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.

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…

Nearly all the Thai labourers are working for a single firm, which pays their travel fees and has not been linked to human trafficking and exploitation, unlike others in the field.