Finland’s Migration Review provides an overview of migration in 2017–2018
A new Migration Review has been published. The report provides a concise summary of Finland’s migration-related policies, key legal amendments and up-to-date statistics. It also includes an extensive media review.
Over the course of 2017–2018, immigration policy saw many new developments and the preparation of new legislation. For example, the role of the Finnish Immigration Service was strengthened with the transfer of asylum and residence permit matters to the Immigration Service from the Police and Finnish Border Guard. Asylum processes were developed through a variety of measures, such as increasing the attractiveness of voluntary return. The government worked to promote labour migration and entrepreneurship among migrants by extending the validity of residence permits for experts, researchers and students and by creating a new start-up residence permit for growth entrepreneurs.
The media review revealed found that migration was often in the headlines. In Finnish news, the most common topic to receive attention was the realisation of the rights of asylum seekers. The media also highlighted security threats related to asylum seekers, integration assistance for migrants and racism faced by migrants.
The new review is also Finland’s Migration Report to the OECD, or the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. The topics covered in the report are thus largely based on the OECD’s Guidelines. The international mobility of retirees was a special focus of this year’s report.
The report was compiled by the Ministry of the Interior. Several other ministries and agencies, such as the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment, the Ministry of Justice, the
Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, and the Ministry of Education and Culture, were also involved in preparing the report. The report was submitted to the OECD in English.
International Migration 2017–2018 – Report for Finland
More information
Miikka Pajula, Senior Specialist, tel. +358 295 488 210, [email protected]