In an interview with the Swedish mainstream daily Hufvudstadsbladet, SDP Parliamentary Group Chairman Eero Heinäluoma said that government policy on work-based immigration is dangerous in light of the current unemployment situation.

Speaking with YLE, Heinäluoma warned againt using the word "racist", but reiterated his concern about government’s plans to promote work-based immigration. To support his position, Heinäluoma pointed to draft legislation that would allow workers from outside the EU to enter Finland without a means analysis.

“It’s clear that there is no need for immigrant workers in Finland at this moment. There may be a need for some special groups, but widespread employment-based immigration is not required,” Heinäluoma explained.

According to the Hufvudstadsbladet, Heinäluoma said that opposing increased immigration is not racist, but rather just plain common sense. He declared that there is no need for an increase in the foreign workforce, because there are currently 300,000 unemployed in Finland, with another 100,000 who don’t show up in official statistics.

“If we welcome a large group of people from abroad now, when unemployment is so high, it will mean that they will deprive Finns of jobs, making them unemployed. This will result in an increase in racism,” Heinäluoma concluded.

Heinäluoma added that if government does proceed as planned, A- and B-class labour markets will develop, in which the latter will have no standards such as clear terms and conditions of work.

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