Finland is stepping into the war for tech talent.
The Nordic country is pushing to bring in technology workers from abroad, with a particular focus on the United States. The goal is to attract engineers and researchers working in deep technology, particularly quantum computing, AI, and health innovation.
The initiative comes as competition for AI talent intensifies around the world and U.S. technology workers face layoffs, burnout and visa complications. KPMG’s annual survey of global CEOs found that 70% are concerned about competition for AI talent. According to BCG’s 2024 Talent Tracking Report, the United States continues to dominate in attracting AI talent around the world.
Already known for its technology industry, Finland, a country of about 5.6 million people, is positioning itself as a place where American tech workers can find a better work-life balance without sacrificing their careers, a stark contrast to the famed Silicon Valley.
“Of course, there may be some long days every once in a while, but that’s a very high value and is also protected by law, which says you can’t work more than 40 hours a week on average,” Laura Lindemann, director of the Work in Finland program, told Business Insider.
She said that even in the technology industry, people really quit when they’re done for the day. “The office is silent,” she said. Employers in Finland, often ranked among the world’s happiest countries, also recognize the benefits of workers having a life outside of work, she said, adding that the common feeling was that “if all you do is work, you become narrow-minded.”
Finland is working with more than 30 Finnish technology companies to promote open roles for foreign workers. A preview of jobs being promoted under the program includes positions at Oura Health (the company behind the Oura Ring), quantum computing company QMill, and Aalto University.
Lindeman said some employers are willing to open positions for suitable candidates, so Americans interested in working in Finland should consider contacting companies and universities even if the open position is not listed. The campaign is focused on the United States, but also targets talent in India, Brazil, and other European regions.
Once a candidate receives an offer, they can apply for a specialist visa through Finland’s Fast Track program. Approved applicants can receive work and residence permits in as little as two weeks, Lindemann said, and processing time averages about 10 days. Finland also offers an integration program to help newcomers settle in, adding that spouses of workers with specialist visas are eligible for work permits.
Government data suggests Americans’ interest is already growing. According to Finnish immigration statistics, Finland granted 60 professional residence permits to US citizens in 2024 and 85 in 2025. The number of residence permits granted to U.S. researchers also increased from 35 in 2024 to 46 in 2025.
Jordan Blake Banks, an American living in Helsinki, said Finland has a great work-life balance. Vladislav Zolotov/Getty Images
Finland is known for its culture of work-life balance
Jordan Blake Banks, an American who moved to Finland in 2019 to pursue a master’s degree through the Fulbright program, said the country has many benefits, from its forests to its focus on work-life balance. After completing his degree, Banks remained in Finland and eventually took a job as a sustainability consultant at Deloitte in Helsinki.
“The general idea is that the company and co-workers respect you as a person and you have free and personal time,” she said, adding that her parents regularly take off work during the day due to family obligations without being criticized. Many Finns take about a month’s vacation in the summer and a vacation in the winter.
Banks said that while salaries in Finland tend to be lower than comparable jobs in the United States, he believes the difference is offset by more affordable essential services such as health care, education and child care.
While it’s not necessary to learn Finnish to work in the country — Lindemann said English is widely used in the tech industry and about 80 percent of Finns speak fluent English — Banks said not knowing the language can make you feel isolated in everyday life.
She enrolled in a four-month integration program run by the city, where she learned the language and eventually passed the national exam required to become a Finnish citizen. Banks also met his current wife while living in Finland.
One cultural adjustment of living in Finland is that people tend to be more reserved than Americans, she said. “I think if you come from a very friendly culture or a very warm culture, it can be a shock,” she said, adding that she was able to use that to her advantage.
Banks said speaking up helped her land a paid research position at a university. “I was going to reach out and be a brave American asking for things,” she said.
