Thai blueberry pickers in the forest in Juva, South Savo. Photo: Lehtikuva
Domestic
Finland has turned down the vast majority of seasonal work visa applications submitted by foreign workers seeking employment in the country's wild-berry harvesting industry, citing concerns over potential labour exploitation and employers' ability to meet legal obligations.
According to the Finnish Ministry for Foreign Affairs, around 2,200 applications for seasonal work visas have been received for the 2026 berry-picking season. Authorities have processed roughly 1,600 applications so far, rejecting approximately 1,400 of them.
Most applications were lodged through Finland's embassy in Bangkok, which handles applications from Thailand, the main source of seasonal berry pickers. Smaller numbers of applications were also submitted from Kazakhstan, Kenya, Vietnam, Nepal and India.
