Prime Minister Petteri Orpo's (NCP) government wants migrant berry pickers in Finland to arrive on employment-related visas rather than on tourist visas.
The government issued a proposal on the matter on Thursday.
The berry picking industry was shaken by reports of the poor conditions many migrant pickers faced, who had arrived to work on tourist visas. Former CEOs of a number of big berry companies are in court, suspected of human trafficking violations and other crimes.
If the proposal is approved, berry picking firms will need to hire pickers "in a contractual employment relationship" in order to enable their entry into Finland, according to the Ministry of Employment.
"A contractual employment relationship will help the authorities to monitor that the rights of pickers are realised. Alongside these legislative amendments, companies in the berry sector must be responsible and ensure fair conditions for pickers while eliminating exploitation," Employment Minister Arto Satonen (NCP) said in a press release on Thursday.
The ministry said that employment agreements between companies and berry pickers will guarantee a minimum income level for the workers. It will also ease monitoring of the workers' rights both during the residence permit process and after they arrive in Finland, it said.
If approved, the proposed amendments to the Seasonal Workers Act and the Seasonal Workers Decree are expected to go into effect early next spring, according to the ministry.
A ministerial committee outlined the planned changes to seasonal labour laws in May.
The All Points North podcast probed the allegations of worker exploitation and human trafficking in Finland's berry industry. Listen to the episode via this embedded player, on Yle Areena, via Apple, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.
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