Whose responsibility is it to help international experts settle in Finland? Artur Brutyan, who holds a Master’s degree in information technology, believes that he himself bears a great deal of responsibility. He believes it is essential to be open towards people and to live like a Finn.
“If I respect the local culture and way of doing things, I will be accepted,” he sums up the secret of his successful integration.
Brutyan has worked in senior positions in the ICT sector in Finland for over 12 years, most of that time at If Insurance. His employment prospects were not hindered by the language barrier. Brutyan has been working in English all along, which is possible for many software developers in Finland.
“If operates in the Nordic and Baltic countries, and we work across national borders. The company’s official working language is English, and all documentation is in English,” he explains.
Brutyan, who lives in Turku, has a Finnish wife, two children of nursery age, and friends he has made through running and ice swimming. He does not agree with the claim that Finns are reserved and difficult to approach.
“People are the same everywhere. When you put yourself out there, you will find like-minded people.”
His studies brought him to Finland
High-quality and, at the time, free Master’s studies initially attracted Brutyan to Finland. The cost of living was reasonable compared to other Nordic countries, and essential information about studying and living was easy to find online.
He graduated with honors as a Master of Science in Engineering from the international Master’s programme at what was then Tampere University of Technology, and did teaching at the university alongside his studies.
Getting his first job wasn’t easy. Brutyan sent out about fifty applications and received two replies. He believes that his foreign-sounding surname may have influenced employers’ attitudes. Only one employer cited language skills as an obstacle to hiring.
“But whenever I’ve been invited to an interview for a job, I’ve always gone quite far in the process.”
Brutyan’s residence permit required him to find work within six months of graduation. He found employment just before the deadline at the learning technology company Upknowledge in Helsinki.
A warm atmosphere brings good results
Brutyan has spent most of his career working in Turku, first at If Insurance, then at Telia for a few years, and now again at If. His current title is Cloud Security Architect.
“I help our software developers build secure solutions. I also ensure that If’s cloud ecosystem complies with official and regulatory requirements and is protected against cyber attacks,” Brutyan sums up his job description.
He has always felt welcome in all his positions, which he considers a prerequisite for job satisfaction. People have spoken English with him and he has been included in all work and recreational activities.
“And most importantly, I have never experienced discrimination.”
Brutyan believes that employee well-being is key to a company’s success. At If, he is part of an IT community of over 1300 professionals. He praises the company’s induction training, support services and warm working atmosphere. It is nurtured through a variety of events that involve more than just work.
International experts are needed
Brutyan is convinced that if Finland wants its economy to grow, it needs more international, highly educated professionals.
He believes Finland would be a more attractive destination if salaries were more competitive. He would like to see Finnish companies using various incentives more often to increase employee commitment. As an example, he mentions restricted stock units (RSUs).
Another key issue is the Finnish language. Brutyan does not expect Finnish working environments to become English-speaking. Nevertheless, he believes that companies should reconsider their language requirements and support their employees in learning Finnish if it is needed in their work.
“I can manage light conversation in Finnish. I wan to learn the language, but it takes time because life is busy,” he laughs.
According to Brutyan, jobs that match his skill level are rare in Finland, and finding them requires strong networks. He feels that TEK could be attractive to international experts if the organisation helped them to network in Finnish working life.
“It would be great if TEK could organise meetings for its members with top experts in specific fields, for example.”
Concerning signals
Fewer and fewer international experts in the field of technology want to stay in Finland, according to the Technology Experts 2025 survey conducted by TEK and the Union of Professional Engineers in Finland. Less than half of the survey respondents would recommend Finland as a place to live.
Brutyan, who was born in Armenia, has been an unreserved advocate of Finland, but now he is watching society with concern. Similar to the survey respondents, he is concerned about Finland’s stricter immigration laws and the deteriorating general economic situation.
He also senses a strengthening of nationalist attitudes among the population. He wonders whether his children will have as good a life in Finland in 10–20 years’ time as he has now.
“I don’t want them to feel like they don’t belong here.”
More generally, Brutyan considers that if a top talent is seeking a high salary, strong career development and financial success, there are more attractive options in the world than Finland.
“But if you value nature, work-life balance and personal space, Finland is still one of the best places globally.”
Ultimately it’s about what you value most.
Top talent comes to Finland in search of a good life
“Finnish companies are not very successful in attracting international talent,” sums up Mika Raunio, a researcher at the Migration Institute of Finland who has been following the topic for a long time. Finland primarily attracts family-oriented people who are looking for a good life.
“For a career-oriented Asian and European top talent, the USA has traditionally been number one in terms of technological expertise and career advancement, with the UK coming in second, especially for Asians,” says Raunio.
According to him, both the public and private sectors in Finland currently offer companies a wide range of services, for example in the recruitment of international experts, permit processes, and the needs of experts’ families. The challenge is that employers are not very familiar with the services.
“Some of the companies that recruit international experts say that they do not have very good expertise in this area. This is understandable if such recruitments are rare.”
When attracting international talent, a company’s brand and employer image matter. According to Raunio, recruitment is easier if your product or expertise is well known in the industry. International experts are often recruited through the company’s own networks.
“Of course, large companies are in a completely different position than small startups in this regard.”
Raunio talks about the importance of diversity management, especially in international work communities: that people are treated as individuals and that an equal and inclusive atmosphere is created within the company. According to Raunio, technology companies in particular are skilled in this area.
“There are also studies showing that when employees feel they belong to the work community, it also improves the organisation’s innovativeness.”
Raunio points out that companies’ ability to work with people who speak foreign languages and come from different cultural backgrounds is becoming increasingly important as Finland rapidly becomes more international. He estimates that already 40 per cent of people entering the Finnish labour market each year are speakers of a foreign language.