Dozens of nurses are going to work in Lapland for a few months in the winter. Some of them have had difficulty finding a suitable apartment in the north.
From Oulu Marika Eskola plans to implement an idea that has been brewing in her mind for a long time, that is, to pack her bags and go to Lapland as a nurse.
Eskola became a so-called hired nurse at Suomen Hoitajavällätti, which places nurses or nurses, especially for short placements. He is scheduled to work in Lapland for three months.
However, finding an apartment for a period of a few months has turned out to be more difficult than expected. Dozens of other nurses who are planning to go to Lapland are facing the same problem.
The vast majority of rental apartments do not meet the needs of caregivers moving to Lapland for a short period of time. The apartments are not necessarily fully furnished, or you have to commit to them for at least one year.
The asking rents for apartments have also come as a surprise.
“I understand that the season is about to start. Many try to ‘scrape money’ from the start of the season”, says Eskola.
Lapland director of nursing in the welfare area Leena Karjalainen recognize the difficulties mentioned by caregivers in searching for an apartment. Housing production is low in some municipalities in Lapland.
“We are aware of the housing shortage. It’s a big challenge for us.”
About ten percent of the personnel in the nursing sector of Lapland’s welfare area come through rental companies that provide caregivers. Karelian people know that many temporary nurses take a leave of absence from their main job and come to Lapland for the off-season to work and ski.
About apartments according to him, there is a shortage especially during the high season. Then the population of small towns multiplies when tourists and seasonal workers arrive.
This winter, at least some caregivers are going to Lapland for care services for the elderly.
Housing shortage in addition to care workers, it also applies to Lapland’s traditional seasonal workers, such as workers in the tourism industry.
So far, no steps have been taken to solve the housing shortage for carers in the welfare area, but a few municipalities have arranged apartments for substitutes during the holiday months. Karjalainen assures that the issue is for the welfare area to find out and they are trying to find solutions that would be in use already next summer.
Karjalainen is strongly in favor of Lapland’s welfare region and municipalities working together to solve the issue. The services of the municipalities will suffer if they cannot get care workers from other parts of Finland.
About nurses there is also a shortage in other parts of Finland. HS told for example in March that the nursing shortage has worsened significantly in just a couple of years.
In the nursing field efforts have been made to make up for the resulting shortage with the help of rental companies, among other things. This winter, through them, at least community nurses and nurses are going to Lapland for care services for the elderly, such as home care or service homes.
Caregivers who come to Lapland from other parts of Finland often have their own apartment in their permanent place of residence. Many people have to pay the living expenses for two apartments for a few months.
For example, Eskola will have an apartment in Oulu. Therefore, he is looking for another apartment, the monthly rent of which should be no more than 300–400 euros. Then there is money left over from the salary for things other than living expenses.
“This second apartment doesn’t have to be a luxury apartment. We sleep there, but otherwise we go to work or go out,” Eskola describes his criteria.
The gross salaries of nurses vary in different parts of Finland.
Previously HS has reported on rental companies that offer caregivers a significantly higher salary than in the public sector. In June the published story tells, for example About Mariannewho earned more than 4,000 euros a month as a nurse through rental companies.
The gross salaries of nurses vary in different parts of Finland. For example, in the capital region, the gross monthly salary of nurses working under Husi, i.e. in the public sector, is around 2,700 euros without experience and shift allowances.
On the website of the Finnish Nursing Agency, it is stated that the hourly wage of a nurse is 32.50 euros, while the hourly wage of a personal nurse is 29.50 euros. The share going to the brokerage company is deducted from the salary.
Eskola describes the salary offered by the rental company as better than at the municipal side. The competitive salary has at least partially influenced his decision to go work in another location.
“I’ve always liked gig work, but I wouldn’t necessarily leave if I got the same salary as in Oulu. Now I have such a life situation that I can go elsewhere.”
When a suitable rental apartment could not be found right away, the nurses going to Lapland decided to set up a joint Whatsapp group to promote the issue.
After weeks of searching, at least Eskola’s housing situation has been resolved. He ended up renting a shared room with three other nurses going to Lapland, which he found on Facebook’s “shit radio”, when a local offered them an Airbnb apartment.
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“People also need to be taken care of in Lapland. Nurses are needed for this.”
From Oulu Eskola, who is moving to Sodankylä, is scheduled to start her new job in October. In addition to Sodankylä, jobs were available in Enontekiö, Muonio and Ivalo, among others.
Sodankylä, with about 8,000 inhabitants, is known for its mining activities. Eskola thinks that at least some of the short-term rental apartments available in the municipality may have gone to miners.
Escola especially thanks the locals who offered help and facilitated the search for an apartment. He hopes that the rest of the nurses will also find a suitable apartment.
“People also need to be taken care of in Lapland. Nurses are needed for this.”
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