Aim of the Act on the Promotion of Immigrant Integration is to ensure equality

The aim of the Act on the Promotion of Immigrant Integration is to make it easier for immigrants to achieve equality with the rest of the population, both in terms of rights and obligations.  The act contains provisions on measures and services that help to achieve this aim. 

The act applies to immigrants that have moved to Finland and that are not Finnish citizens (foreigners and persons with no citizenship). The act does not apply to asylum seekers. 

The services and measures laid down in the act support immigrant integration

Especially during the early stages of their stay in Finland, immigrants are provided with measures and services promoting and supporting integration, such as studies of Finnish or Swedish. Immigrants are also provided with information about Finnish society, Finnish culture and employment and training opportunities.   

Integration services are offered on the basis of the immigrants’ individual service needs and the situation of their families. 

The act lays down the tasks of the different actors

The Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment is responsible for the preparation of integration matters in Finland as laid down in the Act on the Promotion of Immigrant Integration.

The act also lays down the tasks and roles of

  • municipalities, Employment and Economic Development Offices (TE Offices) and wellbeing services counties,
  • ministries,
  • Centres for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment (ELY Centres) and
  • Regional State Administrative Agencies

in the promotion of immigrant integration.

The Act on the Promotion of Immigrant Integration entered into force on 1 September 2011. 

Reform of the Act on the Promotion of Immigrant Integration

The reform of the Integration Act (KOTO24) aims to update the Integration Act to respond to the needs caused by the transfer of official duties. The new Act is intended to enter into force in 2025, simultaneously with the reform of TE services.

More information about the reform at integration.fi

Furher information: Mira Sinkkonen

For more information about the application of the act, see integration.fi

More information on the act is available at the integration.fi-website. The website contains up-to-date information about the application of the act for parties involved in integration and offering measures promoting integration.

Further information: Helena Torkko