What If You’ve Just Moved to Finland
Be that as it may, this week’s elections turned out to be a chaotic place in the United States to live and may well remain so for a while. Helsinki Business Hub has a different idea: what if you just pack up and move to Finland for 90 days ? They will arrange accommodation and babysitting for you free of charge.
The program is called 90 Day Finn and seems to be aimed at bringing in technicians, although the app does not specify any specific occupation and the deal will cover your entire family, including your spouse and children. The register informs that 15 seats are available and applications are accepted until December 10th. You are expected to move in February.
As part of this package, the Finns will draw up the necessary paperwork for you, help you find housing (which you have to pay for), introduce you to the tech community, and offer support for applying for permanent residency if you decide to stay. …
The package also does not include an air ticket. Cheapflights lists an average round-trip ticket price of $ 1,400 to Helsinki , but February is one of the cheapest times and if you shop you can get your ticket for $ 700 or less. In terms of cost of living, Helsinki ranks 85th out of more than 500 cities in the world, more expensive than some US cities but cheaper than others.
Our editor-in-chief Joel Cunningham was there and said the following about the atmosphere of the place:
I visited Helsinki (for work!) In 2017 and was impressed by its serious yet alluring Scandinavian atmosphere – super clean, walkable (but with a fun trolley system), lots of greenery, artwork and interesting architecture. Basically, this is the place that got me thinking why I think New York is so great.
Business Center Helsinki also notes that even if you were not chosen to participate in the program, Finland has free schools, cheap kindergartens, free healthcare, and a capital city with “efficient public transport.” They also tout the country’s not terrible response to COVID-19: “Yes, we are open, and yes, we wear masks!”