FINLAND: Immigration Creates Future Integration

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 HELSINKI 000293

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PINR ECON ELAB SMIG PREL PGOV FI
SUBJECT: FINLAND: Immigration Creates Future Integration
Concerns

REF: A)08 STATE 128186 B)HELSINKI 00239 C)HELSINKI 00289
(D)08 HELSINKI 574


1. (U) Summary: After a slight lull in 2006 and 2007,
Finland is experiencing a boom in asylum and refugee
immigration. Finland's asylum policies are one of the most
"accommodating" in the region - more so than neighboring
Nordic countries. Yet even with Government of Finland (GoF)
assistance, integration remains difficult. Asylum-immigrants
are culturally different from Finns and usually lack the
Finnish language skills necessary for employment. In order
to address the integration issue, the GOF is taking steps to
better assist intending immigrants. The GOF is also
tightening its asylum policies. Despite these initial
efforts, the Finnish public's attitudes towards immigration
have hardened over the past two years. Two challenges facing
Finland's immigration integration policies - 1) an
increasingly diverse immigrant population and 2) budgetary
concerns - could make it more difficult to fund and implement
integration programs, leading to immigrant isolation,
dissatisfaction, and similar integration problems seen in
neighboring countries. End Summary.

Asylum Cases by the Numbers: A Boomlet
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2. (U) After a slight lull in 2006 and 2007, Finland is
experiencing a boom in asylum and refugee immigration.
Asylum applications have increased by nearly one-third. In
2008, the GoF received over 4,000 cases with over 6,000 cases
expected in 2009. Main refugee source countries are Somalia,
Iraq and Afghanistan. Intending asylum seekers often hear
about Finland from friends and family already in Finland, and
it has become common for asylum-seekers to target Finland as
a final destination.


3. (U) Finland's asylum policies are one of the most
"accommodating" in the region - more so than neighboring
Nordic countries. Ministry of Interior (MOI) officials have
noted an increased number of Iraqi asylum applications since
Sweden recently tightened its asylum and immigration
policies. In Finland, asylum-seekers are quickly processed
at a reception centers where they receive financial support
and are well-cared for until their case is decided.

Integrating into Finland: Harder?
--------------

4. (U) Even with GOF assistance, integration remains
difficult. Asylum-immigrants are culturally different from
Finns and usually lack the Finnish language skills necessary
for employment. Authorities worry that immigrants unable to
learn Finnish and without meaningful employment could be
marginalized, and turn to criminal or anti-social activities
(reftel D). While quota refugees arriving in Finland have
been better educated than ever before, reports indicate that
highly trained immigrants do not settle into work life better
than those with a basic education and may in fact become
bitter and de-motivated if the jobs available to them do not
meet their expectations.

Finnish Government Action
--------------

5. (SBU) In order to address the integration issue, the GOF
is taking steps to better assist intending immigrants. For
example, in early 2009, the Finnish Parliament changed the
Aliens Act (Finnish immigration law) to offer asylum seekers
housed in reception facilities a new visa type which allows
them to look for work rather than remain on social services
while their cases are under consideration. In addition, the
City of Helsinki offers immigrants language and skills
training through two centers, and limited language courses
are offered in areas outside Helsinki.


6. (U) The GOF is also tightening its asylum policies. In
May 2009, the GOF harmonized their Iraqi immigration policy
with UNHCR standards, identifying safe areas in Iraq that
would not qualify an immigrant for asylum. In its Fall 2009
session, Parliament will likely debate polices requiring
accepted asylum-seekers to wait one year before requesting
residency for family members. Additionally, family
reunification would become dependent upon the asylum-
immigrant's financial ability to support a family. At the
local level, the City of Helsinki City works to spread
subsidized municipal housing throughout the city to avoid
large clusters of immigrants and thereby encourage more
integration with local communities.

Finns Remain Uneasy About Immigration
--------------

7. (U) Despite these initial efforts, the Finnish public's
attitudes towards immigration have hardened over the past two
years. In March 2009, only 45 percent of the public would

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welcome an increase in immigration, compared with 56 percent
as polled in January 2007. About 44 percent of the
respondents said they were against an increase in
immigration, up from some 36 per cent two years ago.


8. (SBU) Comment: The total population in Finland is about
5.3 million. The number of immigrants, about 2.7 percent, is
among the smallest in Europe. The immigration debate is due to
reappear in parliamentary sessions in Fall (2009). Two
challenges facing Finland's immigration integration policies
are 1) an increasingly diverse immigrant population and 2)
budgetary concerns. As immigrant numbers increase, they will
have a greater role in determining services for their
integration. Since such decisions are reached by consensus
in Finland, the GOF must really manage perceptions on both
sides - immigrant and native - to avoid deadlock. However,
the current economic situation has pinched budgets making it
harder to fund robust integration programs, which could lead
to immigrant isolation, dissatisfaction and similar problems
seen in neighboring countries. End comment.

BUTLER