Reception centre client – here’s what to do if your centre is closing down

Due to a significant decrease in the number of residents at reception centres, we have to close down some reception centres. The number of clients has decreased as there are fewer asylum seekers and recipients of temporary protection and some reception centre clients have moved to municipalities. As a result, we will not be able to offer the same number of places of accommodation as before.

If you need to move, you can get help from your reception centre

Your reception centre will contact you and each client individually. The reception centre will let you know when you have to move away from your current accommodation and how to arrange your accommodation in the future. You can discuss your situation with reception centre employees.

Read below for alternatives for your future housing arrangements

1. Municipality of residence

• You should definitely apply for a municipality of residence if
  • you are receiving temporary protection and have lived continuously in Finland for a year
• When you have a municipality of residence,
  • you can decide where you want to live and make your own living arrangements.
    • If you are currently living in a rented apartment offered by your reception centre, ask the reception centre if you could take over the rental agreement. If the lease agreement can be transferred to you, you can stay in your current apartment after receiving the right to a municipality of residence.
  • you will have the same rights and services as the people who live in Finland permanently. You will have more rights than the clients of a reception centre.
  • you will no longer be a client of the reception centre. 
  • changes in reception centres will not affect you.
  • you can apply to Kela for social assistance and housing allowance to help you pay for your living costs and rent. Ask the reception centre for help in planning your finances.
• Please note that the moving arrangements may take some time. Contact your reception centre as soon as possible so that the centre can chart your situation and proceed with the matter.
• Apply to the Digital and Population Data Services Agency for a municipality of residence:
  • Instructions for temporary protection recipients: Instructions for those who have arrived in Finland from Ukraine (dvv.fi)
  • Instructions for international protection recipients: Municipality of Residence (dvv.fi)
• Employees of the reception centre will advise you on matters related to applying for a municipality of residence. Help is also available by telephone and email in Ukrainian, Russian, Finnish and English:
  • you can call the Ukraine service number of the Finnish Immigration Service +358 295 790 605 on weekdays from 8:30 to 12:00.
  • you can send an email to migri@migri.fi. Enter “Municipality” in the subject line of the email message, as this will speed up the process of forwarding your message to one of our experts. Use the Securemail service securemail.migri.fi for secure email.
• If you have applied for international protection and received a favourable decision on your application, you can apply for a municipality of residence. Read more on the page Moving to a municipality.

2. Private accommodation

• If you do not intend to or cannot move to a municipality, you can arrange your own housing in private accommodation outside the reception centre. In this case, we will not compensate the housing costs.
• If you live outside the reception centre in private accommodation, you will get reception services from your nearest reception centre.
• Read more about private accommodation on the Finnish Immigration Service’s website:
  • Accommodation
  • Staying in private accommodation

3. Moving to another reception centre

• If you do not intend to move to a municipality or private accommodation, we will arrange accommodation for you at a reception centre with a vacancy. You cannot choose your place of residence yourself.
  • We may not be able to offer you a place of residence nearby. Where you are offered a place of residence depends on aspects such as whether there are vacancies in the reception centres in the neighbouring areas.

Most clients can apply for a municipality of residence 

In the decision to reduce the number of centres, we have taken into account the fact that approximately 2,200 people live in the reception centres that will close down in 2025. They can apply for a municipality of residence in Finland if they so wish.

Reception centres to be closed down

The contracts have been terminated as of 1 March 2025, 1 April and 1 July 2025.

Centres closing down their operations in June 2025

• Kemi reception centre, Hemcare Oy
• Pieksämäki reception centre, Kotokunta Oy
• Varkaus reception centre, Kotokunta Oy
• Järvenpää reception centre, Luona Oy
• Porvoo reception centre, Luona Oy
• Satakunta reception centre, Finnish Red Cross Satakunta District
• Vaasa reception centre, Pohjanmaan Maahanmuuttokeskus Oy
• Kajaani centre for minors, Babando Oy

Centres closing down their operations in September 2025

• Vantaa residence-based reception centre, Luona Oy
• Western Uusimaa residence-based reception centre, Luona Oy
• Lieksa reception centre, Kotokunta Oy
• Valkeakoski reception centre, Kotokunta Oy
• Forssa reception centre, Kotokunta Oy
• Jämsä reception centre, Kotokunta Oy
• Riihimäki reception centre, Kotokunta Oy
• Kajaani reception centre, Babando Oy
• Åland reception centre, Finnish Red Cross Southwest Finland District

Centres closing down their operations in December 2025

• Oravainen reception centre, Pohjanmaan Maahanmuuttokeskus Oy

Centres closing down their operations in February 2026

• Joensuu förläggning, Kotokunta Oy
• Kuopio förläggning, Kotokunta Oy
• S:t Michels förläggning, Kotokunta Oy
• Rovaniemi förläggning, Kotokunta Oy
• Tammerfors förläggning, Kotokunta Oy
• Tavastehus förläggning, Kotokunta Oy
• Lahtis förläggning, Kotokunta Oy
• Jyväskylä förläggning, Kotokunta Oy

Language versions

• አንድ የመቀበያ ማእከል ከተዘጋ፡ የማእከሉ ደንበኛ የሚከተለዉን እርምጃ መውሰድ አለበት (am)

• زبون مركز استقبال اللاجئين - تعامل بهذه الطريقة إذا كان سيتم إنهاء المركز الذي تتبع له (ar)

• مشتەرییە بەڕێزەکانی ناوەندی پێشوازیکردن – ئەگەر ناوەندەکەت داخرا ئەوها بکە (sorani)

• مشتری محترم مرکز پذیرش – اگر مرکز شما بسته باشد چه باید کرد (dari)

• ارباب رجوع مرکز پذیرش پناهجویان – در صورت تعطیل شدن مرکز پذیرش خود به این صورت عمل کنید (fa)

• Clients du centre d’accueil - procédez ainsi si votre centre va fermer (fr)

• მიღების ცენტრის კლიენტო – იმოქმედეთ ასე, თუ თქვენი ცენტრი იხურება. (georgia)

• Xizmetgirên navenda pêşwaziyê - heke navenda we girtî be çi bikin (kurmandji)

• د استوګنې مرکز (د مهاجرينو كمپ) مشتری – که ستاسو مرکز وتړل شي، دا کار وکړئ (pashtu)

• Клиент приемного центра — что делать, если ваш центр закрывается (ru)

• Ku mukiriya uri mu nkambi – bigenda gutya, iyo inkambi yawe ifunzwe (rw)

• Macmiilka xerada qaxootiga – sidaan samee haddii xeradaada qaxootiga la xiro (so)

• Клієнте центру прийму біженців! Дійте таким чином, якщо ваш центр закривається (uk)

• Mülteci Kabul Merkezinin Müşterisi – Merkeziniz Kapatılırsa Böyle Hareket Ediniz (tr)

• Usuario del centro de acogida – si su centro va a ser cerrado, haga lo siguiente (es)

•