A new 200-bed family reception centre to be opened in Ruovesi

Press release from the Finnish Immigration Service and the Finnish Red Cross:

A new reception centre with space for 200 asylum seekers is to be opened in Ruovesi. The plan is to establish a completely new kind of apartment-based centre for families, in the middle of a village community. Half of the residents are to be based in empty apartments in the village of Jäminkipohja and the other half in Visuvesi. A new instruction group preparing for basic education will be established in both village schools for 15 children.

The initiative for opening the centre came from the municipality. The municipal executive discussed the proposal on Monday. Although the proposal was positively received, the executive will not make its final decision until Monday, 7 September. If the municipal executive decides to approve the proposal, work on the new centre can begin on Tuesday, 8 September.

This would mean hiring six employees for both Jäminkipohja and Visuvesi and a deputy director to head both teams. The Ruovesi unit would be run by the Häme District of the Finnish Red Cross.

New emergency accommodation unit to be opened in Lammi; Muhos unit already operational

A 175-bed emergency accommodation unit is to be opened in Mainiemi, Lammi at the end of this week. Administratively, it will operate under the Lammi Reception Centre.

A 150-bed emergency accommodation unit run by the Finnish Red Cross has just been opened in Muhos. The asylum seekers placed in the unit are registered at the Oulu Reception Centre.

There are also plans to open emergency accommodation units in Vihti and Forssa. The municipality of Vihti has announced that, although it is happy to provide emergency accommodation, the proposed location in Hopeaniemi is not an option. The Finnish Immigration Service and the Uusimaa District of the Finnish Red Cross continue to look for suitable premises.

On Monday, 7 September, the city executive of Forssa intends to revisit the question of opening an emergency accommodation centre. The matter may also be referred to the city council.

New permanent reception centre to be opened in Kouvola

A new permanent 250-bed reception centre is to be opened in Kouvola, where asylum seekers will be placed in rental apartments across the town. The goal is for the centre to be operational by the beginning of October. Kouvola city executive approved the proposal unanimously on Monday. The centre will be run by the Southeast Finland District of the Finnish Red Cross.

More than 6,300 people have already sought asylum in Finland this year, whereas the number for the whole of last year was 3,651. The number of asylum seekers is expected to reach 15,000 before the end of the year.

Further information

Finnish Immigration Service:

• Visa Knape, Senior Adviser, Reception Unit, tel. +358 0295 430 431
• Jorma Kuuluvainen, Director, Reception Unit, tel. + 358 0295 430 431

Finnish Red Cross, Häme District:

• Minna Jussila, Director of thereception centres, tel. +358 40 509 8132

Finnish Red Cross, Southeast Finland District:

• Arja Vainio, Executive Manager, tel. +358 400 791 400

Finnish Red Cross, Oulu District:

• Pertti Saarela, Executive Manager, tel. +358 40 577 2417