Only those who have been granted a residence permit have the right to integration

The Finnish Immigration Service has been criticised for asylum seekers not being integrated properly. The agency or the reception centres steered by the agency are not responsible for the integration process.

Asylum seekers staying in reception centres are in between steps as they wait to find out if they will allowed to stay in Finland or not. The actual integration process only begins if the asylum seeker is given a positive decision on his or her application. Reception is regulated by a different act than integration.

Reception centres prepare asylum seekers for an independent life

The reception centres support activities that help the asylum seeker start an independent life if he or she is allowed to stay in Finland. For example, work and studies activities are arranged at the reception centres to encourage independence. Finnish or Swedish language studies give the asylum seekers basic knowledge and prepare them for possible further studies. Moreover, the reception centres provide asylum seekers with basic information about how Finnish society works, because the asylum seekers are staying in Finland for at least during the processing of their applications.

Asylum seekers are familiarised with Finnish society as part of the everyday life at the reception centres. Traditionally, the reception centres have made it possible for asylum seekers to take part in various activities arranged together with different organisations. The help from volunteers is also important when asylum seekers are getting to know their new living environment.

The actual integration takes place in the municipalities

The municipalities are responsible for the actual integration and are steered by the ELY centres and the Ministry of Employment and the Economy.

Services according to the Act on the Promotion of Immigrant Integration are available for asylum seekers who are given a positive decision and move from the reception centre to a municipality. In this case, it needs to be decided, for example, how the educational background and work experience of the asylum seeker who has been granted a residence permit can be combined with the Finnish education system and labour market. Furthermore, language studies can be used to support the asylum seeker in finding employment.

Further information for the media

Tiina Järvinen, Senior Adviser, Reception Unit, tel. +358 295 430 431, s-posti: etunimi.sukunimi@migri.fi