POLITICAL APPEAL: FINLAND’S HAPPINESS REPUTATION MUST NOT SELL EMPTY DREAMS

“The happiest country in the world” is not happy for everyone. The top rank in international comparisons does not pay a student’s rent, arrange a job, or reduce the loan taken for studies.

I appeal to the parliament, the government, and Finnish higher education institutions to stop the misleading recruitment of international students and to strengthen the legal protection of those who have fallen into financial difficulties based on false promises.

Yle’s MOT revealed in December 2025 how the education agents used by Finnish higher education institutions market Finland with empty promises. Students were led to believe that jobs can be easily obtained without knowledge of the Finnish language and that part-time work can cover living expenses. Finland’s happiness reputation was used as a justification for not having to worry about job opportunities.

This kind of marketing can affect a person’s entire life. A student and their family may use their savings or take out a large loan to pay for tuition fees, intermediary fees, travel, and accommodation. If the promised livelihood cannot be found, debts, poverty, and interrupted studies may remain.

If a student has to return to their home country without a job and without the means to pay their debts, the consequences can affect the entire family for years. This risk must not be hidden behind happiness advertisements and success stories.

There are jobs in Finland, but a place in higher education does not guarantee employment. A higher education degree or residence permit does not guarantee employment either. These matters must be clearly communicated before a student pays or goes into debt.

The same requirement for honesty applies to the recruitment of students coming from the Middle East, South Asia, and everywhere else.

I demand the following actions:

1. Higher education institutions must monitor the marketing of the education agents they use and address any identified abuses. Recruitment must not be outsourced without real accountability.
2. Students must be provided with a clear written explanation of the total costs, language proficiency requirements, employment uncertainties, and that livelihood cannot be built on the assumption of a job.
3. Agent fees, charges to students, and higher education relationships must be made transparent. Students must know whose interests the intermediary represents.
4. A reachable complaint and advisory channel must be arranged for those who have been misled. Refunds and liability for damages must be assessed on a case-by-case basis.
5. Suspicions of intentional financial misrepresentation must be investigated. Fraud suspicions should not be dismissed merely as unsuccessful marketing, but criminal liability must be determined based on evidence.
6. The success of educational exports should also be evaluated based on students’ graduation, livelihood, and employment — not just the amount of tuition fees received.

I do not claim that all education agents operate dishonestly. I hold accountable those actors who are shown to have gained financial benefits through false or materially deficient information.

Finland’s reputation for happiness should not serve as a shield for the acceptance of students. Sustainable educational exports must be based on quality teaching, honest information, and respect for students’ rights.