The Finns Party Youth or the Perussuomalaiset nuoriso has called for the immediate return of unemployed immigrants to their home countries following news that Finland now holds the highest unemployment rate in the European Union.
New data shows the national unemployment figure has hit 10.6 percent. This number is significantly higher than the EU average of approximately 6 percent.
The youth wing of the right-wing party specifically pointed to a gap between different groups in society. While the unemployment rate for people born in Finland is 7.8 percent, it reaches 19.3 percent for those born abroad.
Elias Rosengrén, chairman of the Finns Party Youth, blamed this on the immigration policies of previous governments.
Beyond deportations, the group is pushing for a guest worker model. Under this plan, work or study permits would no longer automatically allow people to bring family members to Finland.
The group argues that this would prevent the creation of a new underclass of unemployed residents.
Fanny Tahvanainen, a board member of the youth organization, stated that international residents should be free to earn money for families back home. However, she argued that those who wish to bring their families to Finland should be required to support them using their own financial resources.
Recent economic reports suggest that Finland’s position at the top of the EU unemployment rankings is a major shift. For years, southern European nations like Spain and Greece held this spot. Analysts suggest that a slow recovery from the recent recession and a weak export market have hit the Finnish labor market harder than its neighbors.
In response to the economic climate, the Finnish government has already introduced stricter rules for citizenship and permanent residency. Starting in late 2025 and 2026, applicants must show they have not relied on unemployment benefits for long periods.
