Oulu reception centre to get multi-purpose facilities – no new detention unit will be established

The Finnish Immigration Service has decided to remodel the facilities of the Oulu reception centre so that some sections can, if required, accommodate clients who are placed in detention.

Earlier, the agency planned to establish a new detention unit in the district of Heikinharju in Oulu. As the need to increase detention capacity has not been as high as anticipated, no new separate detention unit will be established.

"Our goal is to use the facilities as efficiently as possible. The current facilities will be used as a regular reception centre as long as additional detention capacity is not needed. The advantage of having multi-purpose facilities is that we can react quickly if the need for detention capacity increases," says Deputy Director-General Raimo Pyysalo.

At the moment, Finland has two detention units: one is in Helsinki and the other at the premises of the Joutseno reception centre in Konnunsuo. In total, these units have 109 beds. According to the current plan, it is possible to quickly establish 30 additional beds in Oulu.

Under the Finnish Aliens Act, a foreign national can be detained at a closed detention unit if, for example, it is expected that he or she will go into hiding to avoid being refused entry or deported. A person can also be detained if detention is necessary to look into an unclear identity or travel route.

The Finnish Immigration Service is responsible for the practical operations, monitoring and steering of the units. The police or the Border Guard make the decisions on detention.

Further information for the media

Deputy Director-General Raimo Pyysalo, tel. +358 295 430 431, email: firstname.lastname@migri.fi