A shortage of seasonal workers in the berry industry could reduce the supply of Finnish wild berries. Photo: Lehtikuva
Domestic
Finland has approved visas for only 123 Thai wild berry pickers this year after rejecting more than 2,000 applications, a decision that is expected to deepen labour shortages during the country's berry harvest.
The Finnish Ministry for Foreign Affairs confirmed on Monday that all visa applications submitted by Thai berry pickers for the 2026 season have now been processed.
According to Jussi Tanner, the ministry's Director General for Consular Services, the Finnish Embassy in Bangkok examined 2,145 visa applications. Of those, 2,022 were rejected, while only 123 applicants received approval to travel to Finland.
