What it’s like relocating to Finland

Cover photo: visittampere.fi

Relocating to a new country can be a daunting task, but it can also be a unique opportunity to experience a new culture and way of life. 

To gain insight into the experience of relocating to Finland and, specifically, Quanscient, we interviewed two employees who recently made the move. In this blog post, we will share their experiences and provide information to anyone considering a move to Finland.

From cultural differences to the biggest challenges they faced, we will explore what it is really like to make a new home in this country.

Whether you are considering a move for work or personal reasons, this blog post will offer insights into what you can expect from the transition to living in Finland.

From India to Finland through Germany

Rahul Nagaraja is one of our FEM Algorithm Developers.

He was born in India and moved to Germany to pursue a master's degree in Computational Mechanics at the Technical University of Munich. After completing his studies, Rahul relocated to Finland to work at Quanscient.

As an employee, Rahul has had the opportunity to work on a variety of interesting projects and has found the work culture to be quite similar to his previous experience in Germany. He notes that the team dynamics can vary greatly depending on the company and team you're working with, but according to Rahul, he has been fortunate enough to work with supportive individuals in a strong team.

One of the things that stood out to Rahul when he first moved to Finland was the cultural differences compared to his previous home in Germany. Despite common stereotypes, Rahul found that Finns are, in fact, friendlier and kinder, while he deems Germans to be often more reserved. Nevertheless, he finds that both Finns and Germans are extremely focused and efficient when it comes to working.

As with any move to a new country, there were challenges for Rahul to navigate, particularly the bureaucracy involved in setting up his new life in Finland. Thankfully, our company's subscription to the Finland Relocation Service provided the support he needed to make the process faster and smoother. 

Rahul was able to open a new bank account, obtain his tax card, and receive his KELA card, all in just half a day.

Despite the minor challenges, Rahul has had many memorable experiences during his time in Finland. For instance, he arrived in April and had the chance to experience "takatalvi", a Finnish term that describes the sudden return of winter just when people thought it’s time for summer.

He has also enjoyed exploring Tampere's excellent infrastructure for sports, including trail running in our local forests.

Overall, Rahul has found Finland to be a great place to work and live. He appreciates the high quality of life, and as an employee at Quanscient, he enjoys the supportive team, flexible work hours, and the opportunity for remote work.

Straight from Morocco to Finland

Bassou Khoya is also a FEM Algorithm Developer at Quanscient. Born in Morocco, he moved to Finland in August 2022.

Bassou faced some challenges in finding accommodation upon his arrival in Finland. However, with the assistance of our team and the relocation service, he was able to secure housing and start work promptly.

As someone who grew up in Morocco, Bassou has noticed some cultural differences in Finland. Aligning more with the traditional view of Finns, he finds that people in Morocco are generally more open and friendly, while in Finland, it can be more challenging to interact with new people.

Despite this, he highly appreciates the safety and security that Finland offers.

Bassou also experienced some difficulties navigating the bureaucracy when it came to getting his tax cards, bank accounts, and access to public transport set up. Although it took some effort on his part, he was able to get everything in order.

Bassou has been impressed with the work culture in Finland and speaks highly of his experiences at Quanscient. Like Rahul, he appreciates his team, the flexibility in his work hours, and the possibility of remote work.

The darkness and coldness of the Finnish winter made Bassou's first week in December memorable, which was quite different from the sunny weather he was used to in Morocco.

Nonetheless, he enjoys the high quality of life in Finland, including higher salaries and excellent public services. The one thing he wishes he could change is the weather, which he would like to be sunnier and warmer.

As such, as a piece of advice for anyone considering a move to Finland, Bassou recommends avoiding the winter if possible for relocation.

Conclusion

• Finland offers a high quality of life, with excellent public services and higher salaries.
• Quanscient provides a supportive work environment, with flexible work hours and the possibility of remote work.
• Our company subscribes to a relocation service to help ease the process of setting up a new life in Finland, including assistance with bureaucracy like obtaining tax cards and bank accounts.
• Finland is a safe and secure country, with a strong emphasis on equality and respect for human rights.

Cons

• The winter weather in Finland can be challenging, with long periods of darkness and cold temperatures. If possible, consider moving during the warmer months.
• The Finnish culture may be more reserved and less outgoing than what you are used to, so it may take some time to adjust and make new friends.

Overall, Finland and Quanscient can offer a great opportunity for personal and professional growth. With the support of our team and relocation services, navigating the challenges of moving to a new country can be made easier.