Quota refugees
A quota refugee is a person
- who has had to leave his or her home country or country of permanent residence; and
- who cannot stay in the country to which he or she has fled; and
- whom the United Nations refugee agency UNHCR has determined to be a refugee.
In Finland, when the Parliament approves the Budget for each year, it also decides how many quota refugees Finland commits to receiving. During the years 2001–2019, the refugee quota was 750 persons per year. The refugee quota was 850 persons in 2020, 1,050 persons in 2021, 1,500 persons in 2022, and 1,050 persons in 2023. Finland’s refugee quota for 2024 is 500 persons.
Persons who have been determined as refugees by UNHCR and whom UNHCR has suggested for resettlement in Finland can be admitted to Finland as quota refugees. UNHCR determines which refugees need help the most and proposes these persons to be resettled in Finland as part of the refugee quota. Finland does not ask UNHCR to propose predefined persons, such as your parents or siblings, as quota refugees.
UNHCR decides which persons need help the most and whom it will suggest to be resettled in Finland. As for relatives residing abroad, your relatives must visit a UNHCR office and apply for international protection. In the UNHCR interviews, your relatives should mention that they have relatives in Finland and tell about their wish to move to Finland.
Emergency or urgent cases
In recent years, a part of the refugee quota has been reserved for refugees who the UNHCR has estimated to be in need of urgent resettlement. Finland selects these emergency cases on the basis of UNHCR documents, without interviews.
The number of emergency cases to be admitted will be 50 persons in 2024.
