We have witnessed that in various customer service roles (such as speaking on the phone), customers sometimes ask to switch to a different person if they sense that the person on the phone has an accent or does not speak like a native Finnish speaker. This issue is mostly observed among older generations.

@@couple_of_expats How about Swedish? I know a store manager who has told me about some customers who speak swedish to her even though it's obvious she is struggling with her swedish. Those customers are also from the older generation. I assume you know that as a language minority Swedish speakers in the capital area have a long history of trying to promote the use of swedish. I myself have also worked in and with Finnish companies where Swedish had a significant role being the main internal language. Companies like LM Ericsson come to mind. They didn't push business partners to use swedish but since they had some many swedish speakers informal communication was often in Swedish.

@@couple_of_expats The sensitivity to accents is a curious thing. I can understand that scared patients in health care can behave unreasonably. They are under stress etc. Some decades ago, say 50 years ago, local Finnish accents could be seen as a sign of a uneducated person in some contexts. Later they have become even fashionable and something people like to play with or to express themselves. I have learnt from different sources that learning Finnish can be unnecessarily difficult since if your Finnish is not very good then people might switch into English. I have had this experience in Sweden trying to practice my swedish skills. It didn't work out at all since just about always they switched into English. Sweden has had a very different language history compared to Finland. They tired to kill the use of minority languaiin the country. In Finland there was a long struggle until finnish got a place in addition to swedish. Swedish speakers habe learned to defend theirs minority language by demanding services in Swedish. I can see that in some situations also Finnish speakers are starting to protect their language/culture from the English invasion by asking or demanding service in Finnish. It's rare, I assume. Older people are more ready and likely to protect what they see as their culture and customs. How they do it depends on circumstances and also personal skills and temperament. But to react to a foreign accident, that is rarely justifiable, if it doesn't make understanding difficult. Some English accidents are challenging at least to me. So it's possible, but no slight accent can have that effect.

Finland has been our home for the past six years. Even before settling here, one of us frequently visited Finland for exchange studies, summer courses, and traineeships. Over the years, we have observed many positive efforts in talent attraction and retention, with the Talent Boost program being the most notable country-wide initiative: tem.fi/talent-boost However, with the new Finnish government, it is evident that their approach to "supporting" immigration has become increasingly problematic and counterproductive. Of course, the root causes of the situation we are experiencing today go back many years, even before we first arrived in Finland. Nevertheless, it is disappointing to see that some of the positive progress made in recent years seems to have been undermined. Despite significant efforts to improve talent attraction and retention, it feels like much of that good work has been undone (as clearly seen in Expat Insider 2024 survey results).

@@couple_of_expats What are the positive progress points you are thinking about? My understanding, perhaps wrong impressions, have been: - most or a very large portion of foreign higher education graduates didn't stay in Finland. - many foreigners themselves have complained about their failing integration process and this has also been observed from outside. I mean language skill improvements and finding employment which matches their education but also social integration. - basic education is struggling in some areas with students who don't have sufficient language skills. There are also conflicts or additional challenges with their parents, which come from different cultures and have different expectations.

@@couple_of_expats There have been some "cultural" changes within Finnish authorities below the political levels. There have been obvious challenges between different parts administration to work together for a single goal. Different parts have had different responsibilities making them have different priorities. TEM is an exceptionally strong ministry. Perhaps their initiatives are more likely to have significant outcomes. But their traditional priorities have been so economically minded that other values people care about don't get enough real attention in their actual work.

@@couple_of_expats One thing to mention and to discuss is the demand for health care professionals and why that career isn't attracting enough local people in a county where unemployment has existed at uncomfortable levels for a very long time. When we add to this how often people complain about the sometimes lagging language skills of foreign health care, and also sometimes medical professionals, we can ask aren't the working conditions and pay better to attract more native speakers. The public/private/workplace based healthcare system isn't effective enough to enable better with current funding..Or would it be if organized differently. But since changes tend to be politically impossible, only marginal steps can be taken. My own experience has been that language difficulties aren't as difficult or significant as some patients seem to experience. But I don't want to say that their fears and feelings should be ignored. Too short and hectic interactions with the doctors and nurses make communication challenging even using patients native language. A nervous patient can so easily become worries of miscommunication and that worry alone can make them less able to communicate. Then they come out from the reception with the feeling that it was difficult or communication failing even though there perhaps objectively wasn't anything to complain about.

@@couple_of_expats Immigration is so many different things and stories. Finnish terminology doesn't really help in this since equally well we could, and really should, see asylum seekers, international students, work based immigration etc. as separate topics. Different needs, different circumstances, different motivations, different justifications... Even work based immigration is actually a group of very different situations and needs. I would say that international students are also a very heterogeneous group. Putting doctoral academic students and vocational students under one term ignores many hugely relevant details. Studies, employment opportunities, the cost of providing education etc are very different.

If you can get admitted or get "fully funded" - what ever you include in it - can only be known by applying.

Thanks ​@@just42tube

You should start by finding a university that offers a fully funded PhD program in Marketing and then apply. That is the only way you will get an answer to your question. However, as discussed in the video, the process is challenging and very competitive, so you should begin preparing all the necessary documentation well in advance.

@@couple_of_expats It's definitely good to underline that the application process to a doctorial study program and all else around it is much different from the lower level admissions. Also the difference between being a student in some field and becoming a researcher in the field and even advancing the field by your more or less independent work, though you rarely advance anything working alone, is worth the emphasis. This all is somewhat field specific, with exceptions like Arts.

Thank you for the suggestion! We will try to find a guest speaker and cover this topic in one of our upcoming videos.

Hi there! Thank you for your kind words and for sharing your story. We're glad you found the information helpful. Regarding your search for a PhD scholarship, you could first identify universities in Finland and the Nordic countries that offer programmes in industrial and/or environmental biotechnology. Look for those that align best with your expertise and interests. Once you find potential universities, explore the specific programmes they offer. Review the curriculum, faculty, and research opportunities to ensure they match your goals. After that you can reach out to the admissions or international office of the universities you are interested in. They can provide detailed information about available scholarships and support services, especially for students with disabilities. If possible, try to connect with professors whose research aligns with your interests. While professors are often busy and receive 100+ emails daily, having a prior connection or a well-crafted, concise email can increase the chances of a response. Good luck!

You can also explore these websites for example: 1. saatiotrahastot.fi/en/frontpage/ 2. www.aka.fi/en/

@@couple_of_expats Thank you for your information once again!

"dedicated to support for a person like me" You had included in your description of yourself "a person with physical disability" Are you asking about support for disability and not just based on your field? It is the responsibility of the university to make the necessary reasonable adjustments in accordance with the individual needs of students with disabilities. The Finnish Association of People with Physical Disabilities engages in advocacy and service provision for people with physical disabilities or functional impairments. We are the voice of the people with physical disabilities in Finland. The focus of our advocacy work is to make Finland more equal and accessible for all. We support our member associations, inform the public about disabilities, and provide assistance to disabled people at different stages of their lives. The Association has 143 member associations, which have a total of 23 000 individual members. For it's members they have services: Organised Activities self-management courses guidance on services for the disabled and legal advice training, courses, summer camps, events and peer support There are also other activities connected with the association including assisted housing etc.

We have heard stories of doctoral researchers spending more time on funding applications than on their actual research. This significantly delays their progress, often extending their graduation time to seven years or more. Clearly, the struggle and financial pressure are still very much present today.

@@couple_of_expats My understanding is that applying for funding is a different art form when you need to ride different trends and dress up your research as if the latest fashionable topics and possible application areas would be relevant.

This comment reminded us of a news piece from the University of Turku back in 2022, where they decided to replace the title "doctoral candidate" with "doctoral researcher." www.utu.fi/fi/ajankohtaista/uutinen/tohtorikoulutettavia-kutsutaan-jatkossa-vaitoskirjatutkijoiksi

@@couple_of_expats It's a good example where they changed the use of Finnish terminology, which translated into English doesn't make much sense. Clearly something is lost in the translation. " yliopistossa luovutaan tohtorikoulutettava-termistä ja se korvataan väitöskirjatutkija-termillä".

Oh yeah, we totally know the feeling!

For sure 😂

Interesting! We have been using the term "down payment" because it was initially introduced by our bank representatives.

Thanks! Coming soon. 💚

I speak Finnish well enough to participate in casual conversations, but I don’t use Finnish as my main working language. I do all of my work in English. Finding a job that requires only English is difficult but not impossible.

@@couple_of_expats thank you

Of course, that makes sense! Our experience has been primarily with office work in Finland for years, so we mostly discuss that. However, in positions where you work in a store, a warehouse, or deal with customers around the clock, or where there is shift work, holidays can vary.

@@couple_of_expats There are also the complications arising from international organisations or markets. The vacation season in the middle and southern Europe is more around August than in July. And that affects some office workers in Finland who need to coordinate with the rest of the European or EMEA wide market and activities.

@@just42tube Of course, there isn't a one-size-fits-all approach when it comes to holidays, whether in Finland or elsewhere. We have also noticed that in many small or even mid-sized companies, there are employees who have very specific work tasks requiring special expertise. When they go on holiday, nobody can replace them. Therefore, they are often advised to split their holidays into, for example, a maximum of two weeks at a time.

@@couple_of_expats In a small business CEO and top management have often irreplaceable knowledge and authorisations, which means that they need to check how things are going and perhaps assist remotely on some matters during their vacations. Sales people have their unique customer knowledge and contacts, which also puts them in situations, where they need to monitor and help, if something comes up. Though they often can coordinate their own vacations with their customers and projects. Self-employed people, solo entrepreneurs, don't always have any clear separation of vacations and other times. They are just less reachable, less working during vacations. They also might not have clearly defined office hours or working hours since they need to do what needs to be done. In a world where many people are basically processing information, they can do it remotely with some exceptions. This means that taking vacations isn't technically necessarily a on/off decision. You can do just the most critical tasks in your vacation and delay or delegate to others other tasks. Legislation and labor agreements don't probably really support this, but these people often are in positions where they can themselves influence a lot or decide how and when they work.

You’re right, there are various ways to assess the value of professions, including public opinion surveys and salary statistics, which can sometimes present conflicting views. While some professions may earn more than others, Finnish society generally maintains a strong respect for all professions and discourages judgment or ridicule. For example, if someone works as a cleaner, they are not subjected to mockery or gossip (at least not openly). Similarly, teaching is highly respected in Finnish society, whereas in some other countries, the profession might be associated with lower salaries and less respect. What we appreciate about Finnish society is that people can mind their own business, choose any profession they prefer, and earn money in their own way without facing undue criticism.

Thank you so much! Both network engineers and health management professionals are in demand, but securing a job in Finland can often depend on your proficiency in Finnish. For network engineers and other IT professionals, there is a strong market due to Finland's growing tech industry, especially in the capital region (Helsinki). For health management professionals, there is also a need, particularly in the public health sector and various healthcare institutions. However, interacting with customers will generally require knowledge of Finnish. If you want to explore job opportunities in Finland that require only English, you can take a look here for example: www.workinfinland.com/en/open-jobs/

@@couple_of_expats thankyou so much ❤️

But still a reality. 😅

Kiitos, that is a useful term to know in Finnish! We have also noticed that many people who start entrepreneurship in Finland first begin as kevytyrittäjä and later transition to yrittäjä.

@@couple_of_expats Many start as ammatinharjoittaja. Mikä ammatinharjoittaja on? Ammatinharjoittaja harjoittaa sananmukaisesti omaa ammattiaan, joten hänen työpäivänsä yrittäjänä perustuvat ennen kaikkea oman ammatilliseen osaamiseensa. Usein ammattikuvat ovat vieläpä hyvin selkeitä, kuten lääkäri, puuseppä tai valokuvaaja. Ammatinharjoittajan toiminta perustuu pääsääntöisesti yrittäjän henkilökohtaiseen ammattitaitoon. Hän on toimii lähes aina itsenäisesti ja hakee pienimuotoisella toiminnallaan omia ansioita. Samanaikaisesti yrittämiseen ei usein liity merkittäviä pääomia ja esimerkiksi tuotantovälineiden osuus on usein pientä.

The whole process was straightforward, but saying it was "simple" might not be entirely accurate. We had been actively discussing with our local friends in Finland for years before deciding we were ready to buy our first property there. By the time we started the process, we felt as prepared as we could be. However, dealing with important documents like esite, kunnossapitotarveselvitys, isännöitsijäntodistus, and asbestikartoitusraportti was challenging, as everything was in Finnish and understanding what each document meant took some time. Fortunately, our local Finnish friends helped us go through all the documents together. The same applies to the neighborhood we now live in - it is a great place for families, with many kindergartens and schools nearby, and the city also plans to expand its public transportation options. So, it is very likely that the property value will increase in the near future.

Indeed, working with the interior decorator helped us. We had a budget in mind, and she was able to follow it while recommending many new online stores we had never heard of. We were also able to include some of our old furniture in the design without any problem. We had a vision in mind even before we bought the place, and with the help of the interior decorator, it came to life.

We agree that turning a hobby into a professional career is not for everyone, but we are very happy about Nichole's journey and everything she has achieved so far. What we have seen in Finland in recent years is that many internationals struggle to find jobs, whether in their field or not, and are often advised to become entrepreneurs and start their own businesses. Many begin as light entrepreneurs (kevytyrittäjä) and then transition to establishing their own businesses with a Y-tunnus. However, there is much to learn along the way. Navigating Finnish bureaucracy, taxes, and finding customers takes time.

@@couple_of_expats It isn't just internationals. There have been trends for some time where traditional employment type jobs have been replaced with people having to become self-employed entrepreneurs sometimes doing pretty much the same actual jobs where the old employer has become a customer or a business partner. Companies have reduced their own workforce and outsourced jobs and some of the business risks to small entrepreneurs. Some people have even benefitted from the change. I don't say it's been bad for all. The concept of non-standard forms of employment is used to describe fixed-term paid work or so-called new forms of doing work, including work in the middle ground between entrepreneurship and paid work. But some micro entrepreneurs can also be very close to this category. For international people, who haven't had previous careers in Finland it is different, since they're just entering the local labor market, which doesn't have enough suitable opportunities for them. Building your own business is then clearly a possibility worth considering and can be a success for some. Taking business risks isn't for everyone. Some business models include smaller risks and less investments. Worth trying for more people.

Supply/demand US/Finland You have to ask?? The whole world isn’t trying to move to Finland based on misrepresentations of golden opportunities. 🤦‍♂️ And it’s not a housing crisis, it’s a population density crisis. There is plenty of room to house everybody at low cost in North America, but people demand short commutes and refuse to live (and find work) where they can afford to. It really, in fact, is a transportation crisis. If we could get people from outer environs of cities into the core efficiently, nobody would need to pay a zillion dollars to live downtown in order to have a life outside of work/commute. Econ 101 - the financial world is a pyramid, and if you’re not already in the upper tier, you’re VERY likely never going to be. Those are called capitalists, and the people with capital, who generally inherit it, will always outbid you. Because they want what you want and they have more to offer for it. And zoom go the prices. Even under communism, where (theoretically) nobody owns assets and the state dictates asset distribution so everyone is in a ‘commun’ fiscal position, people with better non-fiscal assets (contacts, leverage, etc.) will be better positioned than those just shlupping through their daily existence. It’s just a matter of what constitutes effective daily currency - gov’t money or back scratches. Sometimes the lessons of the universe are … um… universal. The ‘bright lights big city’ mystique is a falsehood perpetuated by mainstream media. I lived in the middle of a large city. Moved out. Make more money now. Pay less in expenses. *Planned* well. Too many people don’t plan and find themselves in the ‘here and now’ without a clue. Set a target, make a plan, follow through, and you’ll be far ahead of the masses. You might have to take some courses. You might have to network some industry people. You might have to go sit on a stump for a year or two. But at least you’ll have a plan and be *going* somewhere, not just reacting (too late) to the market and asking ill-informed questions. Find the neighbourhood that is most likely going to be improved next and embed yourself. Then, when everyone is whining about the cost of all the newly reno’d homes and the rate of home price inflation, you’ll be the one sitting back comfortably and giggling at the misguided. My house went from under $300k to over $800k in less than 5 years because I was ahead of the market. I couldn’t afford it now! Here’s the algorithm: gays find the hoods first and fix them up, being ‘the creative class’; heteros then move into the ‘lovely’ neighbourhood while prices are still middling; once the lesbians find the hood and buy the leftover super-crappy homes the jig is up and that hood is over. Gay realtors can be your best resources! 😮 TL/DR: they’re not better or worse, but they are lower. I notice you didn’t ask about income levels… which determine whether prices are ‘good’ or ‘bad’, as they dictate spending power. I fully expect that household revenues vs housing prices yields a ‘better’ result in Finland. They have a completely different social benefits structure (think health care expenses). So, apples and oranges, but the apples are better. And they have no Orange Man, so … much, MUCH better, all things considered. 😂 This was fun to write. NO offence intended if some of it seems a little terse or condescending; I’m just having fun with you. Not everyone has the same knowledge about how these things work. It’s a complex world, and I know for sure that you can talk circles around me in a whole bunch of other areas of life. I’ll bet you can even change a tire. I have to call for help. Tooly things are just not part of my aptitude or skill set. 🤷🏼‍♂️😊 Have a great day!

​​@@whatifschrodingersboxwasacofin Since information of homes for sale or for rental are online in both places, you could do your own research about it. The results will depend on what samples you choose to compare. Also what all costs you include in your calculations. Things like real estate tax systems are very different and if you include those in home prices, comparisons can change again.