A tale of decorated hats and hopeful hearts 

This morning, I sat down to write this blog post but found myself staring out of the window instead, pondering on what I could share about being an international professional in Finland that hasn’t been shared already. One word kept popping into my mind: Hope. No this is not a motivational post.  

Today I want to draw more attention to an essential ingredient of professional integration which has only very recently started getting the attention it deserved, even though it has been a major source of challenge for many international professionals in Finland. While at it, I will also share a few things you can do to make your own process easier, and most importantly, something to remember and keep very dear to your heart in the midst of what is happening at the moment. So read on.  

A huge number of foreigners in Finland moved here as professionals with their hats decorated with years of working experience in their respective fields, and their hearts filled with hope for new opportunities. Some found those opportunities within a few months, and others found it after a good number of years. However, quite a large number of them find themselves in a web of still searching, or hoping, or almost giving up, or actually moving out, or reassessing, or restudying, or starting a new career. And why is that?  

I will tell you why. 

A long list of professions in Finland are regulated, meaning that international professionals whose professions fall on the list must first obtain official recognition of their qualifications before they can practice in that profession. Seems like a pretty straightforward thing, right? Well it is not.  

Based on our experience at InterProFinland helping international professionals in their previous degree recognition journey, this information isn’t common knowledge to all. If you're considering moving to Finland and pursuing a career in a regulated profession, understanding the process of having your qualifications recognized is essential. You will find the list of regulated professions on this link. 

And here's a simplified guide to help you prepare and scale through the recognition process with ease: 

1. Check if your profession is on the list
   This should be the very first thing to do as this will give you a clear understanding of what your professional situation is. Then you can start making plans towards getting recognized as a professional in your field. Many of our clients who have been struggling in their professional journeys in Finland have been quite surprised to discover that their professions are on the regulated list. All that time wasted wondering why you aren't making any headway and feeling unqualified or not good enough. What a confidence drainer! It is always a relief to know that it is not about you, it is just the law.
    
2. Assess your own qualifications
   Evaluate your qualifications against the requirements set by the competent recognition authority. You will find them on the link already shared above. You may need to provide documentation such as diplomas, transcripts, and proof of professional experience. Be prepared to have your credentials translated into Finnish or Swedish if necessary.
    
3. Get the required documents ready
   In our work at InterProFinland, this is usually the stage that takes the most time. So the earlier you can start collating your documents the faster and smoother the recognition process will be for you. 
   
   
4. Start learning Finnish language ASAP
   Yes, like yesterday: Finnish and Swedish are the official languages of Finland, so proficiency in one of these languages is always required, especially for professions that involve direct interaction with the public. Or just learn Finnish for you, because in your professional path, you will come across a lot of recruiters requesting language skills just for the heck of it, even if your job role will be in English. Let’s leave that story for another time. In addition, in most applications for recognition, the competent authority usually gives a conditional recognition which requires you to study some additional courses at the Finnish educational institutions. And most of these courses are taught in Finnish and require a good knowledge of the language in all four categories. Therefore, consider enrolling in language courses to improve your language skills. 
   
   
5. Seek Guidance
   You do not have to go through this process on your own. That is why InterProFinland exists, providing you with step-by-step individualized guidance in the application process from start to finish, and even beyond! Don't hesitate to reach out to us at info@interprofinland.fi 

Finally, no matter what stage you are in your professional journey, here is a message you should keep dear to your heart: 

“Find peace in who you are, not in your circumstances.”