The year 2015 was an unusual one for the Finnish Immigration Service

The large number of asylum seekers made 2015 an unusual year for the Finnish Immigration Service. The number of matters that became pending at the Finnish Immigration Service was more than 30,000 higher than the year before (88,273 in 2015; 53,873 in 2014). The large number of asylum seekers affected workloads in all units of the Finnish Immigration Service.

According to the financial statements of the Finnish Immigration Service, its costs after revenues for the financial year 2015 amounted to EUR 198.3 million in total. Costs increased compared to 2014 due to the considerable increase in the number of asylum seekers. The Finnish Immigration Service’s revenues, which are made up of processing fees for residence permit and citizenship applications, fell slightly last year.

Reception the biggest expense

Most money was spent on the reception of asylum seekers, the total costs of which amounted to EUR 168.2 million last year. Due to the rapid increase in the number of asylum seekers, more than 120 reception centres and almost 60 units for minors were opened in Finland within a short period of time in the autumn of 2015. The sizeable increase in the number of centres and in the accommodation capacity raised the costs of reception considerably compared to previous years.

A total of EUR 128.7 million was paid to reception centres last year. This includes EUR 6.4 million in emergency funding received from the European Union for the year 2015. Costs incurred from the Tornio registration centre amounted to EUR 1.7 million. EUR 28.0 million was spent on assistance, such as reception allowance, paid to the clients of the reception centres. The operating costs of the reception centres maintained by the state, which are located in Oulu and Joutseno, amounted to EUR 8.9 million in total.

Founding costs increased the costs of reception

Non-recurring costs associated with opening new reception centres increased the total expenditure. Their impact is especially pronounced in this situation, as the units are new and only had the time to operate for a few months last year. Moreover, due to circumstances, many of the units use central catering, which is a more expensive alternative than letting asylum seekers cook for themselves.

More money was spent on the security of reception centres than in previous years. Costs were increased by various technical security solutions and the hiring of security guards.

Cost of reception in different kinds of reception units

The average cost of one day of accommodation is calculated on the basis of the total costs of each reception unit, which include all the unit’s costs, such as rent, property maintenance, staff salaries, supplies, services, and the reception allowances paid to residents.

The average cost of one day of accommodation in all reception units was EUR 66 per person per day. This is more than the long-term average of EUR 43 per person per day, or the target of EUR 37 per person per day.

The average costs of reception centres intended for adults and families amounted to EUR 63 per person per day. The average costs of units for minors amounted to EUR 168 per person per day in group homes and to EUR 94 per person per day in supported housing units. The costs of units for minors are higher due to the provisions on the number of staff laid down in reception and child protection laws. For example, group homes intended for children up to the age of 15 must have one member of staff for each client.

The average cost of one day in a detention unit was EUR 227 per person per day. Detention units are located in Helsinki and Joutseno. Detention units are closed facilities, which is why the daily cost of accommodation is increased by security and staff requirements and the fact that the units have not been full. Detention units can be used to house asylum seekers whose identity or travel route to Finland cannot be established, or applicants who have been given a negative decision and who are believed to be a flight risk before removal from the country.

The Finnish Immigration Service’s report on operations has been published on the website of the Finnish Immigration Service.

Further information for the media

Report on operations and financial statements:

Kari Kananen, Director of Finance, tel. 0295 430 431, firstname.lastname@migri.fi

Costs of reception:

Jorma Kuuluvainen, Director of Reception Unit, tel. 0295 430 431, firstname.lastname@migri.fi