Jari Kähkönen appointed as Director General of the Finnish Immigration Service

On Thursday 20 August, the Government appointed Jari Kähkönen, Master of Administrative Sciences, as the Director General of the Finnish Immigration Service for the period between 1 September 2020 and 31 August 2025.

Jari Kähkönen has broad experience in different aspects related to migration matters. Kähkönen has been the Director of the Joutseno Reception Centre since 2009. He has been responsible for the management of the Centre, for the development and monitoring of its activities and finances, and for cooperation with other migration authorities. Under his leadership, the Joutseno Reception Centre has also developed an assistance system for victims of human trafficking, which has received international recognition.

“In reception services, we work in close contact with our clients and their everyday lives. This has provided experience and insight into developing customer-oriented services and management. It is great to continue to develop the entire Finnish Immigration Service in cooperation with staff and stakeholders. The expectations towards the activities and services of the Finnish Immigration Service are high. I am sure that together with skilled and professional staff we will manage to overcome recent and future challenges in such a way that Finnish Immigration Service will continue to produce its services efficiently and with legal certainty for the benefit of our society and our clients,” says Jari Kähkönen.

Kähkönen has also experience of migration matters from the Finnish Immigration Service, where he worked as a Senior Adviser in the Asylum Unit between 2004 and 2008. He has previously worked, for example, as training manager at the Finnish Institute of Public Management Ltd (HAUS).

The Director General of the Finnish Immigration Service is responsible for directing, supervising and developing the activities of the Finnish Immigration Service. He is responsible for ensuring that the operations are effective and that the objectives are fulfilled, and he reports on them to the Ministry of the Interior.

A comprehensive security clearance has been conducted on the Director General and a non-compete agreement has been concluded with him under the Act on Public Officials in Central Government. The agreement limits the public official’s right to transfer, during the time of limitation, to other tasks outside central government in which he or she would benefit from the use of confidential information. The time limitation will be six months from the end of the employment relationship.

Inquiries:

Kirsi Pimiä, Permanent Secretary, tel. +358 295 418803, firstname.lastname@intermin.fi