Only hours after STTK filed its opinion, Finland’s academic-and-professionals’ confederation Akava submitted a parallel statement on 8 April 2026. While broadly endorsing the government’s bill to transpose the updated EU Single-Permit Directive, Akava argues that the minimum three-month ‘suoja-aika’ foreseen for exploited workers is still too short for Finland’s labour-market realities. Akava represents 613 000 university-educated employees and managers—exactly the cohort that multinational companies recruit for engineering, ICT and life-science assignments. In its brief to the ministry, the confederation stresses that “three months seldom suffices to find equivalent work in a specialist field, particularly if the individual must first recover unpaid wages or testify in an investigation”. It therefore proposes a six-month default with discretionary extensions. The organisation also highlights the EU requirement for member states to create “effective complaint mechanisms” free of retaliation. Akava points out that Finland’s labour inspectors and Migri have suffered budget cuts that could undermine real-world enforcement and leave employers without clear guidance. It calls for ring-fenced funding and inter-agency data-sharing so that suspicions of underpayment or unlawful deductions can be verified quickly without halting residence-permit processing. For in-house mobility teams the opinion is a warning that Finnish authorities will expect employers to prove equal treatment of EU and non-EU staff—covering pay, holiday, dismissal protection and gender equality. Failure could bring not only administrative fines but also reputational damage in a tight talent market. The ministry will now compile stakeholder feedback before sending the final bill to the Cabinet in May. Although Akava’s recommendations are not binding, Parliament has historically expanded worker safeguards when multiple labour organisations present a united front, suggesting that a longer grace period could still be written into law.
Source: Akava
