Press releases

Finnish Immigration Service launches a project to streamline the processing of work permits and permits for students

On 1 February 2021, the Finnish Immigration Service launches a project to speed up and streamline the processing of work-based permits and residence permits for international students.

Pauliina Helminen is the new Director of the Permit and Nationality Unit

The Finnish Immigration Service has appointed Pauliina Helminen, Master of Laws, the new Director of its Permit and Nationality Unit. She will start in her new role on 1 February 2021.

The number of human trafficking victims in Finland has increased

In 2020, a record-breaking number of persons assessed as having been trafficked in Finland have been referred to the Assistance system for victims of human trafficking: 123 such persons were accepted as Assistance system clients.

Statistics on immigration 2020: Most immigrants come to Finland to work, the coronavirus affected the number of applications

The number of residence permit applications submitted abroad decreased last year due to the coronavirus pandemic. However, the number of persons moving to Finland decreased less.

A reception centre in Espoo to be closed down, the capacity of a reception centre in Vantaa to be reduced

The Finnish Immigration Service terminates its contract with the reception centre in Nihtisilta and reduces the number of accommodation places in the reception centre at Robert Huberin tie. The accommodation capacity for asylum seekers will decrease by 525 places in total in the capital region.

Residence permit for a specialist now takes an average of two weeks

The Finnish Immigration Service has managed to speed up the processing of residence permits for specialists. In July-November 2020, the Finnish Immigration Service processed the first residence permit for a specialist in 17 days on average, and one half of the decisions concerning specialists were made within 10 days.

The Finnish Immigration Service works to improve the quality of interpretation in asylum interviews

The Finnish Immigration Service has developed a quality assurance system for the interpretation services used in asylum interviews. The quality assurance system enables comparisons based on similar criteria regardless of the language of interpretation.

Iraqi citizens lead statistics on citizenship applications

The greatest number of citizenship applications in Finland this year has been submitted by Iraqi citizens. For years, Russian citizens have been the group lodging the highest number of citizenship applications in Finland.

Coronavirus has a major impact on immigration of students

The new report studies the authorities’ duty of clarification and information gathering in immigration matters

Report on fact-finding mission to Somalia: The situation in Mogadishu is unstable

More extensive support to asylum seeking families and children at reception centres

An increasing number of people who have become victims in Finland are seeking admittance into the Assistance system

Finland received the first relocated minors from the Mediterranean region on Wednesday afternoon

Assessments of the security situations in Iraq and Afghanistan updated

Capacity reduced at reception centres – Finnish Immigration Service to end contracts with seven centres

First asylum seekers from the Mediterranean to be relocated to Finland in July

Good progress has been made in processing the seasonal work applications

Unique project improves the working life skills of victims of human trafficking

The Finnish Immigration Service to shut down the Pudasjärvi Reception Centre