Key Findings
Best practice (100% score)
Definitions and concepts, and fields of application for anti-discrimination law
Electoral rights and political liberties
Security of employment and rights associated with labour market status
Favourable
Security of family reunion
Implementation policies for political participation
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Overview
Recent increases in immigration to Finland come largely from other EU Member States, particularly Nordic countries. Most non-EU immigrants move to Finland for family reunion or as refugees. Modest refugee flows come partly from a resettlement quota, since the October 2006 Migration Policy Programme allowed a more flexible allocation and set of selection criteria. The largest groups of non-EU students are Russians and Chinese, whose entry to the labour market is also facilitated by the Programme. Non-EU migrants are over three times as likely to be unemployed as nationals.(1)
Third-country nationals who arrive legally in Finland (hereafter ‘migrants') have favourable access to the labour market, according to MIPEX indicators. Political participation policies are the third most favourable in the EU-25 countries, after SE and LU. Migrants can bring together their families, further invest in Finland as long-term residents, and receive protection from discrimination through policies that are all slightly favourable. When it comes to obtaining Finnish nationality, the country's policies receive a lower score, halfway to best practice.
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Integration Policy Timeline
1/12/2005
Amendments to Act on the Integration of Immigrants and Reception of Asylum Seekers (493/1999) introduced "guidance system", including pre-departure orientation and training
12/01/2005
Daily Helsingin Sanomat noted major political parties support labour migration
1/07/2006
Family reunion amendments to Aliens Act make few major changes to existing legislation
10/2006
Migration Policy Programme aimed to promote labour migration and language acquisition measures, training placements, longer and simplified permits and a more flexible refugee quota
8/02/2007
Advisory board on terms of employment and residence permits established
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Migrant Profile
