A Handbook for Sri Lankan Immigrants: Understanding the Legal Aspect of Working in Finland's Service Sectors
Warnakulasuriya Patabandige, Chathuri Kosala Perera (2025)
2025
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Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2025121536273
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2025121536273
Tiivistelmä
This thesis was created to develop a practical digital handbook for Sri Lankan immigrants who are entering the Finnish service sector. The aim was to provide clear guidance about Finnish labour laws, collective agreements and the working environment, as many Sri Lankans struggle to understand their rights and responsibilities when starting employment in Finland.
This thesis was carried out as a practice-based project with the Sri Lankan Association in Pori. The work included a review of the main Finnish labour laws and collective agreements used in the restaurant, hotel, tourism, cleaning and service sectors. To understand the practical situation, interviews were conducted with Sri Lankan employees who worked in those sectors, Finnish employers and legal experts. Interview material was carefully analysed to identify common challenges, misunderstandings and the questions that Sri Lankan employees face in everyday working life.
The result showed that Sri Lankan employees often struggle to understand different employment contracts, working hours, overtime payment, annual holidays and workplace expectations. Also, interviewees mentioned that difficulties in understanding taxes, Finnish workplace culture, including communication. According to these findings, it was emphasised that need for clear and simple guidance for everyday working life for Sri Lankan immigrants.
The thesis supports Sri Lankan immigrants in navigating Finnish working life more confidently and independently. In addition to the development process, it was shown that information was more helpful when it was presented in a simple, visual and practical way, according to the interview results.
Overall, when a handbook is designed to use user-friendly and clear language, even someone with basic English knowledge can understand. Furthermore, this handbook uses clear and simple language and practical examples to provide clear information. The digital format of the handbook also allows the content to be updated in future to match changes in the law, making it a useful resource for both community organisations and Sri Lankan immigrant workers.
This thesis was carried out as a practice-based project with the Sri Lankan Association in Pori. The work included a review of the main Finnish labour laws and collective agreements used in the restaurant, hotel, tourism, cleaning and service sectors. To understand the practical situation, interviews were conducted with Sri Lankan employees who worked in those sectors, Finnish employers and legal experts. Interview material was carefully analysed to identify common challenges, misunderstandings and the questions that Sri Lankan employees face in everyday working life.
The result showed that Sri Lankan employees often struggle to understand different employment contracts, working hours, overtime payment, annual holidays and workplace expectations. Also, interviewees mentioned that difficulties in understanding taxes, Finnish workplace culture, including communication. According to these findings, it was emphasised that need for clear and simple guidance for everyday working life for Sri Lankan immigrants.
The thesis supports Sri Lankan immigrants in navigating Finnish working life more confidently and independently. In addition to the development process, it was shown that information was more helpful when it was presented in a simple, visual and practical way, according to the interview results.
Overall, when a handbook is designed to use user-friendly and clear language, even someone with basic English knowledge can understand. Furthermore, this handbook uses clear and simple language and practical examples to provide clear information. The digital format of the handbook also allows the content to be updated in future to match changes in the law, making it a useful resource for both community organisations and Sri Lankan immigrant workers.