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

The purpose of the Integration Act is to support and promote integration and make it easier for immigrants to play an active role in Finnish society. Another purpose of the Act is to promote equality, non-discrimination and positive interaction between different population groups. The Act applies to persons who have a valid residence permit, whose right of residence has been registered or who have been issued with a residence card under the Aliens Act.  The Act also applies to unaccompanied minors who have been granted Finnish citizenship. The act does not apply to asylum seekers.

The services and measures laid down in the Act support immigrant integration and employment

Especially in the early stages of their stay in Finland, immigrants are offered measures and services that promote and support integration and employment, such as integration training and multilingual civic orientation, as part of the municipal integration programme. In addition, immigrants are offered information about society, the service and education system, work-life and the rights and obligations of immigrants in Finland.

Integration services are offered on the basis of the immigrants’ individual service needs. 

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 authorities and wellbeing services counties, 
  • ministries,
  • the Development and Administration Centre (KEHA Centre)
  • Centres for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment (ELY Centres)
  • Regional State Administrative Agencies, and
  • the National Supervisory Authority for Welfare and Health (Valvira)

in the promotion of immigrant integration.

Reform of the Act on the Promotion of Immigrant Integration

The Integration Act entered into force on 1 January 2025 and repealed the Integration Act that entered into force in 2011.

Further information: Nea Brandt

Kotoutuminen.fi provides information on the application of the Act

You can read more about the application of the Act at the Kotoutuminen.fi website. The Kotoutuminen.fi website contains up-to-date information about the application of the Act for those involved in integration work and for parties offering measures promoting integration.

Further information: Helena Torkko