Oulu no longer attracts immigrants – has the city become bad enough to become a brand?

According to immigration statistics from Statistics Finland’s database, Oulu’s appeal is waning. information (1.8.) According to preliminary data, the profits from the relocation to Oulu have dropped significantly compared to previous moves between cities in Finland.

In the past 12 months, 352 more people moved to Oulu than left. This is still a positive sign, but the drop in the figures for 2021-22 is clear. At that time, more than 700 more people arrived than left.

When you compare Oulu to Turku and Tampere, which are roughly the same size, you can clearly see the weakening of attraction. The two control cities receive about five times as many immigrants as Oulu. Even small towns like Nokia and Kangasala are able to attract more immigrants to Oulu.

Northern Finland’s largest city has lost its status as a development center that naturally draws people in. As the youth population shrinks, the queues of trucks heading to Oulu from other parts of the north have become shorter.

Municipalities Traveling between cities is just one way of explaining the appeal of a city. It says nothing about the quality of life or financial status of its residents.

However, immigration statistics show that the attractiveness is declining. It is about the fact that new residents are not eager to come to Oulu. From the statistics, it can be seen that many other places with weaker services are more attractive to immigrants than the northern capital. For Oulu, this is worrying information.

Many times, when a person chooses where to accept a job or study position, it is about mental images. After a few years, Tampere showed an interesting and dynamic side of itself. Turku, which has invested in many different projects, is lagging behind.

Is it that while other cities are adjusting tram routes and investing in cultural venues, Oulu believes in the self-deprecating rhetoric depicted on the porch “Garbage Town”? Inside jokes are hard to become a brand.

OlurA It’s enough to shock the imagination. Developing the station area as a hub of activity is a good start, if it ever gets off the ground. Transport connections, vital for commerce, need to improve. When there is no competition, travel becomes more expensive. After the coronavirus pandemic, unlike other cities of similar size, air traffic has not yet returned to previous levels.

Oulu’s reputation was tarnished by a racist stabbing in Valkia in June, and many foreigners who moved to Oulu quickly left the city to work or study elsewhere.

There is order and a positive atmosphere. The European Capital of Culture year, which is about to begin in 16 months, has already begun, bringing with it an atmosphere of openness and tolerance.