Employment in Finland - statistics & facts
The Finnish labor market is characterized by strong trade unions, as well as centralized and comprehensive policy agreements instead of local wage-bargaining models. Although the number of labor disputes was at a higher level than in the previous years, the number of lost workdays was lower. Overall, the employment situation in Finland has improved since 2015, following economic growth, moderate wage and salary development, and an increase in working time.
Despite the increase in employment, the unemployment rate also increased to 7.2 during the same year. However, for a long time the employment rate remained below the level preceding the 2008-2009 financial crisis, which hit Finland’s economy hard. Based on forecasts, the unemployment rate in Finland is estimated to decrease after 2024. Even if the Finnish economy recovers rapidly from the current crisis, the unemployment rate is expected to stay at a high level in the coming years.
One of the current challenges has been the improvement of the labor market position of people aged over 55. The employment rate for the 55-to-64 age group was 71.7 percent in 2023, while the employment rate of those aged 35 to 54 was over 85 percent. Along with that, the Finnish labor market is facing a rapidly aging population, competitiveness between industries, and changes in labor demand.
The gender pay gap remains
The average work week of employees in Finland was around 36 hours. Average monthly earnings ranged between 3,500 to 4,300 euros. Even if the average earnings within all sectors have increased, the gender pay gap has remained nearly unchanged and men still earn a higher salary than women. Finland has one of the highest rates of employment for women in Europe, but the gender gap in employment was one percent. Conversely, unemployment is more common among men than women in Finland, and female workers are generally better educated than their male counterparts.Employment rate and unemployment rate are rising
The employment rate has increased slowly but steadily, reaching 73.6 percent in 2023. The number of employed people in Finland increased slightly and is estimated to amount to 2.64 million people in 2025.Despite the increase in employment, the unemployment rate also increased to 7.2 during the same year. However, for a long time the employment rate remained below the level preceding the 2008-2009 financial crisis, which hit Finland’s economy hard. Based on forecasts, the unemployment rate in Finland is estimated to decrease after 2024. Even if the Finnish economy recovers rapidly from the current crisis, the unemployment rate is expected to stay at a high level in the coming years.
One of the current challenges has been the improvement of the labor market position of people aged over 55. The employment rate for the 55-to-64 age group was 71.7 percent in 2023, while the employment rate of those aged 35 to 54 was over 85 percent. Along with that, the Finnish labor market is facing a rapidly aging population, competitiveness between industries, and changes in labor demand.
