The proportion of foreign nationals living in Lapland has more than doubled over the past decade, but remains below the national average for Finland.
The number of foreign nationals residing in Lapland has seen significant growth, with statistics showing an increase to just under 7,000 individuals, representing 3.9% of the region's population, compared to 7.3% nationally. Despite this remarkable increase, project manager Maiju Jolma-Taylor from the Lapland Regional Council notes that immigration in Lapland is progressing at a slower pace than in other parts of Finland. This difference in growth rate can be attributed to various factors, including the influx of Ukrainian immigrants in recent years.
Jolma-Taylor is leading a project aimed at retaining highly skilled workers in Lapland, which is crucial for bolstering the local economy and tackling labor shortages. The current data indicates that between 2022 and 2024, the number of immigrants moving to Lapland has surged by over 2,000 people. This demonstrates a growing appeal of the region to foreigners, even as the overall percentage remains significantly lower than the national average.
The slow but steady increase in Lapland's foreign population reflects broader demographic trends in Finland, where there is a growing recognition of the need to welcome skilled immigrants to support regional development. Jolma-Taylor believes that while the presence of foreigners is increasing, it is doing so at a slower rate than the recent influx of Ukrainians, highlighting the complexities of migration patterns amid changing economic and geopolitical climates.
