Some companies illegally order foreign workers to attend weeks of training without pay – or even charge them for such orientation sessions, say industry insiders.
“Democracy is about discussing and participating in common issues, not just about voting in elections,” said Antti Leinonen, the justice ministry’s permanent secretary.
“The general perception of immigrants as a burden on public finances is incorrect,” says one of the researchers. Foreign-language speakers account for about 10% of the population, but collect only about 5% of welfare benefits and other income transfers.