Reception centre capacity is reduced by nearly 3,000 beds

The Finnish Immigration Service has decided to close down four reception centres. By the end of August, the following units will be closed:

• Suonenjoki/Finnish Red Cross
• Lappajärvi/Lomayhtymä Finland Oy
• Kuusamo/Coronaria
• Helsinki/Kutomotie/Luona Oy

The fixed-term contracts with the following reception centres will not be extended, and the centres will close down by the specified time.

By the end of March:

• Keuruu/Keuruu parish
• Turku/Paattinen/Finnish Red Cross

By the end of April:

• Vihti/Riuttaranta/Vihti parish
• Turku/Heinänokka/Finnish Red Cross
• Nauvo/Finnish Red Cross

By the end of May:

• Liminka/Finnish Red Cross
• Orivesi/City of Tampere
• Tampere/Women’s shelter/City of Tampere

By the end of June:

• Oulu/Kastelli/Finnish Red Cross

In addition, the following units have been closed down at the end of February:

• Kokemäki/Pitkäjärvi/Finnish Red Cross
• Rovaniemi/Apukka/Finnish Red Cross
• Tampere/Multisilta/City of Tampere

Also two units for minors, which are run by the Finnish Red Cross in Hennala in Lahti and in Kyröskoski, will close down. Accommodation capacity will be reduced in some units for minors. Units for minors are intended for asylum seekers who are under the age of 18 and who have arrived in Finland without their parents or guardians.

Unaccompanied minors are also accommodated in folk high schools where they can study. The cooperation between the Finnish Immigration Service and some folk high schools will end at the end of the term.

The total accommodation capacity is reduced by approximately 2,700 beds in reception centres intended for adults and families and by approximately 300 beds in units for minors and folk high schools.

Closures result from adjustments to the reception capacity

Reception centres are opened and closed down when necessary. The current closures are linked with the need to adjust the accommodation capacity to the number of asylum seekers.

Reception centres are currently being evaluated in terms of how well they function as well as their cost-effectiveness and security. All these aspects were taken into account in the current closures. The occupancy rate at the reception units is now approximately 85 per cent, which means that there are also vacant beds. It costs money to maintain capacity, so costs can be reduced by decreasing the number of vacant beds.

The evaluation of reception centres is under way. The results of the evaluation will be published at the end of March.

Further information for the media

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