Integration of immigrants is a joint effort

Integration of immigrants requires close cooperation between administrative branches and levels of administration at national, regional and local level. Both the public sector and civil society actors are involved in the integration of immigrants.

The Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment is responsible for

  • planning, development and guidance of integration policy and coordination with other policy sectors and the promotion of good relations between population groups
  • integration related legislation
  • monitoring and evaluation of integration policy.

Several nationwide actors

The following actors are responsible for promoting the integration of immigrants in their own administrative branches:

  • Ministry of Education and Culture
  • Ministry of Social Affairs and Health
  • Ministry of the Interior
  • Ministry of Justice
  • Ministry of the Environment
  • Ministry for Foreign Affairs 
  • Finnish Immigration Service
  • Finnish National Agency for Education
  • Advisory Board for Ethnic Relations (ETNO) 
  • Office of the Non-Discrimination Ombudsman.

KEHA Centre supports the skills and competence and monitors the effectiviness of integration

The KEHA Centre is responsible for monitoring and assessing the effectiveness and efficiency of integration. The KEHA Centre supports the skills and competence, development and coordination related to integration and provides legal advice on the implementation of the Act at the national level. The KEHA Centre is also responsible for paying reimbursements for costs under the Integration Act and for tasks related to the information system of integration customers. 

ELY Centres are responsible for promotion of integration and good relations between population groups in regions

At the regional level, the Centres for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment (ELY Centres) are responsible for developing, cooperating, coordinating and monitoring the integration and settling in of immigrants, and for monitoring the availability, quality and effectiveness of the services provided under the Integration Act for municipal integration clients other than those registered as jobseekers. ELY Centres support and advise municipalities and wellbeing services counties in matters related to the promotion of integration. ELY Centres also conclude agreements with municipalities concerning the referral of persons granted international protection into municipalities. 

Together with the wellbeing services counties, ELY Centres agree on the establishment of family group homes intended for unaccompanied minors and are responsible for their guidance and supervision together with the wellbeing services county, the Regional State Administrative Agency, the National Supervisory Authority for Welfare and Health and, if necessary, the Finnish Immigration Service. ELY Centres are responsible for guiding and supervising the activities of the representatives referred to in the Integration Act.   ELY Centres are also tasked with agreeing on the reimbursements laid down in the Integration Act with the municipality or wellbeing services county. 

Municipalities are responsible for integration of immigrants at local level

Municipalities have general and coordination responsibility for planning and developing the integration of immigrants and integration customers and good relations between population groups at the local level. Municipalities should develop the promotion of integration in multi-sectoral cooperation. Municipalities must ensure that the planning and development of integration in the municipality is coordinated with the planning and development of services for which the wellbeing services county is responsible. In its planning, the municipality must take into account the national objectives for integration and the national objectives for the promotion of employment with regard to the integration customers.

The responsibility for organising public employment services was transferred from the state employment and economic development offices to municipalities and municipal co-management areas on 1 January 2025. There are 45 employment areas. The task of the employment authority is to organise public employment services, such as employment services, information, guidance and advice services, coaching, labour market training and transition security training. Public employment services also include expert assessments related to the service process of private customers, experiments under the Act (380/2023), self-motivated studies of jobseekers supported by unemployment benefits, and benefits and compensation granted to employers and private customers.

Civil society actors are partners in the integration process

Many non-governmental organisations and religious communities provide activities and services helping immigrants to integrate into Finnish society. Immigrants living in Finland also have organisations and associations of their own. Participation in the activities of sports clubs and other leisure activities also helps immigrants to integrate into Finnish society. Employers and trade unions also play an important role in promoting diversity in work-life and, therefore, integration.

Further information: Paula Karjalainen, paula.karjalainen(at)gov.fi