Average Wages in Finland?? (please help)

[TurboMac]

I've mentioned in a few of my posts that I am hoping to move to Finland this summer, but I was wondering how much money I might be able to earn over there, as a Design Enginneer.

I've applied to several vacancies and sent my to CV to some of the major engineering companies.

But i have noticed that NONE of the adverts for vacancies give any indication of what kind of salary I might expect. I know I can't expect an exact figure, but I really could do with knowing roughly what I could get over there.

I think the average annual salary here in the UK for a qualified Design Engineer, with a Higher National Certificate, is about £20,000 (about 29,000 Euro's).

So can anybody please tell me the average wage in Finland (particularly for CAD Technicians / Design Engineers)?
And what is the minimum wage there?

Any help/advice would be greatly appreciated...

[JiiPR]

You should ask the companies

[ata]

This is from the website of the Union of Professional Engineers in Finland (www.insinooriliitto.fi) from their English section:

Positions and tasks
The engineer, a considered expert
The accelerated pace of technological development as well as the innovation requirements in new fields highlight the social importance of engineers. To quote but few instances, the elaboration and the enhancement of environmental protection, the modern communication technologies, the increasing demands related to energy production and supply, the medical applications: all these are new challenges to our trade.
In the new millennium, the engineer's professional significance grows ever and ever. It belongs to her/him to fulfil all the possibilities that her/his knowledge and know-how offer to benefit mankind and nature, here in Finland as well as abroad.

Some figures on Finnish engineers:

Proportion of women: 10 %
Average age: 40 years
Average age at the end of education: 26 years
Median monthly gross salary (€) 3 000
Employers:

Private sector: 85 %
Self-employed: 3 %
Public sector (State, Local Authorities) 12 %

Do you have like a Bachelor of Science or Bachelor of Engineering level degree? Then these figures are correct. People who have a Master's degree have a little bit higher wages.

For newly graduated engineers the union recommends a starting salary between 2300 e/month to 2900 e/month according to the working experience.

The starting salary usually is between 1700 e/month and 2700 e/month. With e.g. 5 years of experience the average salary is about 2800 e/month and 10 years experience gives 3200 e/month on average level. These all with a Bachelor's degree.

[TurboMac]

I haven't got a "Degree", but i have got a "National Certificate" and in a couple of months i should have a "Higher National Certificate" (which is just one level below a "Degree").

I also have about 10 years working experience in Engineering, over 5 years experience using AutoCAD, plus City & Guilds Certificates - Levels 2 and 3 in Computer Aided Design using AutoCAD.

[Liehu]

I really don't know if there is such thing as mininum wage. What I know is that design engineers will get paid something like 2000-2300 euros per month. And thats for those who use mainly 2D drafting such as AutoCad. You will get more if can do 3D modeling. And also in Helsinki area they might pay you few hundreds more. These go for newly graduated bachelors, but experience is what they are looking for. So feel free to expect little more