Background information

Due to Russia's war in Ukraine and the wave of people fleeing the war, the government of Finland proposed an amendment to the Act on the Promotion of Immigrant Integration 1386/2010 [Laki kotoutumisen edistämisestä]. The amendment would allow the state to reimburse municipalities for the cost of services provided to Ukrainian refugees arriving in Finland under the EU Directive on Temporary Protection 2001/55/EC as beneficiaries of international protection. The expectations of the municipalities and other authorities to provide services will increase once Ukrainian refugees who are under the Directive of Temporary Protection have been in the country for a full year.

Content of measure

Those arriving in Finland under the Directive on Temporary Protection are covered by reception facilities, since they do not have a home municipality in Finland. In the spring of 2023, Ukrainians who have been in Finland for a full year can register a home municipality.

However, the current legal framework does not allow for the state to compensate municipalities and welfare regions for services provided to beneficiaries of temporary protection. The change in the legal framework is needed to allow municipalities to receive reimbursement for the cost of services provided to Ukrainians who have international protection status.

The measure also proposes that unaccompanied minors granted temporary protection should receive housing and support services in the same way as unaccompanied minors who are quota refugees or beneficiaries of international protection, and that the costs should be reimbursed to the municipality and the welfare region.

The proposed amendment is connected to the fiscal budget of 2023 and is to be discussed in connection to the budget. Thus, no costs estimates have yet been announced. In the 2022 budget, the state had earmarked €157 million in support for the municipalities’ integration measures.

Use of measure

Around 29,000 persons fleeing the war of aggression have applied for temporary protection in Finland. By the end of this year, the Ministry of the Interior estimates that between 40,000 and 80,000 persons have arrived in Finland from Ukraine. The government estimates that a 18,667 will apply for a home municipality.

In March 2023, new estimates by the Ministry of the Interior state, that two thirds of all Ukrainians who have arrived in Finland under temporary protection, will stay in Finland and receive a home municipality. This would mean that a maximum of around 52,000 Ukrainians would apply for a home municipality. About 2,000 people had received a home municipality during March 2023.

By the end of June 2023, the Finnish Immigration Service has received 58,282 applications for temporary protection.

Target groups

Workers	Businesses	Citizens
Does not apply to workers	Does not apply to businesses	Migrants or refugees

Actors and funding

Actors	Funding
National government	National funds

Social partners

Social partners' role in designing the measure and form of involvement:

	Trade unions	Employers' organisations
Role	Consulted	Consulted
Form	Direct consultation outside a formal body	Direct consultation outside a formal body

Social partners' role in the implementation, monitoring and assessment phase:

• Social partners jointly
• Main level of involvement: Sectoral or branch level

Involvement

Both trade unions and employer's organisations on peak level and sectoral level have been invited to participate in the consultation round.

Views and reactions

Both the Finnish confederation of Industries (EK) and the Central Organisation of Finnish Trade Unions (SAK) have welcomed and expressed support for the government’s proposal.

Sources

• 30 May 2022: Government proposal: Act on Immigrant Integration (Hallituksen esitys eduskunnalle laiksi kotoutumisen edistämisestä annetun lain muuttamisesta) (www.eduskunta.fi)
• 01 July 2022: Amendments to the Act on Immigrant Integration are proposed (Kotoutumislakiin esitetään muutoksia, jotta Ukrainasta paenneiden palvelut voidaan turvata) (tem.fi)
• 08 August 2022: Round of consultations: Act on Immigrant Integration (Kotoutumislain lausuntokierros) (www.lausuntopalvelu.fi)
• 11 November 2022: Parliament response to the government proposal (Eduskunnan vastaus) (www.parliament.fi)
• 22 December 2022: Työ- ja elinkeinoministeriö (2022), 'Ohje kotoutumislain mukaisten kustannusten korvaamisesta kunnille ja hyvinvointialueille' (kotoutuminen.fi)