrivals annually to counter Finland's weak demographic outlook and looming labour shortages.
"Four years ago, as preparations were underway for this parliamentary term, we expected and hoped for a range of reforms to strengthen conditions for employment-based immigration. Unfortunately, the government moved in the opposite direction," the EK's Ilkka Oksala told Yle.
The EK argued that the next government should invest more heavily in the integration of immigrants, to help them enter society as smoothly as possible.
Think-tank Etla, meanwhile, said attracting professionals to Finland is hampered by its high taxation and what Etla described as unfavourable public attitudes towards immigrants.
"For those moving here to work, net take-home pay in Finland is lower than in other Nordic countries," said Etla research director Antti Kauhanen.
EK: Abolish homecare allowance
The EK has put forward ideas on how it would improve work-based migration. These include extending the job-search period to eight months, abolishing home-care allowances, and scrapping labour market testing.
The employers' lobby proposes abolishing the home-care allowance entirely.
Oksala argued that the benefit, paid to guardians who care for their children at home, discourages women from going to work and leaves many kids from immigrant families at a disadvantage when it comes to learning Finnish.
"Some of these children may be born in Finland and remain at home until the age of seven, only beginning to learn Finnish when they enter primary school," Oksala said.
The EK also said the government's three-month job search rule (or six months for specialists), during which time people on work-based visas have to leave Finland, is too short in light of lengthy recruitment processes.
The EK also advocates abolishing labour market testing for non-EU workers in roles paying at least 1,600 euros a month.
Labour organisations such as SAK have opposed the removal of labour market testing. The blue-collar confederation has warned that undoing such safeguards could increase the risk of exploiting foreign workers and undermine labour standards.
