Finland Thai berry pickers visas have become a major issue for the country’s wild berry industry after authorities approved only 123 visa applications from Thailand while rejecting more than 2,000 others ahead of this year’s harvest.
The decision is expected to leave berry companies struggling to find enough workers during one of the busiest seasons of the year. It also reflects Finland’s tougher approach to an industry that has faced growing scrutiny over the treatment of foreign seasonal workers.
Finland’s Ministry for Foreign Affairs confirmed on Monday that it has completed processing all visa applications submitted by Thai wild berry pickers for the 2026 harvest season.
According to Jussi Tanner, Director General for Consular Services, the Finnish Embassy in Bangkok reviewed 2,145 visa applications. Only 123 applicants were granted visas, while 2,022 applications were refused.
Most of the applications were processed by the embassy in Bangkok. A smaller number were submitted through Finnish diplomatic missions in Kazakhstan, Kenya, Vietnam, Nepal and India.
The unusually high rejection rate marks one of the strictest visa outcomes the sector has experienced in recent years.
The sharp increase in visa refusals is linked to concerns about labour practices in Finland’s wild berry industry.
In recent years, several criminal investigations and court cases have focused on the treatment of foreign berry pickers. Those cases prompted Finnish authorities to examine visa applications more carefully before allowing workers to travel.
The Ministry for Foreign Affairs has previously explained that many applications were rejected because officials were not convinced that employers would be able to meet their legal responsibilities toward seasonal workers. The ministry also considered ongoing legal proceedings involving companies operating in the berry industry when making its decisions.
Earlier this month, officials revealed that around 1,400 applications had already been rejected before the remaining cases were reviewed, signaling that approvals would remain limited.
The low number of approved workers is expected to create significant labour shortages across Finland’s wild berry sector.
The Rural Employers’ Association has previously estimated that the industry requires about 3,000 seasonal workers to collect enough berries during the harvest period. With only 123 Thai workers approved so far, businesses face a considerable gap between labour demand and available workers.
Wild berries such as blueberries, lingonberries and cloudberries grow naturally across Finland’s forests and must be picked within a relatively short harvesting window. Without enough experienced pickers, large quantities of berries may remain uncollected.
The impact is likely to extend beyond berry companies.
Retail chains have already warned that shortages of seasonal workers could reduce the supply of Finnish wild berries available in supermarkets during the summer. A smaller harvest may also affect businesses that rely on wild berries for food production, exports and processed products.
If labour shortages continue, consumers could face reduced availability of locally harvested berries throughout the season.
For many years, Thailand has been the backbone of Finland’s seasonal berry-picking workforce.
Every summer, thousands of Thai workers travel to Finland to harvest wild berries, providing labour that local companies have struggled to replace domestically. Their experience and willingness to work throughout the harvesting season have made them an important part of the industry’s supply chain.
This year’s visa approvals represent a dramatic departure from previous seasons and highlight the growing tension between protecting workers’ rights and ensuring that industries dependent on foreign seasonal labour can continue operating.
As Finland strengthens oversight of the berry sector, the country faces the challenge of balancing stricter labour protections with the practical realities of harvesting one of its most valuable natural resources.
