The severe economic downturn in Eastern Europe has made summer jobs on Finnish berry farms an attractive option.
One recruitment firm, Poimijapörssi, is bringing at least 2,000 guest workers into Finland from Russian Karelia. About half of these will work in North Karelia.
Workers are also expected from other parts of Russia as well as Ukraine and the Baltic states.
"In past years, the good economic situation elsewhere reduced the number of berry-pickers coming to Finland. They also signed shorter contracts than now," says Ismo Ruutiainen of the ProAgria Rural Advisory Centre in North Karelia.
He says that farmers are now getting so many letters and emails from jobseekers and foreign labour brokers that they are starting to become bothersome.
Most berry-pickers coming to North Karelia will work on strawberry farms, which employ more than 2,000 seasonal workers every summer. Nowadays about two-thirds of them come from abroad.
The farms have also been hiring more local youths.
"They are particularly needed to sell berries, as most grocery shops have outsourced berry sales," explains Ruutiainen.