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Research, development and innovation Research, development and innovation (RDI) are part of the implementation of the Ministry of the Interior's tasks, the joint strategy for the administrative branch and the Government Programme. Ministry of the ...

Small ministry, large branch of government The National Police Board and the Finnish Immigration Service operate under the Ministry of the Interior. The agencies provide guidance within their scope of activities. The Finnish Border Guard is respon...

Requests for information Under the Act on the Openness of Government Activities (621/1999), everyone has the right of access to the public documents of the Ministry. Please make your request as detailed as possible, as this will help us find the d...

Police agencies and responsibilities Police agencies include the National Police Board, local police departments, the National Bureau of Investigation and the Police University College. The National Police Board directs the activities of the polic...

Civilian crisis management agencies and responsibilities The Ministry of the Interior is responsible for maintaining, further developing and coordinating national civilian crisis management capabilities. Key national capabilities to increase Finla...

12.11.2021 | A research project commissioned by the Government investigated the types of complementary migration pathways available for people in need of international protection. The main focus of the study was on labour-based and study-based complementary pathways. The number of complementary pathway programmes is growing rapidly, and they have the potential to respond to the needs of both people in need of protection and the receiving societies.

12.11.2021 | A research project commissioned by the Government investigated the types of complementary migration pathways available for people in need of international protection. The main focus of the study was on labour-based and study-based complementary pathways. The number of complementary pathway programmes is growing rapidly, and they have the potential to respond to the needs of both people in need of protection and the receiving societies.

The Ministry of the Interior is the ministry for internal security The Ministry’s vision is a safe and secure society in all situations. Our objective is to keep people, property and the environment safe and for all people to live safe everyday li...

Removal and departure from the country If a person does not meet the conditions for legal stay in Finland, they are required to leave the country. This applies, for example, to persons whose asylum or residence permit application has been rejected...

11.1.2019 | Research agency Owal Group has been selected to carry out an independent survey concerning the asylum procedure. The Ministry of the Interior selected Owal Group following a tendering process that began in November 2018. The survey, which will examine the asylum procedure in its entirety, is set to be completed in summer 2019.

Cybersecurity as part of national security Cybersecurity is one of the areas of national security. The aim is to protect the increasingly digital society and society’s ability to function against hostile cyberattacks and intelligence gathering on ...

Employee benefits Our work has a purpose: We are working towards making Finland a safe country now and in future. Competent and committed employees are a great asset to us, and we have many ways to support their wellbeing and development. If you j...

Accident prevention is a joint effort

Frontex coordinates cooperation between European border Frontex, the European Border and Coast Guard Agency, coordinates joint operations between European border authorities. EU Member States, countries in the Schengen area and countries outside t...

Departments and units Police Department The Police Department deals with matters concerning the police administration under the National Police Board, combating crime, public order and security, licencing, firearms, gambling policy, the private se...

Government Programme measures to reform rescue services and emergency response centre operations The Government aims to ensure high-quality rescue services throughout the country. Rescue services must be of high quality and carried out in a unifor...

Government Programme measures to reform rescue services and emergency response centre operations The Government aims to ensure high-quality rescue services throughout the country. Rescue services must be of high quality and carried out in a unifor...

Civilian assistance sent from Finland to Ukraine and neighbouring regions A highly exceptional aid operation is underway in Europe. Extensive amounts of assistance have been sent to Ukraine and neighbouring countries through the European Union Civ...

6.11.2019 | The Security Research Event (SRE) will bring together international security experts in Helsinki on 6–7 November 2019 to take stock of the state of play and the challenges of security research in Europe. This side event of Finland’s Presidency of the Council of the European Union will be co-hosted by the Ministry of the Interior and the European Commission. One of the keynote speakers will be Finland’s Minister of the Interior Maria Ohisalo.

3.9.2019 | Nuclear weapons are back at the core of the global political arena. This is the conclusion of a recent report published by the Finnish Institute of International Affairs. Growing emphasis on the role of nuclear deterrence is linked to the increased world power struggle and regional security, as well as advanced technologies. This is no longer a question of just the United States and Russia agai...

4.10.2019 | A third of municipal decision-makers and almost half of the Members of Finnish Parliament or their assistants have been subjected to hate speech due to their official duties or positions of trust. In addition, about a third of the decision-makers consider that hate speech in public debate has increased in recent years. These are the results of a recent study.

25.6.2026 | Baltic Sea Security Meeting 18 June 2026; Final Statement 18 JUNE 2026 We, the Ministers and representatives responsible for the internal security, law enforcement and border management of the Kingdom of Denmark, the Republic of Estonia, the Repub...

20.12.2022 | Amendments to the Aliens Act will extend the use of a long-term visa known as a D visa. The amendments will contribute to promoting education-based and labour-based immigration and streamline entry procedures. The President of the Republic approved the amendments on 20 December.

16.6.2022 | Amendments to the Aliens Act would extend the use of a long-term visa known as a D visa. The amendments would contribute to promoting education-based and labour-based immigration and streamline entry procedures. The Government submitted a proposal on the amendments to Parliament on 16 June.

18.2.2022 | On 18 February, the Ministry of the Interior sent out for comments draft amendments to the Aliens Act which would extend the use of a long-term visa known as a D visa. Long-term visas would speed up entry into the country for people who have been issued with residence permits.

22.3.2018 | Residence permits for researchers and students would be extended and job-seeking and entrepreneurship would be encouraged through a residence permit granted for this. The goal of this act implementing the EU Directive on students and researchers is that most students completing their degrees in EU countries stay and work in the Union.

12.12.2017 | The Ministry of the Interior has circulated for comment the Government’s draft proposal concerning the European Union Directive on conditions of entry and residence of third-country nationals for the purposes of research, studies, training and voluntary service. Residence permits for researchers and students would be extended and job-seeking and entrepreneurship would be encouraged through a residence permit granted for this.

10.8.2018 | Residence permits for researchers and students from outside the EU will be extended and job-seeking and entrepreneurship will be encouraged through a residence permit granted for these purposes. The Government submitted the relevant bills for approval on 9 August. The President of the Republic is to approve the bills on 10 August, and they are to enter into force on 1 September 2018.

Questions and answers on gambling system reform General information on the gambling system reform Why switch over to a licensing system and retain a partial monopoly system instead of, for example, strengthening the current system based on the Vei...

10.12.2025 | An independent group of experts has conducted a broad-based interim evaluation of the wellbeing services county reform, which was published on 10 December. Minister of Social Affairs and Health Kaisa Juuso, Minister of Local and Regional Government Anna-Kaisa Ikonen and Minister of the Interior Mari Rantanen consider the findings valuable.

10.12.2025 | The wellbeing services county reform is progressing towards the set objectives throughout Finland, but there are still many issues left to address. This is according to a broad-based interim evaluation of the wellbeing services county reform made by an independent expert group.

26.2.2021 | A study on the effects of diminished proceeds from gambling activities has been completed. The study examines four options for developing the Finnish gambling system. The working group sets as its primary option a comprehensive overhaul that would place gambling proceeds within the scope of universal coverage in central government revenue and existing beneficiaries would be under the spending limits procedure. The report was published on 26 February.

2.9.2025 | The Government of Prime Minister Petteri Orpo has reached a decision on its budget proposal for 2026. The Government’s decisions aim to support economic growth, which is picking up. Supporting economic growth and continuing responsible fiscal management is necessary to ensure the security of people in Finland and safeguard their access to important services going forward.

29.8.2025 | Public trust in the police has remained stable for a long time. Of those who responded to the latest Police Barometer survey, 92 per cent trust the police a lot or a fair amount. Respectful treatment of people by the police and fair police activities affect people’s trust.

3.9.2024 | The 2025 budget proposal of Prime Minister Orpo's Government bolsters conditions for economic growth. Economic growth driven by the private sector will also serve to secure the financing base for central government finances. The fast-acting measures to curb indebtedness that were decided on due to the difficult situation in central government finances will move forward.

29.1.2024 | On Monday 29 January, the Ministry of the Interior and the United States Department of Homeland Security signed a joint statement of intent on deepening scientific and technological cooperation in the field of homeland security. 

18.2.2025 | Aimed at the entire population of Finland, the Preparing for Crises and Incidents Guide was published on the Suomi.fi Web Service in November. The preparedness instructions have reached a large number of people over the first three months.

The Ministry of the Interior is responsible for the preparation of migration policy and legislation

Tutkimus-, kehittämis- ja innovaatiotoiminta Tutkimus-, kehittämis- ja innovaatiotoiminta on osa sisäministeriön tehtävien ja hallinnonalan konsernistrategian sekä hallitusohjelman toimeenpanoa. Sisäministeriön TKI-toiminnan tavoitteena on: varmis...

Forsknings-, utvecklings- och innovationsverksamhet Forsknings-, utvecklings- och innovationsverksamheten är ett led i arbetet med att genomföra inrikesministeriets uppgifter, koncernstrategin för förvaltningsområdet och regeringsprogrammet. Målet...

19.1.2023 | In November and December, E2 Research conducted a review of what Ukrainians who have fled to Finland think about their life and what kind of plans they have. This was done to deepen and update the information obtained from the report compiled by the Ministry of the Interior in the summer.

19.9.2023 | In its first budget session, the Government of Prime Minister Petteri Orpo decided on solutions that will return Finland to a sustainable growth track. The Government will launch structural reforms to boost employment and growth, which will have positive impacts on general government finances in the next few years. In addition, the Government decided on consolidation measures.

7.11.2022 | Ukrainian refugees cannot return home while a large-scale war continues in their home country. As many are staying in Finland for longer than they first thought, the authorities are looking to help them settle down. Towards the end of the year, E2 Research will carry out a review of the current situation and future plans of Ukrainians in Finland. The study will expand on the report which the Ministry of the Interior published in September.

17.4.2023 | The final report of the preliminary study on the monopoly for gambling activities was submitted to the Ministry of the Interior on 17 April 2023. The objective of the project, for which the Ministry of the Interior appointed a research group on 5 January 2023, was to describe the current state of affairs and map out alternative models for the gambling system to support political decision-making. 

1.9.2022 | A study commissioned by the Ministry of the Interior will examine whether the future needs for legislative amendments can be anticipated in law drafting and how such needs could be prepared for. The study will consider the amendments made to the Aliens Act and their causes. The research will be carried out by Åbo Akademi University in cooperation with researchers from the University of Turku.

1.12.2022 | On Thursday 1 December, the Government appointed Kirsi Henriksson (MA) to continue as Director of the Crisis Management Centre (CMC) Finland. The post will be filled for the period from 1 January 2023 to 31 December 2027.

23.1.2023 | A study commissioned by the Ministry of the Interior explored ways to anticipate future needs for amendments when drafting legislation. To this end, the study looked into the amendments made to the Aliens Act and the motivations behind them. The study was carried out by Åbo Akademi University in cooperation with researchers from the University of Turku.

1.9.2022 | The budget proposal for 2023 of Prime Minister Sanna Marin’s Government builds sustainable growth for the future, secures purchasing power and assists people with the hike in electricity prices. The budget proposal responds to the effects of Russia’s war of aggression and inflation, improves safety and security, security of supply, and energy self-sufficiency, and provides further investment in research and development and in the green transition.

12.11.2021 | At the initiative of the Ministry of the Interior, the Finnish Government commissioned a study examining the types of complementary pathways for legal migration available in different countries for use by people in need of international protection. The focus of the study was on labour-based and study-based complementary pathways. The results confirm that there is a need for legal pathways, as has been discussed in Finland, and they support the EU in seeking new solutions to migration.

Sisäinen turvallisuus ikääntyvässä Suomessa keskiviikkona 19.11.2025 klo 9-12, livestriimaus Tilaisuuden tallenne Suomen ikärakenne muuttuu nopeammin kuin koskaan. Tämä demografinen muutos heijastuu väistämättä sisäiseen turvallisuuteen: se vaikut...

29.6.2023 | In its plenary session on 29 June, the Government appointed Päivi Nerg (Master of Science in Agriculture and Forestry), Laura Rissanen (Master of Social Sciences), Timo Jaatinen (Master of Social Sciences), Elina Laavi (Master of Public Administration), Juha Martelius (Doctor of Social Sciences) and Teija Makkonen (Master of Military Science, Master of Business Administration and Bachelor of Administrative Sciences) to serve as state secretaries.

23.2.2021 | The research project ordered by the Government surveys what types of complementary pathways for legal migration are available in different countries for use by people residing abroad who are in need of international protection. The focus is on work- and study-based pathways. This international comparison can help to support the consideration of the need of complimentary pathways in Finland as well as the international community’s efforts to find new solutions.

7.9.2022 | In June-July, the Ministry of the Interior conducted an online survey to assess the situation and need for different services of Ukrainians who have fled to Finland. A total of 2,136 people responded to the survey.

18.3.2021 | The Ministry of the Interior and the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment have ordered a review of the grounds on which victims of human trafficking are granted residence permits. The review will be conducted by the Non-Discrimination Ombudsman acting as the national human trafficking rapporteur. The aim is to investigate how the Finnish Immigration Service applies the special regulation of the Aliens Act to the continuous residence permit granted to trafficking victims.

19.5.2022 | This spring, people’s attitudes in Finland towards immigration, international assistance and EU cooperation have become more positive. The use of media has also increased significantly. At the moment, there appears to be a greater spirit of community among people, people seek more information and they appear to trust the authorities more than last year.

12.9.2022 | The prolonged COVID-19 pandemic, Russia’s war of aggression in Ukraine and accelerating climate change have led to a situation in Finland and globally where the future seems rather uncertain. In the midst of uncertainty, decision-making is difficult. Finland will hold parliamentary elections in spring 2023, and the new Government Programme will outline policies for the next few years.

28.10.2021 | The Ministry of the Interior has set up a project to conduct a preliminary study concerning the needs for amendments in the Aliens Act and how the reform should implemented.

9.2.2022 | The final reports of the “Capacity of and planning criteria for rescue services and civil emergency preparedness” project have been published on the Institutional Repository for the Government (Valto). The objective of the project was to produce a basis for the national planning criteria for rescue services and investigate how well the resources and capacity of rescue services and civil emergency preparedness correspond to the operating environment, risks and customer needs. 

4.5.2020 | A research project will examine the combined effects of the amendments to the Aliens Act and the practices of applying the Act with regard to the status of those requesting and receiving international protection. In particular, the project will examine whether the amendments have had an impact on safeguarding the best interests of the child.

16.2.2021 | A study commissioned by the Government investigated the combined impacts of the amendments made to the Aliens Act in 2015–2019 on the status of people applying for and receiving international protection and on the realisation of the best interests of the child. The decision to carry out the study was based on an objective set in the Government Programme, which states that the Government will investig...