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Quota Refugee selections

From the year 2017 onward, the statistics show the following information:

  • country from which the refugees were selected; ;
  • the number of quota refugees selected for resettlement in Finland during the year in question, their nationalities and their age and sex distribution;
  • the number of quota refugees who arrived in Finland during the year in question, their nationalities and their age and sex distribution.

2023

Country Accepted Nationality of the accepted quota refugees
Iran (2) 2022* 293 Afghanistan
Libya 36 Sudan 33, Syria 3
Iran 210 Afghanistan
Turkey 154 Syria
Rwanda 93 Eritrea 57, Sudan 33, Ethiopia 2, South Sudan 1
Lebanon 266 Syria
Zambia 161 Democratic Republic of the Congo
Emergency cases and other unallocated cases 129 Various nationalities
Total 1342**  

*The selection decision was made in 2023.
**Children born after the decision of the Finnish Immigration Service are not included in the statistics.

Age and sex distribution of quota refugee selection 2023

Male 0-6 7-13 14-17 18-34 35-64 over 65 Total
Iran (2) 2022 8 29 19 31 11 - 98
Iran 2023 14 20 10 25 18 3 90
Turkey 2023 24 19 12 13 18   86
Rwanda 2023 8 1 8 43 - 1 61
Libya 2023 5 4 2 4 3 - 18
Lebanon 2023 32 48 19 13 39 - 151
Zambia 2023 15 17 12 14 9 - 67
Emergency cases and other unallocated cases 6 10 7 20 14 - 57
Total 112 148 89 163 112 4 628
Female 0-6 7-13 14-17 18-34 35-64 over 65 Total
Iran (2) 2022 9 23 23 77 60 3 195
Iran 2023 16 16 14 39 30 5 120
Turkey 2023 9 17 12 10 20 - 68
Rwanda 2023 4 - 3 24 1 - 32
Libya 2023 6 3 - 7 2 - 18

Lebanon 2023

14 29 16 23 33 - 115
Zambia 2023 18 17 8 30 21 - 94
Emergency cases and other unallocated cases 11 13 6 20 20 2 72
Total 87 118 82 230 187 10 714

Children born after the decision of the Finnish Immigration Service are not included in the statistics.

Age and sex distribution of quota refugees who arrived in Finland 2023

A total of 1 332 quota refugees arrived in Finland. Quota refugees usually arrive in Finland after 1–2 years from being selected for resettlement in Finland.

  0-6 7-13 14-17 18-34 35-64 over 65 Total
Men 79 144 93 181 93 6 596
Women 77 113 93 240 202 11 736
Total 156 257 186 421 295 17 1332

2022

In 2022, the refugees were selected on the basis of remote interviews or documents due to the coronavirus pandemic, excluding Iran (1) where refugees were interviewed during a selection mission.

Country Accepted Nationality of the accepted quota refugees
Niger 2021* 57 Eritrea 38, Sudan 19
Rwanda (2) 2021* 15 Sudan 8, Eritrea 7
Rwanda 67 Eritrea 50, Sudan 14, South Sudan 3
Libanon 301 Syria
Turkey 199 Syria
Zambia 189 Democratic Republic of the Congo 186, Burundi 2, Rwanda 1***
Iran (1) 317 Afghanistan
Emergency cases and other unallocated cases 130 Various nationalities
In total 1275**  

*Because the evacuation flights from Libya to the Niger were delayed, the selection decision was made in 2022.
**Children born after the decision of the Finnish Immigration Service are not included in the statistics.
***Other family members are Congolese.

Age and sex distribution of quota refugee selection 2022

Male 0-6 7-13 14-17 18-34 35-64 over 65 Total
Niger 2021 3 - - 38 2 - 43
Rwanda (2) 2021 - - 6 7 - - 13
Rwanda 2022 2 - 2 49 - - 53
Libanon 38 48 17 14 41 1 159
Turkey 16 20 15 29 25 2 107
Zambia 16 21 6 29 21 1 94
Iran (1) 9 44 32 24 7 1 117
Emergency cases and other unallocated cases 9 9 11 22 16 3 70
Total 93 142 89 212 112 8 656
Female 0-6 7-13 14-17 18-34 35-64 over 65 Total
Niger 2021 2 - - 11 1 - 14
Rwanda (2) 2021 - - - 2 - - 2
Rwanda 2022 - - 2 11 1 - 14
Libanon 32 38 16 34 22 - 142
Turkey 25 10 7 24 23 3 92
Zambia 20 26 9 27 12 1 95
Iran (1) 13 36 19 68 64 - 200
Emergency cases and other unallocated cases 11 10 4 19 15 1 60
Total 103 120 57 196 138 5 619

Children born after the decision of the Finnish Immigration Service are not included in the statistics.

Age and sex distribution of quota refugees who arrived in Finland 2022

A total of 1098 quota refugees arrived in Finland. Quota refugees usually arrive in Finland after 1–2 years from being selected for resettlement in Finland.

  0-6 7-13 14-17 18-34 35-64 over 65 Total
Male 84 102 75 228 109 9 607
Female 91 100 50 160 87 3 491
Total             1098

2021

Due to the coronavirus pandemic, quota refugees are selected on the basis of distance interviews or background documents in 2021.

Country Accepted Nationality of the accepted quota refugees
Niger 2020* 116 Eritrea 57, Somalia 22, Sudan 19, Etiopia 18
Libanon 15 Syria
Libanon 202 Syria

Turkey

330 Syria
Rwanda 30 Sudan 17, Eritrea 12, South Sudan 1
Zambia 275 Democratic Republic of the Congo
Emergency cases and other unallocated cases 123 Various nationalities
In total 1091**  


*Because the evacuation flights from Libya to the Niger were delayed, the selection decision was made in 2021.
**Children born after the decision of the Finnish Immigration Service are not included in the statistics. As for the Niger the selection is still in progress.  

Age and sex distribution of quota refugee selection 2021

Male 0-6 7-13 14-17 18-34 35-64 over 65 Total
Niger 2020 6 - 1 75 10 - 92
Libanon 2021 (1) 1 - 3 1 2 - 7
Libanon 2021 (2) 20 25 9 16 26 - 96
Turkey 2021 15 45 36 45 44 1 186
Rwanda 2021 - - 1 20 3 - 24
Zambia 2021 22 32 17 35 21 2 129
Emergency cases and other unallocated cases 5 8 11 24 20 - 68
Total             534

 

Female 0-6 7-13 14-17 18-34 35-64 over 65 Total
Niger 2020 3 1 - 19 1 - 24
Libanon 2021 (1) - 4 - 1 3 - 8
Libanon 2021 (2) 25 26 10 29 16 - 106
Turkey 2021 31 22 18 33 40 - 144
Rwanda 2021 1 - 2 2 1 - 6
Zambia 2021 25 33 21 44 23 - 146
Emergency cases and other unallocated cases 7 9 9 16 14 - 55
Total             434

Children born after the decision of the Finnish Immigration Service are not included in the statistics.

Age and sex distribution of quota refugees who arrived in Finland 2021

A total of 891 quota refugees arrived in Finland. Quota refugees usually arrive in Finland after 1–2 years from being selected for resettlement in Finland.

  0-6 7-13 14-17 18-34 35-64 over 65 Total
Male 67 87 56 160 113 1 484
Female 78 84 45 119 81 - 407
Total             891

2020

Country Accepted Nationality of the accepted quota refugees
Turkey 249 Syria 248, without nationality 1****
Zambia* 211 Democratic Republic of the Congo
Libanon** 151 Syria
Emergency and Urgent quota referrals 119 Various nationalities
In total 730***  

*No selection trip has been made. Decisions were made based on the background documents.
**No selection trip has been made. The persons have been selected on the basis of distance interviews.
***Children born after the decision of the Finnish Immigration Service are not included in the statistics.
****Other family members are Syrian.

Age and sex distribution of quota refugee selection 2020

Male 0-6 7-13 14-17 18-34 35-64 over 65 Total
Turkey 2020 21 31 20 32 31   135
Libanon 2020 20 15 5 9 20   69
Zambia 2020 23 22 15 19 19 1 99
Emergency and Urgent quota referrals 12 8 7 24 10 1 62
Total             365

 

Female 0-6 7-13 14-17 18-34 35-64 over 65 Total
Turkey 2020 24 25 12 28 25   114
Libanon 2020 16 23 9 22 12   82
Zambia 2020 19 30 9 31 22 1 112
Emergency and Urgent quota referrals 13 12 3 15 13 1 57
Total             365

Children born after the decision of the Finnish Immigration Service are not included in the statistics.

Age and sex distribution of quota refugees who arrived in Finland 2020

A total of 661 quota refugees arrived in Finland. Quota refugees usually arrive in Finland the year they are selected or the year after that.

  0-6 7-13 14-17 18-34 35-64 over 65 Total
Male 48 65 44 115 70 2 344
Female 55 69 30 92 69 2 317
Total             661*

*Children born after the decision of the Finnish Immigration Service are not included in the statistics.

2019

Country Accepted Nationality of the accepted quota refugees
Turkey 213 Syria, 212, Irak 1**
Turkey 218 Syria
Zambia 9 Democratic Republic of the Congo
Zambia 93 Democratic Republic of the Congo
Niger 117 Eritrea 63, Somalia 37, Sudan 17
Emergency and Urgent quota referrals 100 Various nationalities
In total 750*  

*Children born after the decision of the Finnish Immigration Service are not included in the statistics.

**Other family members are Syrian.

Age and sex distribution of quota refugee selection 2019

Male 0-6 7-13 14-17 18-34 35-64 over 65 Total
Turkey 2019 24 24 17 18 25 1 109
Turkey 2019 8 20 21 33 27   109
Zambia 2019 8 14 10 9 11   52
Zambia 2019 1   1 2 1   5
Libya-Niger 2019       67 1   68
Emergency and Urgent quota referrals 5 7 6 24 18 2 62
Total 46 65 55 153 83 3 405

 

Female 0-6 7-13 14-17 18-34 35-64 over 65 Total
Turkey 2019 25 24 5 30 22 3 109
Turkey 2019 15 22 12 25 27 3 104
Zambia 2019 12 6 5 8 9 1 41
Zambia 2019       3 1   4
Libya-Niger 2019 4 1 1 40 3   49
Emergency and Urgent quota referrals 5 9 7 7 10   38
Total 61 62 30 113 72 7 345

Children born after the decision of the Finnish Immigration Service are not included in the statistics.

Age and sex distribution of quota refugees who arrived in Finland 2019

A total of 891 quota refugees arrived in Finland. Quota refugees usually arrive in Finland the year they are selected or the year after that.

  0-6 7-13 14-17 18-34 35-64 over 65 Total
Male 62 97 68 137 103 5 472
Female 76 88 38 117 91 9 419
Total 138 185 106 254 194 14 891

Children born after the decision of the Finnish Immigration Service are not included in the statistics.

2018

Country Accepted Nationality of the accepted quota refugees
Turkey 340 Syria
Turkey 185 Syria
Zambia 125 Democratic Republic of the Congo 122, Burundi 3**
Emergency and Urgent quota referrals 100 Various nationalities
In total 750*  

*Children born after the decision of the Finnish Immigration Service are not included in the statistics.

**Other family members are Congolese.

Age and sex distribution of quota refugee selection 2018

Male 0-6 7-13 14-17 18-34 35-64 over 65 Total
Turkey 2018 28 42 20 38 41   169
Turkey 2018 13 31 9 22 19 1 95
Zambia 2018 13 11 7 21 13   65
Emergency and Urgent quota referrals 6 4 3 40 3   56
Total 60 88 39 121 76 1 385

 

Female 0-6 7-13 14-17 18-34 35-64 over 65 Total
Turkey 2018 26 51 23 35 36   171
Turkey 2018 20 18 13 16 22 1 90
Zambia 2018 14 12 3 19 11 1 60
Emergency and Urgent quota referrals 3 4 3 29 5   44
Total 63 85 42 99 74 2 365

Children born after the decision of the Finnish Immigration Service are not included in the statistics.

Age and sex distribution of quota refugees who arrived in Finland 2018

A total of 606 quota refugees arrived in Finland. Quota refugees usually arrive in Finland the year they are selected or the year after that.

  0-6 7-13 14-17 18-34 35-64 Total
Male 51 60 34 103 58 306
Female 40 76 37 94 53 300
Total 91 136 71 197 111 606

Children born after the decision of the Finnish Immigration Service are not included in the statistics.

2017

Country Accepted Nationality of the accepted quota refugees
Turkey 290 Syria
Turkey 240 Syria
Zimbabwe 120 Democratic Republic of the Congo
Emergency and Urgent quota referrals 100 Various nationalities
Total 750*  

*Children born after the decision of the Finnish Immigration Service are not included in the statistics.

Age and sex distribution of quota refugee selection 2017

Male 0-6 7-13 14-17 18-34 35-64 over 65 Total
Turkey 2017 36 32 14 30 38   150
Turkey 2017 27 37 19 27 31 1 142
Zimbabwe 2017 18 14 7 19 7   65
Emergency and Urgent quota referrals 9 9 4 14 12   48
Total 90 92 44 90 88 1 405

 

Female 0-6 7-13 14-17 18-34 35-64 Total
Turkey 2017 33 35 12 37 23 140
Turkey 2017 21 19 6 60 22 98
Zimbabwe 2017 9 15 8 14 9 55
Emergency and Urgent quota referrals 10 10 4 19 9 52
Total 73 79 30 100 63 345

Children born after the decision of the Finnish Immigration Service are not included in the statistics.

Age and sex distribution of quota refugees who arrived in Finland 2017

A total of 1,088 quota refugees arrived in Finland. Quota refugees usually arrive in Finland the year they are selected or the year after that.

  0-6 7-13 14-17 18-34 35-64 over 65 Total
Male 112 146 59 115 138 2 572
Female 113 118 45 142 96 2 516
Total 225 264 104 257 234 4 1088

Children born after the decision of the Finnish Immigration Service are not included in the statistics.

2016

Country Accepted Nationality of the accepted quota refugees
Turkey* 11 Syria
Turkey 512 Syria
Lebanon 135 Syria
Emergency and Urgent quota referrals 91 Different nationalities
In total 749**  

* No selection trip. Decisions were made based on the background documents.

** Children born after the decision of the Finnish Immigration Service are not included in the statistics.

2015

Country Accepted Nationality of the accepted quota refugees
Lebanon 508 Syria 502, Stateless 5*, Somalia*
Egypt 136 Syria
Malawi and Zambia ** 151 Democratic Republic of Congo
Iran 139 Afghanistan
Emergency and Urgent quota referrals 100 Different nationalities
In total 1034 ***  

* The other family members are Syrian citizens.

** No selection trip. Decisions were made based on the background documents.

*** Children born after the decision of the Finnish Immigration Service are not included in the statistics.

2014

Country Accepted Nationality of the accepted quota refugees
Jordan 218 Syria
Lebanon 277 Syria
Malawi and Zambia 146 Democratic Republic of Congo
Egypt 165 Sudan
Iran 130 Afghanistan
Emergency and Urgent quota referrals 94 Different nationalities
In total 1030  

2013

Country Accepted Nationality of the accepted quota refugees
Turkey 160 Afghanistan 29, Iraq 13, Iran 109, Somalia 2
Malawi and Zambia 151 Democratic Republic of Congo 151
Iran 197 Afghanistan 197
Egypt 142 Sudan 140, Somalia 2
Emergency and Urgent quota referrals 96 Different nationalities 96
In total 746  

2012

Country Accepted Nationality of the accepted quota refugees
Thailand 132 Myanmar 105, Sri Lanka 16, China 1, Pakistan 6, Somalia 4
Iran 192 Afghanistan 192
Rwanda 165 Democratic Republic of Congo 165
Turkey 143 Afghanistan 40, Somalia 19, Iran 72, Iraq 12
Emergency and Urgent quota referrals 102 Different nationalities 102
In total 734  

2011

Country Accepted Nationality of the accepted quota refugees
Thailand 169 Myanmar 119
22 Pakistanis, 21 Sri Lankans, 6 Chinese and 1 Somalian
Iran 265 Afghanistan 265
Rwanda 92 Democratic Republic of Congo 92
Emergency and Urgent quota referrals 100 Different nationalities 100
In total 626  

2010

Country Time Accepted Nationality of the accepted quota refugees
Rwanda selection on a dossier basis* June 2010 126 Democratic Republic of Congo 126
Iran 25.9.–9.10.2010 153 Afganistan 153
Thailand 16.–31.10.2010 147 Myanmar 131
Sri Lanka 10
Pakistan 6
Syria 22.11.–2.12.2010 145 Iraq 144
Egypt 1
Emergency and Urgent quota referrals   63 Different nationalities 63
In total   634  

*No selection trip. Decisions were made based on the background documents.

2009

Country Time Accepted Nationality of the accepted quota refugees
Rwanda 2.–15.6.2009 151 Democratic Republic of Congo 151
Syria–Jordan 31.8.–15.9.2009 327 Iraq 301
Stateless 26
Thailand 10.–24.10.2009 149 Myanmar 125
Somalia 1
Iran 1
Sri Lanka 22
Emergency and Urgent quota referrals   100 Different nationalities 100
In total   727  

2008

Country Time Accepted Nationality of the accepted quota refugees
Rwanda 3. -18.6.2008 156 Democratic Republic of Congo 151
Burundi 5
Syria 15. - 26.9.2008 282 Iraq 282
Thailand

15. - 30.11.2008

 

 



6. -21.10.2007

165

 

 

 

35

Myanmar 150
Sri Lanka 9
Pakistan 5
China 1


Burundi 1
Somalia 1
Iran 2
Côte d'Ivoire 2
Democratic Republic of Congo 5
Sri Lanka 9
China 12
Stateless 3

Emergency and Urgent quota referrals   99 Different nationalities 99
In total   737  

2007

Country Time Accepted Nationality of the accepted quota refugees
Rwanda 12.-27.5.2007 148 Democratic Republic of Congo 147
Rwanda 1
Turkey Syria 9.9.-22.9.2007 251 Iran 92
Iraq 159
Thailand 6.-21.10.2007 230 Myanmar 230
Emergency and Urgent quota referrals   94 Different nationalities 94
In total   723  

2006

Country Time Accepted Nationality of the accepted quota refugees
Thailand 12.-26.11.2006 376 Myanmar 349
Cambodia 13
Nepal 11
Sri Lanka 2
China 1
Turkey 17.-22.12.2006 123 Iran 53
Somalia 38
Afganistan 17
Unknown 8
Iraq 3
China 2
Democratic Republic of Congo 1
Sri Lanka 1
Thailand 6.-21.10.2007 67** Myanmar 67
Emergency and Urgent quota referrals   177 Different nationalities 177
In total   676*  

* The total figure of 676 includes also the additional referrals accepted in Finland during the year 2007, but which were part of 2006 emergency quota.

** Also the annual quota of 2006, was supplemented during the selection mission in Thailand with 67 accepted quota refugees to Finland in 2007.

2005

Country Time Accepted Nationality of the accepted quota refugees
Thailand
Cambodia
23.1.-13.2.2005 136 Myanmar 118
Cambodia 13
Thailand 3
Pakistan 2
Turkey 18.-24.9.2005 117 Iran 117
Iran 21.-30.11.2005 156 Afganistan 156
Thailand 23.10.-6.11.2005 206 Myanmar 206
Emergency and Urgent quota referrals   75 Different nationalities 75
In total   690  

2004

Country Time Accepted Nationality of the accepted quota refugees
Libanon 23.8.-2.9.2004 113 Sudan 97
Ethiopia 10
Sri Lanka 3
Eritrea 2
Philippines 1
Egypt 17.-27.10.2004 129 Sudan 129
Turkey 24.10.-6.11.2004 146 Iran 109
Afganistan 22
Somalia 11
Iraq 3
Ethiopia 1
Iran 25.11.-6.12.2004 131 Afganistan 131
Thailand
Cambodia
23.1.-13.2.2005* 75 Vietnam 75
Emergency and Urgent quota referrals   85 Different nationalities 85
In total   679  

* Some quota refugee places which were not used within year 2004, were used in the beginning of 2005 while admitting refugees to Finland from the selection mission to Thailand and Cambodia. From Cambodia 75 vietnamese quota refugees were selected.

2003

Country Time Accepted Nationality of the accepted quota refugees
Egypt 6.-17.9.2003 151 Sudan 151
Turkey 19.-31.10.2003 140 Iran 137
Iraq 3
Iran 1.-14.11.2003 222* Afganistan 221
Nepal 1
Libanon 13.-21.12.2003 147 Sudan 127
Somalia 15
Ethiopia 3
Philippines 1
Stateless 1
Emergency and Urgent quota referrals**   89 Different nationalities89
Yhteensä   749  

*From the total number of 222 quota refugees accepted to Finland, refugee status was withdrawn from five of them after finding out that they had given falsified information to the UNHCR.

**Emergency and Urgent quota refugee referrals amount to 10– 15 per cent of the annual quota. Those refugees whom UNHCR has defined as belonging to the emergency category (emergency and urgent cases) are in need of urgent resettlement due to a special need for protection or other reasons such as exceptionally strong humanitarian reasons or an acute need for medical care/treatment.

Persons submitted to Finland, must have been granted a refugee status by UNHCR. Decisions are made based on the background documents. This is exceptional as all the other quota refugees are selected to Finland based on an individual interview. We do not have any geographical limitations concerning the country of origin or the first country of asylum of the emergence referrals to Finland.

More information

Quota refugees