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Like in many other European countries, immigration to Finland has increased in recent years. The Ukrainian refugee crisis and increasing migration from the rest of the world are explanatory factors behind the increased immigration in Europe.
According to the European Union Agency for Asylum (EUAA) the number of submitted asylum applications to European countries has increased, with most asylum applicants coming from Syria, Afghanistan, Türkiye or Venezuela.
Among the European countries, Germany, Spain, France and Italy receive
the highest number of applications. Despite the fact that many of the more populous European countries are more popular destinations among immigrants, immigration to Finland has also continued to increase.
Here are seven basic facts about immigration in Finland:
- According to the preliminary population statistics, the immigrant population in the country grew by nearly 72,000 people in 2023. The pull-factors of Finland as a destination country are mostly based on work or education opportunities and family reasons. According to the Finnish Immigration Service, interest in Finland’s education system is growing. The most student residence applicants were from China, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, India and Pakistan in 2023.
- Last year in 2023, the majority of non-EU nationality work permit applicants were Russians, Filipinos, Indians and Chinese. Among EU countries, Estonians, Romanians and Latvians migrated most to Finland for work. Labour-based immigration decreased slightly last year compared to 2022. Especially in the social and health sector, many foreign workers are recruited in Finland due to labour shortages in the sector.
- Although the number of asylum seekers in Europe has increased, there has been no significant increase in asylum applications in Finland. Most asylum seekers were from Somalia, Russia, Afghanistan, Türkiye and Iran in 2023. Ukrainians can apply for temporary protection in Finland instead of asylum.Tens of thousands of Ukrainians have applied for temporary protection in Finland since the war in Russia began. By the beginning of September 2023, more than 60,000 Ukrainians had applied for temporary protection in Finland.
- The old-age dependency ratio in Finland weakens more quickly compared to other Nordic countries and many European countries and the working-age population is decreasing. The population is currently growing only due to immigration. According to the Ministry of the Interior, Finland currently invests in labour migration and develops labour migration in different ways to better meet demand for labour in the country.
- Although there are labour shortages in some sectors, migrants often face difficulties in finding employment in Finland and migrant women are less likely to gain employment than men. It is important that migrants receive support and guidance as they integrate into their new country and overcome linguistic and cultural barriers. Both the public and private sectors in Finland are trying to promote the integration of migrants, for example through language and labour market training.
- In addition to job and education opportunities, migrants may value the fact that Finland consistently ranks highly in global quality of life indexes due to factors such as its strong social welfare and health care system and low crime rates.
- Many migrants find it difficult to adjust to the colder climate in Finland, but one of the things they appreciate most is Finnish nature – even though most migrants live in urban areas. Natural areas are always close by in Finland and it is possible to find elements of nature in the middle of a Finnish city. Fishing, boating, hiking, berry picking – just a few nature-related leisure activities that can help a migrant integrate into Finland. Finland is regularly rated one of the most environmentally-friendly nations in the world. Everyman’s right enables everyone to enjoy outdoor pursuits regardless of who owns or controls the land in the country.
