No matter how Russian immigrants look at Finland, this country is close and even dear. At one time, Finland generally existed as part of Russia. Today the state has the status of a sovereign territory, and the living conditions of Finnish citizens can be envied even in Western Europe. A country with virtually no corruption really looks interesting for those looking for a new way of life. Like any country in the world, Finland has its pros and cons.

Migrants in Finland: numbers, growth

According to the latest statistics, the number of immigrants who have entered for permanent residence is 4% of the country’s population, which is about 240,000 people. In addition, approximately 160,000 foreign residents are present in the country temporarily or hold dual citizenship.

...More often than others, requests for a residence permit are sent by citizens of Russia. Common reasons for the request are: family connections (43%), employment (32%), education (22%)…

http://yle.fi/uutiset/vid_na_zhitelstvo_v_finlyandii_chashche_vsego_zaprashivayut_grazhdane_rossii/6736183

Migration increase in Finland last years increases. The average figure for this indicator is fixed at 500–600 immigrants for each year. A significant part of this figure is due to labor migration. Spaniards, Italians, Greeks, Portuguese and, of course, Russians come to work for the Finns. However, at the same time, the number of emigrants is increasing rapidly.

Standard of living in Finland compared to Russia

If you look at the world ranking, the country has been in the TOP 20 in terms of living standards for many years (in 2018 - 15th place). Actually, this is already a distinctive feature of the country when compared with Russia, which in 2018 took 49th place in the ranking of living standards.

The standard of living in Finnish is a peculiar phenomenon. On the territory of the country there are practically no reserves of hydrocarbon raw materials like in Russia. There is one wealth - the forest, which the Finns manage extremely wisely and rationally. Meanwhile, Finland is actively involved in high technology and has moved far ahead in this area.

Naturally, in such conditions ordinary people- citizens of the country - to live conveniently and comfortably. The Finnish government actively supports and controls the life of citizens. For example, the quality of food products is assessed with the participation of 18 special expert commissions. For comparison: in Russia there are only 4 similar commissions.

Video: first impressions of life in Finland as an emigrant from Russia

The following moment looks random against the background of absolute Finnish prosperity:

…2014 was the last year for 789 Finns who committed suicide. The causes of suicide were poverty, unemployment, depression, alcoholism, and living alone. In 25 years, suicides have been reduced by half. The 1990 record was 1,500 suicides. The positive development is due to measures taken to make it easier for people with mental disorders to receive treatment and medication. The attitude of others towards the mentally ill has changed for the better...

http://yle.fi/uutiset/v_finlyandii_napolovinu_sokratilos_chislo_samoubiistv_s_1990_goda/8631808

Educational field

The Finnish educational model is reminiscent of the Russian (more precisely, Soviet). This is not surprising, since, being in the past part of Russia, the Finns borrowed all the best from the region Soviet education and as a result brought primary school to an indicative level. Today the Finnish school (the prototype of the Soviet one!) is considered one of the best in the world.

Video: impressions of a Russian student about a Finnish university

Finnish education is free for all levels of study. Russian immigrants take advantage of this moment. A significant part of them arrive in the country specifically for the purpose of studying. Higher educational establishments countries are valued for the quality of their teaching. Universities that stand out in particular are:

• Helsinki;
• Turku;
• Aalto.
• Oulu;
• Lappeenranta;
• Finnish Academy of Arts.

All of the listed educational institutions, and, in particular, the last university on the list, are very popular among immigrants from Russia and other countries.

Analyzing the school and family environment, it is worth noting the peculiarities of raising school-age children. The rights of the child are jealously protected by the state. If parents cross the acceptable threshold of education, they thereby violate the rights of minors. And this is a serious article of the law, which is immediately applied by the authorities. There are no such rules in Russia. Whether this is good or bad is difficult to judge. But the difference in the lives of citizens of the two countries is obvious here too.

Work and salary

Working in Finland is as attractive a goal for Russian labor immigrants as studying is for students. High earnings of up to 3 thousand euros per month are a tasty morsel. The Finns pay decently even for the work of unskilled workers. Just get it Good work and earning a large income is quite difficult for an immigrant. The unemployment rate among Russian immigrants is 30%, while unemployed Finns are just over 8%.

A highly paid position requires a residence permit. Mandatory knowledge of the Finnish language is rule No. 1 for specialists. If the requirements are met, the Finnish side is happy to hire Russian immigrant professionals in the field of construction, Agriculture, Internet technologies. Russian immigrants without qualifications remain in demand as servants in the hotel sector and medical institutions.

In terms of wages, Finns are slightly behind the leading countries of the European Union. There is a significant difference in wages depending on the sphere and type of activity of enterprises. Thus, in state-owned enterprises, labor remuneration is often higher than in private firms. Surprisingly, staff over 65 years of age receive higher salaries compared to younger workers. Russian life and here it differs from the Finnish one.

A striking feature of the Finnish labor market is the small difference between the incomes of rich and poor. In Russia, a manager of some raw materials company earns a million rubles a month, and a mechanic at a factory earns 15 thousand. For Finns, figuratively speaking, a manager’s salary is 4 thousand euros, and a factory mechanic’s salary is 2 thousand euros.

...Finland does not allow sky-high income gaps. Company managers earn only two to three times more than ordinary workers. This factor has a strong effect on the crime rate, which in Finland is the lowest in the world...

http://forum.forvip.ru/

Pensions and benefits

The country guarantees a decent level of social protection for the poor, pensioners, children, the unemployed, and young mothers.

The list of social support is impressive:

• supplement to earnings for each child;
• lump sum benefit for the birth of children;
• compensation for housing maintenance for pensioners;
• disability payments;
• benefits for unemployed people;
• and a number of other positions.

Pension provision provides for the payment of a labor pension accrued based on the results of labor activity. In addition to the labor pension, the following may be paid:

• national pension;
• pension payment to immigrants;
• disability pension;
• old age pension.

…The minimum pension (national pension) for single pensioners is 496 euros. Family pensioners are paid 436 euros (1st category municipality) and 400 euros (2nd category municipality). You can only receive a full national pension if you have lived in Finland for 40 years. Recently, a special resettlement allowance was established for elderly immigrants (over 65 years of age and having lived in the country for more than 5 years). The benefit amount is the same as the national pension...

ELE_alive

http://age60.ru/forum57.html

If a labor pension is assigned based on actual age - 63 years, then an old-age pension is assigned to persons whose age has reached 68 years. The average pension amount is 1,500 euros. In this case, pension accruals are taxed.

...Russian immigrant pensioners are paid the social minimum. True, the purchase of medicines is paid for by the social service. A pensioner goes to a pharmacy, buys medicines there at his own expense, and then the money is returned to him. Pensioners can have eye surgeries for free - cataracts, glaucoma, etc. Social services also help pay for housing if the pension is small...

Faina

http://age60.ru/forum57.html

Healthcare

Medical care in Finnish is clearly characterized by such an indicator as life expectancy (79.7 years). Another significant criterion for the quality of medicine is newborn mortality (1.3 per 1000 births). Both indicators indicate that Finnish medicine is at a high level.

The healthcare system is built on the basis government agencies involving the practice of private doctors. At the same time, the private sector is under strict state control. Medical services are paid. True, going to public clinics provides compensation. Therefore, citizens spend no more than 20% of the total cost on treatment.

About Finnish tax policy

The country's tax policy is a clearly separate topic from the discussion of the social benefits of Finnish society. Separate because thanks to taxes, all the people's benefits of Finland are called into question. If in Russia the same pensioners are exempt from property or vehicle taxes, Finnish pensioners pay in full.

The amount of income tax is set individually for each category of commune (area of ​​regional territorial division). It could be 20% tax or 36%. Any additional income received is taxed at a rate 1.5–2 times higher. Thus, compared to Russia, the Finns have also succeeded here, but not for the better.

How many Russian migrants live in Finland

According to official data, Russian migrants make up 1% of the country's total population. Just over 60 thousand people in digital equivalent. By ethnicity, it is the third largest community in Finland. There are two Russian communities, different in their principles of origin. One is migrants of the old generation who settled on Finnish soil before the 90s. The other is a new wave of migrants that began arriving in the early 1990s.

Until 1996, the flow of new Russian immigrants was practically unregulated. Immigrants from the sub-ethnic group “Ingrians” rushed into the country. According to available data, there are about 25 thousand of them today. Later, the Finns tightened the requirements for the criteria of Finnish origin, plus they introduced mandatory knowledge of the Finnish language. And today, Russian immigrants (with the exception of tourists) can no longer cross the border of Finland unless they pass the IPAKI test with level A2 (language test-exam).

Are Russians treated well today?

The attitude is quite favorable. However, there are problems of discrimination against Russian-speaking immigrants in terms of their employment. This topic was raised even at the level of the Council of Europe. The European Commission of Human Rights noted serious violations. The Finnish authorities quickly responded to the comments and even initiated the creation of a Fund for the Support of Russian Culture. Nevertheless, it is impossible not to notice the pronounced Russophobia among the indigenous inhabitants of the country.

...The Finns don’t understand why Russians think that over the last 10-15 years they have become beggars? Has anyone seen Russians with their hands outstretched on the Finnish porch? Finland and Russia are brought closer together by their neighborhood, but existing stereotypes force us to perceive our neighbors inadequately...

http://e-finland.ru/info/culture/otnoshenie-finnov-k-russkim.html

Finland is known throughout the world as a prosperous country. People here make good money, the economy is growing, and unemployed citizens are well protected. What is even more surprising is that there are poor people here who need free food.

Collection and distribution center humanitarian aid located in the city of Kotka on Satamakatu street. The head of the center, Maya Kleymola, has been working at the center for 12 years. The desire to help her neighbor was in her character already in childhood. While still in school, she gave a coupon to buy shoes to an even more needy neighbor.
The assistance center distributes free food twice a week. On such days, those in need begin to gather at the center an hour and a half before the start of the distribution. On average, several dozen food packages are issued per day. Usually the package contains several bananas, semi-finished meat products, bread, sausages, yoghurts, dairy products, and baked goods. Often the contents of such a package are divided among members of the whole family.
Twice a week, food distributed is received from Kotka shops, bread from bakeries. Usually this is food with an expiring sell-by date. The center's employees collect products by driving around stores in their cars, sort and distribute them on the same day. The amount of food varies. On the most successful day, 108 sets of products were collected. They were all distributed. Sometimes you have to be content with a few dozen. The days before Christmas do not usually increase the amount of free food
In recent years, the economy of Finland and the city of Kotka has developed rapidly. People's incomes have increased. But the queues for free food have not gotten smaller. Pensioners, the unemployed, and students are the most typical recipients of humanitarian aid. There are also many people in the queue whose difficult situation is caused by alcoholism. But alcoholics also need to eat something. Maia Kleimola is surprised at how stratified Finnish society has become in recent years. Many people spend more per day than some spend on food in a whole month.
If the director of the center could ask Santa Claus for a gift, she would wish that the level of income in Finland would level out a little and the lines for bread would disappear. But for now there are people in need of help. Unfortunately, the help center of the city of Kotka is on the verge of ruin and is supported only by volunteer free helpers. The owner of a car who collects and transports food is compensated only for fuel costs (and at Russian prices).

One of the most ineradicable stereotypes in our understanding of the life of Finns is the absolute and unshakable confidence that the “prohibition” law is still in force in Finland. However, the behavior of Finnish tourists in the post-war decades in Vyborg, St. Petersburg and other cities more distant from the Finnish state border did little to dispel this myth. However, on April 5, 2002, Finland celebrated the 70th anniversary of the abolition of Prohibition.

Prohibition came into force in Finland on June 1, 1919. He assigned the state alcohol company a monopoly on the production, import and sale of alcoholic beverages, allowing the use of alcohol only for medicinal, scientific and technical purposes. The initiators of the adoption of the law were completely sincerely confident that it would be able to protect citizens from a destructive passion that was breaking up families and shaking the moral foundations of society. But they clearly forgot about the famous sweetness of the forbidden fruit.

The adoption of the law led to exactly the opposite results. Moonshining and alcohol smuggling have reached unprecedented proportions. Over the course of 13 “dry” years, a whole generation of moonshiners and smugglers grew up, practicing their craft as their main profession. Their activities became overgrown with legends and gave rise to a whole layer of national folklore and fiction. Finnish children played smugglers and policemen, and their sympathies, of course, were always on the side of the smugglers. The police, border guards and customs officers did not have enough strength or resources to stop the illegal production, smuggling and sale of alcoholic beverages.

However, even during Prohibition, alcohol could be obtained quite easily legally - doctors prescribed a total of 1.3 million liters of alcohol per year to their patients to treat a wide variety of diseases.

In short, the Prohibition Law did not sober up the Finns - rather, on the contrary. The law was violated from the very beginning, and the number of violations increased exponentially. The illegal trade in alcohol has become an incredibly profitable business. Most of the illegal potion was brought into the country by ship through the Gulf of Finland. Smugglers supplied up to 6 million liters of alcohol to Finland annually.

Speculators sold smuggled alcohol either in 12-liter cans or in vessels with a capacity of a quarter liter, which people lovingly called “sparrows.” Old-timers say that in any Helsinki restaurant you could order tea fortified with alcohol - you just had to know the correct terms.

The “prohibition” law lasted in Finland for almost 13 years (an ominous and symbolic figure)... Desperate to cope with moonshine and alcohol smuggling, the government authorities finally decided to admit their mistake and repeal the ill-fated law, but to be sure, they first enlisted the support of the people. At the end of 1931, a nationwide referendum was organized on this pressing issue. The overwhelming majority of citizens - 546 thousand - voted for the abolition of Prohibition. 217 thousand votes were cast for its extension. 44% of citizens who had the right to vote took part in the voting.

The opinion expressed by the people prompted members of the Finnish parliament to abolish the suffering of the thirsty. Only 45 deputies voted against repealing the law - 120 deputies carried out the will of the people.

The day, month, year and time of opening of alcohol stores after a thirteen-year break gave rise to a humorous puzzle, with the help of which representatives of the older generation of green snake lovers won more than one bet on a bottle of beer from their younger drinking companions. The question read: “How is the set of numbers 543210 deciphered?” The casket opened simply: alcohol stores opened their doors again on April 5, 1932 at 10 a.m.

According to eyewitnesses, people began to gather at the doors of the monopoles long before they opened, which forced the police to line up buyers in columns of two so that other passers-by could freely walk along the sidewalk past these hot spots. When the doors of alcohol stores finally opened, the police let in 10-20-30 people at a time, depending on the size of the store and the number of sellers. The first happy customer emerged from a store on Kaisanimenkatu Street in the center of the capital exactly 5 minutes after entering, greeted by a queue on the street with loud cries of “Hurray!” Approximately the same atmosphere reigned in front of other stores.

The bulk of buyers purchased Estonian vodka due to its relative cheapness. True, there were also principled lovers of cognac and whiskey. Some were even interested in Madeira and other fortified wines, but due to the lack of imports, in the early days they were forced to be content with a limited assortment. Certain restrictions remained in force even after the repeal of Prohibition - no more than two half-liters were released into one hand.

The repeal of Prohibition stopped the smuggling of alcohol for only a few months. Already at the end of 1932, the smugglers perked up, adapted to the conditions of competition with the state monopoly and resumed their illegal business with the same enthusiasm, giving up only their excess profits. The conditions and forms of this competitive struggle have changed over the years and decades, but its essence has not changed: the state replenishes its treasury through excise taxes, and citizens try, by hook or by crook, to get their daily drink cheaper - from behind the border.

It is no secret that the bulk of smuggled alcohol these days comes to Finland through the eastern border from Russia. Both Russian tourists and Finns themselves are engaged in this business. The significant difference in the price of vodka in Russia and Finland makes this business indestructible.

This whole sad experiment with the adoption and repeal of Prohibition leads to equally sad thoughts. As a result of 13 years of prohibitive practice, a craving for the “forbidden fruit” - in in this case, to alcoholic beverages - it seems that it has already migrated to the gene pool of the nation.

Once, back in Soviet times, during a visit of high-ranking Finnish party leaders to the Cricova wine cellars near Chisinau - for tasting selected local wines and cognacs - one of the guests asked the chief cupbearer of the republic the question that apparently tormented him: “How to drink so as not to get drunk "? To which a philosophical counter-question followed: “Why drink then?”

As Benjamin Franklin said, the school of life is the harshest school, but other schools do not teach fools. Not far from this truth is the saying that fools learn only from their own bitter experience. The whole world has long been convinced that bans cannot ensure the sobriety of a nation. A much more effective means of promoting a sober lifestyle is the power of living example, especially by the leaders of the nation.

Still, things turned out to be very difficult. This is a whole series of government measures to combat drunkenness and countermeasures of people who want to get drunk. Who won this fight?..

"No alcohol law"

Many Russians, coming to Finland, involuntarily repeat the same question: is there a “dry law” in Finland? This question is quite understandable and logical, because, especially in Soviet times, the behavior of many Finns on foreign soil, in particular in Leningrad, suggested that, apparently, in this poor country of Suomi there live people who are not allowed to drink alcoholic beverages at all, and therefore, having escaped into operational space, they get drunk until they lose consciousness.

Although Finnish tourism to Russia has declined significantly since Soviet times, residents of the Russian border cities of Vyborg, Sortavala, Svetogorsk, etc. continue to observe Finnish invasions for vodka.

But the customs and habits of the Finns, who are accustomed to drinking one or two bottles of Koskenkorva on Friday after work, were truly influenced not by the care of government authorities or Alco, but by the beginning of tourism to the Mediterranean and distant countries in the 1960s. There the Finns “found” weak table wines, which gradually began to replace strong drinks.

In 1969, Parliament exempted medium-strength beer for sale in grocery stores and bars. However, in 1977, new restrictions were introduced - advertising of alcoholic beverages was prohibited in Finland, and in 1978, alcohol stores stopped opening on Saturdays. This continued until 1991, when Alco's doors began to open again on Saturdays.

In the late 1990s, the authorities and Alko, fearing that the EU and Finnish public opinion would insist on granting grocery stores the right to sell alcoholic beverages, extended the opening hours of most alcohol stores on weekdays to 20 hours (previously to 17) and 18 hours on Saturday (earlier until 14). Came into force in Finland in 1995 new law on alcoholic beverages, which changed the monopoly position of Alco.

According to the agreement between Finland and the EU from 1993, Alko retained only a monopoly of retail trade; other companies can also engage in wholesale sales to enterprises, import and production of drinks. On March 1, 2000, the resolution on the activities of the alcoholic beverage company Alco came into force. According to it, the company must promote “responsible consumption of alcoholic beverages and ensure equal sales of alcoholic beverages throughout the country.”

Alco currently has a network of 286 stores throughout the country. In order to sell alcoholic beverages in restaurants and bars in Finland, you need a license, which is not easy to obtain. Licenses come in two levels, A and B, of which the first gives the right to sell any alcoholic beverages (except for alcohol), and the second only for weak drinks (beer, cider, etc.).

Scary future

In 2004, fundamental changes will take place in Finnish alcohol policy - since the beginning of the year, restrictions on

Natalya Glukhova

The easy way emigration to Finland from Russia

13/03 2017

Good afternoon friends!
Let's talk about the possibilities of moving to Finland for permanent residence. So, emigration to Finland from Russia. The country is cold, but there are good opportunities.

From this article you will learn:

Life in Finland - what is it like?

Before we look at the possibilities of emigration, let's talk about life in Finland. Coming for a week to relax is one thing. You will see the “tourist” part of Finland. It has very little to do with real life private Finn.
What good can you highlight? Firstly, it is an excellent ecology. This applies not only to forests outside the city. The cities are also clean, the streets are cleaned regularly. Finns are very proud of their forests, thousands of lakes and amazing ecosystem. So, cleanliness comes first here. You can rent an apartment for any time and see the life of the country from the inside.

Helsinki

Secondly, excellent roads. A trip by car will appeal to anyone who values ​​their car. This is also carefully monitored. A lot of attention is paid to cyclists. Bicycle parking and separate paths are available for you.
Although, I don’t recommend speeding. You will have to pay for violations, and this amount is much higher than for Russia.

Finnish neighbors, what are they like?

Of course, there is a difference between Finn and Finn. But most citizens are quite friendly. They are accustomed to Russians; no particular hostility was noticed on their part. Your neighbors will be happy to help and explain everything you need. They will not invade your life; personal space is respected here.

But the same is expected of you. It is quite possible to be friends with your Finnish neighbors. The national culture and state language are respected here. But if they see that it is difficult for you to speak Finnish, they will switch to English.

Local residents love nature, almost all keep pets. They love children very much. They may come up to say hello and talk to your child. There is no need to be afraid - they will not cause harm, they will not offend. Of course, we don’t leave children with strangers, but otherwise, it’s normal for Finns to start talking and praise a stranger.

I also want to say that this is a country of a healthy lifestyle. They love sports and play sports. If you moved to a small town, then get ready for competition. Almost all residents will take part.

How to move to Finland?

Previously they were issued for 2 years, but now the situation has changed. Standard package of documents 7-10 days for production.
You must apply for a residence permit. With a regular visa, you cannot stay longer than 3 months in 6 months, 6 months in a year. There is no need to leave the country with a residence permit.

Grounds for residence permit

1. Marriage. The simplest way. Of course, I mean marriage with a Finnish citizen.
2. Homecoming. If you have Finnish roots, welcome, your historical homeland is waiting for you.
3. . We will also talk about this category of visas in a separate article. This is your work permit.
4. Student visa. It's good here, it's free. True, in Finnish.
5. Refugee visa.
6. Opening own business. Open your own company in accordance with all the rules and laws of Finland.

What documents will you need to collect?

You need a standard package of documents for any reason. Plus - additional documents for each of the grounds.

Basic:

1. A completed application form.
2. International passport and its photocopy.
3. Clear purpose of the trip.
4. Confirmation of your accommodation in Finland. For example, a purchased apartment or house. Or a lease agreement for the entire period for which the application is submitted.
5. Statement from the bank.
6. Payment of the consular fee.

Such applications must be submitted at the consular general offices. These are Moscow, St. Petersburg and other large cities. There is an option to submit an application already in Finland.

Read more about emigration to Suomi (Finland)

• getting married;
• restore Finnish origins;
• reunite with your family.

So, getting a residence permit is easy. The first time for 6 months, then - 1 year. And so on until citizenship.
For other reasons there will be restrictions. A residence permit is not issued here if you have bought real estate. You will receive a permit for 6 months. You understand, staying for 6 months and then again for 6 months will not work. This is inconvenient if you plan to live permanently. An option is to buy an apartment or a house, plus open a business or get a job.

To open your own business

The required authorized capital is 2,500 euros. But, you can't just move and open a business. You will need Finnish and/or EU citizens to be on the company's board.
Plus, everything related to companies will have to be attached to the main documents. Account statements, purpose, development plan, presence of an office, permits for certain types of activities.

Life for expats in the land of 1000 lakes

Organizing your move is very important. Let's not forget about the psychological aspects. You change your life and find yourself in a completely different atmosphere. People can be friendly and welcoming, and cities can be clean. Here you will have to learn to live, join the rhythm of life, adopt the habits and traditions of the people.

Citizens from Russia and Ukraine most often emigrate to Finland. Mainly for marriage, work or study.

Standard of living

Suomi is a country of long-livers. Included in the TOP 10 countries with the highest life expectancy. Healthcare is well developed here.
Many Russians who moved to Finland are very satisfied with the quality of the products. Quality meat, dairy products, vegetables and fruits. A lot of attention is paid to quality of life.
This is a country high technology. They are aimed at improving the quality of life.

If you want to live in your own home, then you will be interested in reading the article - How are modular houses built in Finland?

What about work for expats?

In 2016, the average salary was 3 thousand euros per month. Work without qualifications pays well. True, there are not many jobs. You may have to start with simpler positions that pay less. Unfortunately, psychological characteristics Russians in emigration are such that you want to immediately find a good job. Otherwise, we start to panic.

The situation is different for Europe and Scandinavia. There a person can do one thing and then change his profession. There are government guarantees, a person will not be left without work and money. Our people are very worried, which makes it difficult to find work.

It can be difficult for Russians - you will have to learn Finnish. Naturally, the work implies the possibility of communication in the state language. The lower the position, the lower the language requirements. In the process you will tighten your tongue, this is guaranteed. It is better to start learning it before moving to Finland.

It is better to start learning the language before moving to Finland. I can recommend the website Speakasap. For example, a mini-course in Finnish, 7 lessons, you can study at any time, level A1. Here, all dialogues, texts and tasks are prepared by native speakers. There are free lessons. They will help you prepare for your language classes. Very effective, the material is presented in a simple manner - always great practice.

Pension

There are a number of allowances that add to your pension. So, it can be 600 euros or more.
Life in Finland is not boring for pensioners. There are temporary homes. You can take older people here for half a day or a whole day. This is similar to a nursing home, but you don’t have to spend the night there.

Pensioners get good medical service and a whole range of benefits. They apply to the purchase of medicines, minor operations, payment of housing, and visits to health resorts. Russian pensioners also have the right to benefits; you need to find out at what age you can receive them. You must live in the country for at least 40 years to receive the national pension. Before that - the pension minimum.
The retirement age in the country is 63 years.

How Russian emigrants live

By the way, we are 1% or more of the entire population of the country!

Migration used to be much easier. Even illegal. Today the requirements are much stricter. To obtain permanent residence or citizenship you will need to take Finnish language. This is level A2. It is considered initial, but still. This is a 6 month – 1 year visit language courses. Of course, living in the country you can learn much faster.

There are a number of Russian-speaking diasporas. Cultural centers and Russian communities help people settle down. Here you can find friends and start relationships. Conversation on native language It helps many people get settled easier.

There was a major trial at the European level. The fact is that the Human Rights Commission noticed some discrimination against Russian-speaking workers. This was especially true for low-paid positions. Some amendments have been made to the legislation regulating labor relations with foreign workers.

Nobody notices any special dislike for Russians. Cases of hostility are isolated. Usually, Russians, Ukrainians, Belarusians easily find mutual language with the Finns.

I wish you good luck with your move! I will tell you a lot of interesting things about Finland, education, work, opportunities for migrants.

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