Government proposal to Parliament for an Act on the Promotion of Immigrant Integration
TEM100:00/2019 Statute drafting
The Act on the Promotion of Immigrant Integration will be reformed (KOTO24) to take into account parliamentary requirements and the changed operating environment.
Basic information Completed
Project number TEM100:00/2019
Case numbers VN/31974/2021
Set by Ministry of Employment and the Economy
Task class Preparation of a government proposal
Term/schedule 1.11.2021 – 31.12.2024
Date of appointment
Law drafting
- 1
Under preparation
Adopted in the plan for the session period on 31.1.2022 - 2
Estimated week of presentation
Original estimated week of presentation 37/2022Estimated new week of presentation 40/2022 - 3
Submitted to Parliament
6.10.2022HE 208/2022 Information on parliamentary proceedings - 4
Current stage: Statute adopted
Parliamentary reply EV 335/2022
Minister in chargeMinister of Labour Haatainen
- Processed by: Advisory Committee on Local Government Finances and Administration
Goals and results
The aim is to reform the Act on the Promotion of Immigrant Integration. The Act aims to improve immigrants’ employment, capacities to support their employment, language skills and participation in society. Another objective is to promote gender equality, non-discrimination and positive interaction between different population groups.
The reform seeks to strengthen the integration of immigrants who are outside the labour force. In particular, the inclusion of immigrant women in society would support the wellbeing and integration of children and the entire family. In addition, the objective of the reform is to clarify the responsibilities of different operators, reinforce multidisciplinary cooperation and cooperation with organisations and employers, and update the Act on the Promotion of Immigrant Integration to meet the needs for change resulting from the transfers of public administration tasks.
Starting points
The current Act on the Promotion of Immigrant Integration needs to be reformed to meet the parliamentary requirements for the promotion of immigrant integration. Parliament has required faster integration (including a shorter integration period) and more effective measures that start when the immigrant arrives in Finland.
Parliament has also required that the overall responsibility for integration services be transferred to municipalities, while taking into account that integration services must be sufficiently available outside growth centres too. Parliament has also underlined the importance of promoting the employment of women with immigrant backgrounds, improving the quality of language studies and the language test, considering the needs of companies, and increasing the role of the third sector and liberal adult education. The purpose of the legislative reform is to take account of these and other observations based on Parliament’s report.
In addition, several changes have taken place or will soon occur in the operating environment that will have an impact on the authorities’ responsibilities in the promotion of integration. The transfer of health and social services to the wellbeing services counties and the pending transfer of employment services from TE Offices to municipalities will also require coordination with the Act on the Promotion of Immigrant Integration.
The Act on the Promotion of Immigrant Integration is proposed to be repealed by the new Act on the Promotion of Immigrant Integration.
The proposal aims to achieve a number of benefits, such as faster and more effective promotion of integration, more individualised and target-oriented integration plans, and clarification of the responsibilities of different actors. From the immigrant’s perspective, the benefits would include a more needs-based and competence-based service package, in which the immigrant would agree on participation with the municipality. Particular attention will be paid to the needs of those who have been granted international protection, unaccompanied minors and other particularly vulnerable immigrants. Another aim is to emphasise the role of the third sector, such as organisations, in promoting integration.
A government bill to Parliament for an Act on Promotion of Integration and related Acts (HE 208/2022 vp) was submitted to Parliament on 6 October 2022. The Acts will enter into force on 1 January 2025 together with the Act on the Transfer of Employment Services to the Local Level (Governance Proposal to Parliament for legislation on the reorganisation of public employment and business services, HE 207/2022 vp).
Setting-up and organisation
-
27.5.2022
Ungrouped
Person
Role, Term
Brandt, Nea
Erityisasiantuntija
Ministry of Employment and the Economy
Role: Project contact person
1.11.2021 – 31.12.2024
Sinkkonen, Mira
Johtava asiantuntija
Ministry of Employment and the Economy
Role: Project contact person
1.11.2021 – 31.12.2024
Read more
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New Act on the Promotion of Immigrant Integration would speed up integration and employment of immigrants – Consultation round begins
Transfer of responsibility for health and social services to wellbeing services counties requires legislative amendments – Proposals to promote employment and integration to be sent out for comments
Report: Integration programmes increase cooperation but need more targets
Developing and statute drafting in the Government
The ministries implement the Government Programme, draft acts and other statutes, and promote reforms through different kinds of projects, working groups and bodies. Information on all this is available on the Government website.
All ministries' projects are available on the Government website valtioneuvosto.fi/en/projects