Hi! I’m planning to move to Rovaniemi in a few years to settle down and live there permanently. I’ve heard about the peaceful people, the beautiful snow-covered forests, the sub-zero temperatures, Santa Claus, and the Northern Lights, and that’s exactly what I’m looking for. I simply want to live somewhere peaceful to enjoy life and nature. For those who live there, what’s life like? Do they have good salaries? Are there jobs available? I currently work in the hotel industry. I understand you won’t be a millionaire, but I mean a decent salary that allows you to live comfortably without worries. Is it more complicated for someone from outside Europe? Do they welcome foreigners who come to live there? I understand I’ll have to learn Finnish as best I can, but I don’t think it will be too difficult if I dedicate enough time to it. Thank you for your time, and if you could tell me a little about it, I would be very grateful! 😁😁
https://www.reddit.com/gallery/1qjmjby
Posted by CaterpillarNo8667
14 Comments
So you haven’t done basically any googling about country you are planning to not just visit but to actually move?
Get a job before you move. Finland has a very high unemployment rate right now. There has been lots of news about how difficult it has been for people to find jobs, especially at the entry level.
I moved here as a specialist for a company that basically sponsored my visa and residence permit applications. It was a few thousand euros for everything, and without the company submitting paperwork saying that they needed my specialist skills, I don’t think it would have happened.
I dont want to spoil your enthusiasm, but Finnish language is a very hard language to learn as an adult, don’t underestimate the effort needed.
That flag is sick. More Finnish towns should have one
Have you looked into non-EU visa requirements? That’s the first thing you should check, and then have a job lined up. Due to the economic situation, it’s quite hard to land a job, especially as a non-EU, not Finnish speaking person.
Rovaniemi unfortunately experiences quite difficult housing issues – wouldn’t call it a housing crisis yet, but definitely could be difficult to secure a decent (& decently priced) apartment.
Hotel and tourism idustry are known to be quite scammy, exploiting foreign workforce.
I
Rovaniemi area is good for tourism related jobs, but naturally there’s lots of competition and the summer season is rather calm.
As a true Finn I’ll give you the downsides:
The employment rate is at an (almost) all time low – secure a job before actually moving here.
The nature is indeed beautiful especially in the winter and the autumn (ruska) but during the summer months there can be so many mosquitoes that it makes being in nature quite unenjoyable.
Finns can be hard to bond with (depends really on your personality). On that note: the Finnish language is pretty hard to learn.
The issue with these type of questions is that where you are from matters. And you have not given any information other than working in a hotel.
> is it more complicated from outside of Europe
This is why it matters. Because yes, it is a lot more complicated if you are not from Europe/Schengen country. People from Schengen countries will have first priority, as it a lot more of a hassle to deal with visas, so you will be last in line. And there are many who applies for these kind of jobs in tourist areas.
About Rovaniemi I can only say that when I visited there people were very kind with tourists and it was most beautiful trip I had among several cities in Finland. As others said there is very high unemployment in the country right now, so try to get a job before moving
Moving to Finland (or anywhere else in the EU) as a non-EU citizen is very difficult and increasingly so. Your skills and experience are unlikely to qualify you to live here.
The hotel industry is very competitive, and not speaking Finnish puts one at a big disadvantage in getting a job. The Finnish language is also very challenging for speakers of unrelated languages.
The unemployment rate in Finland is now the highest in the EU. It’s even tough for locals to get a job.
Housing costs in Rovaniemi is getting expensive, due to tourism amongst others.
Living on the Artic circle is not for everyone. The cold and lack of light in the winter can be challenging.
In short, your dream may well remain just that – a dream.
I live in Rovaniemi and it sucks ass
You can get a job in a hotel quite easily, especially if you apply before the season, so in August-September. Not being an EU citizen might spice things up, but there are always companies looking for workers during the winter season, you can figure out something to solve the visa/permit/whatever issue. So, realistically, you can get a job for the winter season, and use that time to find something permanent. If you were to work in IT or finance I’d say go to Helsinki, but given your experience in the hotel industry you’ll surely get something in Rovaniemi, there are shit ton of hotels and companies. The fact that you speak spanish and english makes you a top candidate for reception or other customer facing vacancies, Rovaniemi gets an increasing amount of spanish speaking tourists.
You know that Santa Claus isn’t actually real?
The hospitality industry can be hard, but if that’s okay by you, go for it! Acquaint yourself with our labour laws beforehand so you won’t get screwed over.
But, book a holiday first, and stay in the Rovaniemi area for a good while. Both in winter… and in the summer. We have LOTS of bloody-thirsty midges, between May Day and Midsummer especially.