Search term SEASON2024 for employers and job seekers to facilitate the search for seasonal work

If you are about to advertise seasonal job openings in your company at Job Market Finland, enter SEASON2024 in the title of the job posting. When job seekers enter the search term in the search field at Job Market Finland, it is easy to find seasonal jobs.

– We have used similar keywords in previous years, which means that some seasonal employers are already familiar with the practice. Seasonal jobs can already be found at Job Market Finland using the SEASON2024 search term, but employers will continue to advertise more seasonal work opportunities as the spring unfolds. In seasonal work, the actual period of employment will only begin in June, says Tomi Puranen, Specialist at the TE Office.

Although the search term for advertising and applying for seasonal jobs is in English, seasonal work is not only intended for job seekers arriving in Finland from abroad, but also for job seekers residing in Finland. In addition, seasonal jobs are often advertised in both Finnish and English. This will make it easier to reach job seekers who speak different languages. It is crucial to reach out to them because, year after year, the majority of applicants for berry farms are individuals who speak foreign languages.

Employment contracts differ in length, and industrious workers may be offered future work opportunities

Although farm entrepreneurs often include the term SEASON2024 in their job listings, it is not exclusive to agricultural job postings.

– In addition to farms, seasonal work is also available in areas such as horticulture and green construction. However, the largest number of seasonal jobs can be found on farms. Strawberry and raspberry picking jobs are available in the beginning and middle of summer, and certain farms may also offer work in harvesting cultivated blueberries later on in the season. Furthermore, there may be work opportunities in picking forest berries or cultivated berries in greenhouses, potentially extending the employment period until late autumn, Tomi Puranen explains and adds that seasonal employment typically spans from June to August.

Employers who offer seasonal work often hope that the same employees return to work for them for several summers.

– Employers are happy to employ hard-working and reliable employees in the following years, too, as they can have confidence in the employees’ ability to carry out their responsibilities. Year after year, berry farms welcome back employees particularly from abroad, from countries such as Ukraine, Belarus, and Vietnam. The employee’s home country is irrelevant as what matters most to employers is the employee’s motivation to work. The lack of language skills is not a problem either, because you can work even if you cannot speak Finnish, Puranen describes. According to him, companies that offer seasonal work can be called our country’s most international work communities.

Check the employer’s preferred application method and remember to take care of permits

A traditional job application and CV are often required when applying for seasonal work. You can apply for some seasonal jobs using an application form available on the company’s own website. The employer’s preferred application method is usually stated in the job posting.

Job seekers from EU and EEA countries, also known as free movement countries, do not need a certificate or a permit for seasonal work. Many employers are interested in recruiting from other EU countries, such as Slovakia, Romania and the Baltic countries. The European Employment Services (EURES), responsible for facilitating connections between job seekers and employers across the European region, has promoted seasonal jobs in Finland in these countries as well as other EU countries.

Citizens of non-EU/EEA countries must apply for either a certificate for seasonal work or a residence permit for seasonal work, depending on the duration of the contract.

What else should I know about seasonal work?

– You should be prepared for the fact that picking berries, especially in an outdoor setting, is physically demanding. In greenhouses, picking is easier and faster, as the work is done standing up. The job requirement level is usually reflected in the salary. It is also worth remembering that the summer weather in Finland can be fickle, ranging from heat to heavy rain, Tomi Puranen points out.

You can visit Job Market Finland to find seasonal jobs advertised so far.

Read more

• Open seasonal jobs at Job Market Finland with the search term SEASON2024
• Seasonal work
• Certificate for seasonal work
• Residence permit application for seasonal work

More information

Free employer advice to support recruitment (workinfinland.com)