International workers and businesses find Helsinki appealing

The city has initiated several measures to develop the appeal and attractiveness of Helsinki. The implementation of the local government pilot on employment, which is central to improving employment opportunities, continues. At the same time, the city is also actively preparing for the reform on the organisation responsibility of the employment-enhancing activities. 

Goal: We increase our economic activities and aim to diversify our industries and occupations

The City of Helsinki promotes economic activities through its development work related to employment and new innovative business activities. For example, Maria 01 is the leading startup campus in the Nordic countries with approximately 1,400 members, 180 startups, 23 partner companies and 22 local and international members of investor networks. 

The sum of wages and salaries, which indicates economic activities, decreased in Helsinki in January–February compared to the situation at the turn of the year, but increased again in March to the level at the turn of the year. Despite the downturn, the sum of wages and salaries has been clearly higher than at the same time a year ago. 

Sum of wages and salaries, six-month moving average indexed.

Goal: Our goal is to be a city that increases the likelihood of employment when employment services are taken over by municipalities.

Helsinki has a higher employment rate than the rest of the country. The employment rate still has room for improvement, especially for those over the age of 60. After the COVID-19 pandemic started in spring 2020, the share of those in the TE Office services of the total number of unemployed job seekers and those in TE Office services (so-called activation rate) fell from around the level of 30 per cent to about 20 per cent, but has risen over the last autumn and winter to the current level of around 25 per cent. The unemployment situation in Helsinki has also improved over the last autumn and winter, but long-term unemployment, in particular, remains at a high level. 

Employment rate (people aged 20-64), %.