University of Oulu supports labour immigration with new training courses

The training supports the HR management of companies and helps new employees to start a balanced life in Finland. Participants receive a comprehensive set of information on, for example, the basic principles of income taxation and pension system as well as on local schooling and early childhood education opportunities for the family’s children.

“You can take part in the courses remotely from anywhere in Finland,” says Monika Luukkonen, Account Manager at the University of Oulu.

“Where possible, on-site training courses will also be offered. In its basic form, the total duration of the training course is 21 hours.”

One of the companies making use of the training course is The Qt Company, which is a global software company employing some 550 people.

“We at The Qt Company are currently recruiting internationally, and we have included the Soft Landings training programme offered by the University of Oulu in our induction programme for new foreign employees moving to Finland. It is important to us that our new employees get a solid set of information about Finnish society and culture and a proper start to Finnish working life. As many foreign employees come to Finland with their families, these courses have provided them with tips and information on local life, such as their children’s day-care centre and school options, and the opportunity to get answers to questions they have been thinking about from the educators of the University of Oulu,” says Krista Selander, Senior HR Manager.

“We at Qt are very pleased to have colleagues from all over the world to enrich our competence.”

The University of Oulu takes part in the national Talent Boost programme, which supports labour migration on a large scale and is led by the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment. The Talent Boost programme also invests more strongly in the immigration and integration of international students and researchers into Finland.

The University of Oulu’s Soft Landings training courses are linked to the national Talent Boost work. So far, companies in the ICT sector have been particularly interested in the courses, but they are well suited for international employees of any field. The training courses are also offered to the staff of the University of Oulu, which includes many different nationalities.

More information on services for international work communities