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Research, development and innovation Research, development and innovation (RDI) in the Ministry of the Interior's branch of government supports the implementation of the agencies' joint strategy and the achievement of performance targets. It also ...

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.

1.9.2026 | On 1 September 2026, the Government of Prime Minister Petteri Orpo reached a decision on its budget proposal for 2027 and is steadily implementing the agenda it agreed at the spending limits session. The agenda includes EUR 100 million of investment in construction and numerous transport infrastructure projects. The Government’s targeted measures will support economic growth.

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.

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. 

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

7.6.2022 | The Ministry of the Interior has commissioned a study on the reflection periods granted to victims of human trafficking during which the victims can decide whether to cooperate with the authorities in apprehending those suspected of human trafficking. At the same time, it will be examined how suspicions of trading in sexual services are taken into account in cases where denial of stay is being considered.

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.

15.7.2020 | The majority of Finnish people continue to have confidence in the police. According to the latest Police Barometer survey, a total of 91 per cent of the respondents trust the police a lot or a fair amount. Trust in the police has slightly decreased compared to the previous survey (2018: 95 per cent). Based on the results, the police have succeeded well in performing their most important duties and the work of the police is appreciated.

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.

12.11.2021 | 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.

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. 

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.

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.

3.12.2020 | The Ministry of the Interior and the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment have commissioned a study on how a community sponsorship model could complement the authorities' efforts in the reception of quota refugees. The study will be conducted by the Kokkola University Consortium Chydenius, which operates under the auspices of the University of Jyväskylä. The purpose is to assess the legal and practical feasibility of the model in Finland.

28.9.2021 | The Non-Discrimination Ombudsman investigated the residence permit practice relating to victims of human trafficking. One of the key questions of the study commissioned by the Ministry of the Interior and the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment was how the vulnerability of victims of human trafficking has been assessed. According to the study, the assessment was diverse, but varying. Hu...

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.

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.

30.11.2018 | The Ministry of the Interior began a survey concerning the asylum procedure on 30 November. The project will begin with a tendering process to select a party to carry out the survey. The purpose of the independent survey is to identify development needs concerning the asylum procedure, examine the cooperation between different authorities and assess the practices of the administrative courts for dealing with asylum-related issues.

20.5.2021 | The report ordered by the Ministry of the Interior and the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment assesses whether Finland could use the so-called community sponsorship integration model when accepting refugees. According to the reports, the model could make the integration of refugees in Finland faster and support the integration work led by the state and municipalities.

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.

12.4.2018 | In a follow-up survey on the Finland 100 centenary year, more than half of the respondents hoped that the Finnish flag would see more use in Independence Day celebrations. Moreover, many seem to hope that this wider use will become a tradition. The Finnish flag’s centenary will be celebrated in May.

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.

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.

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...

27.6.2019 | The survey report provides information on the standards and efficiency of the asylum procedure and the asylum applicants’ legal protection. The survey, examining the entire procedure and all authorities involved, was the first of its kind.

21.3.2017 | Finns would like to be able to discuss asylum policy without the fear of being stigmatised; the discourse should be relevant and fact-based. The issues that were highlighted in the discourse on asylum policy were social polarisation, promotion of integration activities during the asylum seeking process and the impact of the asylum seeker situation on security.

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.

4.4.2019 | During the 2010s, there has been a significant increase in the numbers of people involved in jihadist activity in Finland. However, most of this activity is still quite small in scale, and it is mainly concerned with providing support in the form of recruitment and financing. Jihadist communication online has also increased during the present decade. The University of Helsinki has conducted two studies on these topics, commissioned by the Ministry of the Interior.

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.

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.

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.

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...

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...

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...

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

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...

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 | I ett forskningsprojekt som beställts av statsrådet har utretts vilka kompletterande migrationsvägar det finns för personer som är i behov av internationellt skydd. Särskilt fokus lades på arbets- och studiebaserade vägar. Antalet program för kompletterande vägar ökar i snabb takt, och dessa har potential att tillgodose behoven hos såväl människor i behov av skydd som mottagarsamhällen.

12.11.2021 | I ett forskningsprojekt som beställts av statsrådet har utretts vilka kompletterande migrationsvägar det finns för personer som är i behov av internationellt skydd. Särskilt fokus lades på arbets- och studiebaserade vägar. Antalet program för kompletterande vägar ökar i snabb takt, och dessa har potential att tillgodose behoven hos såväl människor i behov av skydd som mottagarsamhällen.

12.11.2021 | På initiativ av inrikesministeriet lät statsrådet göra en undersökning där man utredde vilka kompletterande migrationsvägar det finns i olika länder för personer som är i behov av internationellt skydd. Fokus låg på vägar som baserar sig på arbete och studier. Forskningsinformation stöder Finlands överväganden av behovet av migrationsvägar och EU:s ansträngningar för att finna nya lösningar.

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...

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 ...

23.2.2021 | I ett forskningsprojekt som beställts av statsrådet utreds hurdana kompletterande migrationsvägar olika länder har för personer som vistas utomlands och som är i behov av internationellt skydd. Särskild fokus ligger på vägar som baserar sig på arbete och studier. Den internationella jämförelsen kan bidra till att stödja såväl Finlands tankar om behovet av kompletterande vägar som det internationella samfundets strävanden efter nya lösningar.

6.11.2019 | Ett seminarium om säkerhetsforskning samlar den 6–7 november i Helsingfors internationella experter inom säkerhetsbranschen för diskussion av säkerhetsforskningens nuläge och utmaningar i Europa. Seminariet är ett sidoevenemang till Finlands EU-ordförandeskap och arrangeras av inrikesministeriet tillsammans med Europeiska kommissionen. Inrikesminister Maria Ohisalo är huvudtalare vid seminariet.

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...

4.10.2019 | En tredjedel av de kommunala beslutsfattarna och närmare hälften av riksdagsledamöterna eller deras assistenter har blivit utsatta för hatretorik på grund av sina förtroende- eller tjänsteuppdrag. Dessutom bedömer två av tre beslutsfattare att hatretorik i den offentliga debatten har ökat under de senaste åren. Uppgifterna framgår av en färsk studie.