Postdoc researcher Jhoomer Chandra has received funding from Ami Foundation to investigate how companies and other organisations can support the employment and economic integration of skilled expatriate spouses in Finland. Her research draws attention to an often-overlooked aspect of international talent retention: the career opportunities of accompanying spouses.
When international professionals move to Finland for work, they often bring their families with them. Their spouses may also be highly educated and experienced professionals yet finding employment and continuing their careers in a new country can be challenging.
For Jhoomer Chandra, this raises an important question: can Finland successfully retain international talent if the professional ambitions of accompanying spouses go unnoticed?
– The skilled expatriate spouse who relocates with an international professional is also international talent. We need to focus on retaining the entire dual-career family, not just the person who was originally recruited, Chandra explains.
Her research project, Corporate support in economic integration of skilled expatriate spouses in Finland: an explorative analysis, examines how existing support systems help skilled expatriate spouses enter the Finnish labour market.
Personal experience inspired the research
Chandra’s interest in the topic stems partly from her own experience of moving to Finland and participating in integration courses. She became interested in how difficulties finding employment can affect not only accompanying spouses but also Finland’s ability to retain international professionals.
– I am an inquisitive person who wants to dig deeper into problems affecting society, she describes her motivation as a researcher.
Her own career in Finland began with an internship at Aalto University in 2023, arranged through her integration training. The opportunity led to further employment and eventually to her postdoctoral research project.
Understanding the support system
Chandra’s research examines the experiences of skilled expatriate spouses alongside the perspectives of organisations supporting their integration.
In the first phase of her research, she has interviewed skilled spouses about their experiences of the Finnish labour market and available support services. The second phase examines the views of employers, municipalities and non-governmental organisations. A possible third phase will explore existing support practices through case studies.
From research to better talent retention
Chandra believes Finland needs to look beyond attracting individual professionals and consider the needs of entire families. When accompanying spouses struggle to find meaningful employment, the family’s willingness to remain in Finland may be affected.
– If the primary talent leaves, we are not just losing one person, but two professionals, Chandra points out.
She has already shared preliminary research insights with the City of Helsinki’s Migration Affairs Unit. In addition to this, she has participated and contributed, through her research insights, in the preparation of the ‘Immigration and Integration Development Programme 2026-2029’ (Maahanmuuton ja kotoutumisen kehitysohjelma 2026–2029) of the City of Helsinki. Furthermore, she has engaged in key discussions related to international talent integration and retention in other forums as well.
– I understand that my study topic is not strictly academic in nature, it has also got practical implications. So I have to engage with my audience at regular intervals, Chandra observes.
Ultimately, Chandra wants to encourage a broader understanding of international talent: one that recognises accompanying spouses not simply as family members, but as skilled professionals with careers and ambitions of their own.
Jhoomer Chandra has been awarded a 12-month personal research grant by Ami Foundation for her postdoctoral research at Aalto University: Corporate support in economic integration of skilled expatriate spouses in Finland: an explorative analysis.
Familiarize yourself with the receivers of personal research grants in 2026 here: Vuoden 2026 henkilökohtaisten tutkimusapurahojen saajat.
Read the news articles about other research grant receivers in our news section: https://ami.fi/category/uutiset/.