FINLAND & IMMIGRATION • BUSINESS
Nokia plans up to 253 job cuts in Finland ahead of October talks
Negotiations are due to begin on 12 October in Espoo, Tampere and Oulu. The reported figure is a proposed maximum, not a count of completed redundancies.
By ChikieChikie News
A proposal affecting three Finnish locations
Nokia is preparing change negotiations over a proposal to reduce its workforce in Finland by up to 253 positions, according to reporting published on 7 October by Yle and Helsinki Times, citing Helsingin Sanomat.
The talks with employee representatives are scheduled to begin on Monday, 12 October. The reported locations are Espoo, Tampere and Oulu. Yle said Nokia communications chief Maria Vaismaa confirmed by email that the company had commenced the change-negotiation process.
As of 8 October, the proposed number should not be described as 253 people already dismissed. The reporting concerns plans and a forthcoming negotiation stage, with the outcome still to be established.
Competitiveness and investment priorities
Yle reported that the reasons given for the changes included strengthening Nokia’s competitiveness and allowing investment that could support future growth. It said employees had been informed, although the company had not issued a press release about the proposal.
Helsinki Times provided more detail from an employee email obtained by Helsingin Sanomat. According to that account, Nokia Finland country manager Mikko Hautala identified defence, artificial intelligence and data-centre opportunities as strategically important investment areas.
Those are the company’s reported priorities. They should not be read as a guarantee that new roles will replace each affected position, or as a statement that every job under discussion belongs to one of those areas. The reports consulted identify locations, but do not provide a verified breakdown of this proposal by business unit.
Part of a longer savings programme
Helsinki Times placed the proposed changes within Nokia’s cost-saving programme launched in 2023. It reported a target to reduce operating expenses by €800 million to €1.2 billion by the end of 2026, with the company aiming towards the upper end in its July interim report.
The newspaper also reported that Nokia announced 107 Finnish job reductions in April. That earlier outcome is separate from the latest proposal and should not be added to it as though both figures describe the same negotiation round.
Nokia employs about 6,800 people in Finland, according to the reporting. The proposed maximum therefore represents roughly 3.7% of that workforce, a useful indication of scale rather than a final redundancy rate.
The next step is negotiation
The immediate event to watch is the start of talks on 12 October. A later company or employee-representative update will be needed to establish the final number of reductions, their distribution and any timing agreed through the process.
Until that information is available, the accurate description remains proposed cuts of up to 253 positions. The distinction matters to employees and readers: an announced negotiation process, a proposed maximum and a completed reduction are different stages.
Key facts
- Proposed maximum: up to 253 positions in Finland.
- Negotiations scheduled to begin 12 October 2026.
- Reported locations: Espoo, Tampere and Oulu; final outcome not yet established.
Sources and verification
- Yle — proposal and Nokia confirmation, 7 October 2026
- Helsinki Times — investment priorities and savings context, 7 October 2026
Sources checked: 8 October 2026.
Corrections & updates
Draft prepared on 8 October 2026. Recheck the reporting and sources before publication.
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