On 8 October, Minister of the Interior Maria Ohisalo will attend an informal meeting of the EU home affairs ministers via video conference. The main theme of the meeting will be the reform of the EU migration and asylum policy. The ministers will now have their first discussion about the reform and the way forward. No decisions will be made at the informal meeting.

As a result of the UK’s withdrawal from the EU, UK citizens living in Finland will have to apply to exchange their previous registration based on the right of residence in the EU for the right of residence under the withdrawal agreement. The Finnish Immigration Service will charge EUR 48 for the processing of the application. The permanent right of residence in the EU may be exchanged for a permanent right of residence under the withdrawal agreement free of charge.

Finland has decided to assist Greece by receiving 11 unaccompanied minor asylum seekers from the Moria camp destroyed by fire. In the spring, the Government decided to receive 175 particularly vulnerable asylum seekers from the Mediterranean region. The reception of 11 underage asylum seekers is part of the implementation of this decision.

The various provisions on the processing of personal data by authorities dealing with migration matters will be brought together in a new act. The Government submitted the bill for approval on Thursday 20 August. The President of the Republic is to approve the bill on Friday. The act will then enter into force on 1 September.

On Thursday 13 August, the Government appointed Minna Hulkkonen, Master of Laws, as Director General of the Migration Department at the Ministry of the Interior for the period 1 September 2020 to 31 August 2025.

The Ministry of the Interior has decided to send expert and material assistance to Beirut through the European Union Civil Protection Mechanism due to an explosion. Lebanon has requested international assistance from the EU Civil Protection Mechanism, where Finland is a member.

The Ministry of the Interior is preparing an amendment to the Aliens Act with the aim of ending the application of the requirement for sufficient financial resources for minor sponsors, who have been granted a residence permit based on international protection. In this context, the idea is to clarify what are the effects of the requirement for sufficient financial resources on the protection of family life and on family reunification for persons who have been granted asylum or subsidiary protection status.

On 2 July, the Government submitted a communication to Parliament on the European Commission’s proposal to amend the Union Civil Protection Mechanism. This is particularly the case against the backdrop of the COVID-19 crisis, which has given rise to the need to enhance the EU's preparedness to respond to broad and serious disasters and crises, especially in situations that simultaneously affect almost all Member States.

Asylum seekers’ right to work will be extended by a temporary amendment to the Aliens Act. The amendment will concern the start and end of the asylum seekers' right to work. The Government submitted the bill amending the Aliens Act for approval on Thursday 25 June. The President of the Republic is expected to approve the bill on Friday. The Act will enter into force on 29 June.