Issuance of new work visas for Thai berry pickers in Finland paused

[webfact]

 

The Finnish Embassy in Bangkok has temporarily suspended the issuance of new visas to Thais who want to work as berry pickers in Finland, pending the adjustment of regulations to ensure fair treatment for foreign pickers.

 

Somchai Morakotsriwan, director-general of the Department of Employment, said that the visa suspension is to allow representatives from Thailand and Finland to develop measures to ensure better employment protection for the workers.

 

Applications for visas for other purposes are still being accepted, he added.

 

As a matter of principle, Somchai said that employers who agreed to take Thai nationals to work in Finland must be responsible for all the expenses incurred in getting them to Finland, adding that the amended regulations will ensure transparency and protect the workers from abuse by employers.

 

Full story: Thai PBS 2024-03-18

 

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[flyingtlger]

12 minutes ago, webfact said:

to allow representatives from Thailand and Finland to develop measures to ensure better employment protection for the workers.

Somchai is the Cesar Chavez of Thailand!!!

[Rampant Rabbit]

available in 3  fruity flavours, strawberry raspberry and blueberry?

[hotchilli]

5 hours ago, webfact said:

The Finnish Embassy in Bangkok has temporarily suspended the issuance of new visas to Thais who want to work as berry pickers in Finland, pending the adjustment of regulations to ensure fair treatment for foreign pickers.

Considering the history of previous berry pickers I'm surprised anyone would want to go there.

[webfact]

Thai berry seekers left hanging: Labour Ministry plans visa harvest solution
by Mitch Connor

 

Picture of Thai workers pick wild berries in a forest courtesy of the Ministry of Labour

 

The Labour Ministry of Thailand plans to solve the suspension of visa applications for Thais seeking wild-berry picking jobs in Finland by the 2025 harvest season, as disclosed by Somchai Morakotsriwan, the director-general of the Department of Employment.

 

The ministry, in collaboration with other state agencies including those from the Foreign Affairs Ministry, is working towards a solution following Finland’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ decision to suspend the acceptance of wild-berry pickers’ visa applications from Thais for the summer 2024 harvest season. This decision was due to concerns about exploitation and trafficking.

 

“The move is temporary,” stated Somchai Morakotsriwan, adding that the Labour Ministry is in the process of devising solutions. A short-term measure is the halt of a recruitment programme for berry picking jobs in Finland and Sweden until regulations are improved for better protection of workers’ rights. As a long-term measure, the ministry plans to propose talks on labour imports and exports to the governments of both countries.

Furthermore, to curb the trafficking and exploitation of workers, amendments will be made to laws and regulations to penalise employers and coordinators involved in these offences.

Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin announced the government is negotiating a mutual visa exemption programme with European countries. In light of tightened guidelines in February 2023, the ministry assessed Schengen visa conditions after the 2023 harvest season, following allegations of serious crimes during that period.

 

Historically, visas for wild-berry picking were issued on the presumption that pickers enter Finland for purposes similar to tourism, collect wild berries under the right of public access (Everyman’s Right), and sell the natural products they have harvested to a party of their choice. However, the Foreign Ministry highlighted that most pickers had employment contracts.

 

The ministry, therefore, stated that due to the risks of exploitation and trafficking, a long-term solution must be found by the 2025 season. The suspension of visa applications for berry pickers extends to the Embassy of Finland’s consular district in Bangkok, which covers Thailand, Cambodia, and Myanmar. As a result, Schengen visas will not be granted to wild-berry pickers from these countries for the summer 2024 harvest season, reported Bangkok Post.

 

A working group will review regulatory options in spring 2024 and visa applications for purposes other than berry picking will be processed as usual.

 

Source: The Thaiger 2024-03-18

 

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[khunjeff]

About time - those pickers were regularly exploited by brokers, and many of them actually lost money after paying exorbitant fees and expenses out of their own pockets.