ABSTRACT
The number of commuters between Estonia and Finland has drastically increased during the last ten years, and the mobile workforce has become integrated into both societies. The need for manual labourers in neighbouring countries, a recession in Estonia, a noticeable salary gap and better working conditions in Finland have motivated many Estonians, especially men, to consider the XQWUDGLWLRQDO OLIHSDWWHUQ RI OLYLQJ DQG ZRUNLQJ LQ GL൵HUHQW FRXQWULHV 7KH NLORPHWUHGLVWDQFHEHWZHHQ(VWRQLDDQG)LQODQGD൵RUGDEOHIHUU\WLFNHWVDQG DFWLYHVHDWUD൶FWRJHWKHUHQFRXUDJHZHHNO\DQGPRQWKO\FRPPXWLQJEHWZHHQWKH two countries. In consequence, commuters are choosing the higher wages and better working conditions in Finland while at the same time holding on to their networks in Estonia, which means their families do not have to move and they do QRWKDYHWRIXOO\LQWHJUDWHLQWRDGL൵HUHQWVRFLHW\
Commuting has become an important issue in public debate in recent years :RROIVRQ/XNMDQRY.DUWDX.DOEHUJ0F%ULGHDQG %HUJHQ1HUEHWDO,WLVRIWHQSRLQWHGRXWWKDWWKHPRELOHOLIHVW\OHLV accompanied by many problems: the distancing from one’s social networks; the VWUXJJOHVLQVLGHWKHIDPLO\DQGDQLPEDODQFHLQWKHKRXVHKROGZRUNORDGPHDQLQJ LQ PRVW FDVHV DQ LQFUHDVH RI ZRUN IRU WKH ZLIH 0\ HPSLULFDO UHVHDUFK RQ commuting between Estonia and Finland indicates that this negative impact on family life and intimate relationships is only one facet of the experiences and SHUFHSWLRQV RI FRPPXWLQJ+RZHYHU WKH SRVLWLYH H൵HFWV KDYH UHFHLYHG RQO\ D OLWWOHDWWHQWLRQ7KHTXHVWLRQRIKRZWKHVHH൵HFWVPRVWLPSRUWDQWO\WKHLQFUHDVHG income, can resolve long-lasting problems in the family has not been much under discussion. In addition, the evolution of family relations, which in some cases is GHVFULEHGDVDJURZWKRID൵HFWLRQKDVUHFHLYHGOLWWOHDWWHQWLRQLQWKHFRQWH[WRI migration research.
