International recruitment in the health and social services sector

Efficient health services require a sufficient number of health and social care professionals. Like many other countries, Finland has an ageing population, which increases the need for services. Consequently, the demand for skilled health and social services personnel is high in these countries.

• According to the population forecast (2024), the population of Finland will rise due to immigration while the birth rate will decrease. The number of people over 75 years old will double to almost 1.3 million by 2075.

• According to the calculations of ETLA Economic Research, Finland needs a yearly net migration of 44,000 persons to stabilize the size of the birth cohorts and the labor force with the current age and gender structure.

• The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that there will be a global shortage of health and social care workers of around 11 million by 2030, particularly in lower-income countries.

There is competition for health and social care employees both nationally and internationally. As a result, international recruitment has been growing significantly in recent years.

In particular, recruiting directly from countries of origin has gained popularity. It is estimated that this type of recruitment will increase significantly in the coming years, as the labor shortage will not ease anytime soon.

The health and social services sector is subject to the same principles of ethical recruitment as all other sectors. Ethical recruitment aims to prevent exploitation and ensure that employees’ rights are respected at all stages of the process. Ultimately, the goal is to guarantee fair, equitable, and equal working conditions.

A key part of ethical recruitment is taking into account the situation of the employees’ country of origin. You should not just think about the interests of your own country. Health and social care professionals are an important part of every state’s health care system, contributing to the stability of society.

If you are an employer planning to recruit internationally in the health and social services sector, you should familiarize yourself with international ethical recruitment recommendations and expect the same from the recruitment partners you use. 

In 2010, the World Health Organization (WHO) already drew up a Global Code of Practice on the International Recruitment of Health Personnel. The recommendations highlight issues such as the following: 

• everyone’s right to health and the Sustainable Development Goals

• national responsibility for the sufficiency of health and social services personnel, supported by providing a sufficient number of places in education and by ensuring that workplaces can attract and retain employees

• importance of data collection and monitoring related to international recruitment

• cooperation between countries, such as agreements

In 2023, the European Institute for Crime Prevention and Control (HEUNI), in cooperation with the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment, and an extensive network of experts, drew up national sustainability recommendations for international recruitment  to support employers. They are based on WHO’s Code of Practice.

In these recommendations, you can find WHO’s list of countries that face challenges with the capacity of their health care systems. Direct recruitments from these countries should be treated with special caution, and they should only be carried out based on cooperation agreements between countries. These recommendations do not restrict the mobility of individuals, however. 

Need help recruiting internationally? Check out  the list of trusted and certified recruitment partners .

Each health and social care professional must have sufficient oral and written language skills required for his or her own duties. In practice, this means proficiency in one of the official languages of Finland, Finnish or Swedish.

In connection with the granting of professional qualifications, Valvira checks the applicant’s language skills.

The necessary language skills can be demonstrated by taking the National Certificates of Language Proficiency (YKI) test, for example. As an employer, you are obliged to assess whether the employee’s language skills are at the level required for the tasks.

Good language skills also support job satisfaction and adaptation to the work community. As an employer, you could benefit from providing language training, as it facilitates integration into the new job, country, and culture.

Keep in mind that the best way to learn a language is to use it in practice. That is why it is important to create a supportive atmosphere in the work community, as it helps the international employee to learn the language and become more and more fluent in it.

In Finland, working in the health and social services sector usually requires a permit issued by Valvira. 
 

On the basis of an application, Valvira grants the right to practice the health and social care profession to employees trained both in Finland and abroad. 

Professionals are divided into legalized professionals and professionals using a protected occupational title.

• Legalized professionals include personnel such as nurses, radiographers, physicians, and dentists.

• Professionals using a protected occupational title include personnel such as practical nurses and prosthetist-orthotists.

Checking the right to practice a health and social care profession ensures that the employee’s skills meet the requirements of the job.

Note! The application for professional rights is subject to a processing fee. Read more on Valvira’s website. 

• WHO Global Code of Practice on the International Recruitment of Health Personnel

• New responsibility recommendations support employers in healthcare and social welfare sector international recruitment – Finnish Government

• National Certificates of Language Proficiency (YKI) tests | Finnish National Agency for Education

• Valvira