The new model would mean that people who move to Finland from abroad, but do not yet have a job, would no longer be entitled to the same level of unemployment benefit as other jobseekers.
Finland’s government has submitted to parliament a proposal to introduce a new form of social welfare benefit, specifically for unemployed jobseekers newly arrived in the country.
This general social security benefit, according to a press release from the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment, would be paid as ‘integration assistance’ to unemployed jobseekers who “do not meet the prior work requirement, have lived in Finland for less than three years during the previous ten years and are in need of financial support”.
The new model would essentially mean that people who move to Finland from abroad, but do not yet have employment, would no longer be entitled to the same level of unemployment benefit as other jobseekers — as is currently the case.
The level of integration assistance would instead be slightly lower than that of the general social security benefit, at 33.64 euros per day, which corresponds to roughly 90 percent of the amount received by other jobseekers.
Language skills tied to benefits
Minister of Social Security Sanni Grahn-Laasonen (NCP) noted in a press release that the initiative is aimed at promoting the “integration and employment of immigrants”.
“Finland needs work-based and competence-based immigration, and people who come here must also have realistic opportunities and incentives to find employment. Language skills are central to finding a job,” she said.
The new model would mean that each recipient of integration support would remain at the proposed rate for the first three years of their time in Finland unless they find a job or demonstrate a sufficient level of language skills in either Finnish or Swedish — effectively tying their unemployment benefit to their language skills.
Specialists working in Finland’s integration sector have previously told Yle News that the government’s proposals “raise serious questions concerning equality”.
“The proposal clearly states that it would place recently arrived immigrants, who are not yet integrated into the labour market and who have insufficient command of the national language, in a different position from other unemployed jobseekers,” Suvi Lindén, Head of Migrant and Integration Services for the City of Vantaa, said in January.
The changes come as part of a wider reform of Finland’s social welfare system.
According to Grahn-Laasonen, the government is also planning to “improve integration services and give immigrants a strong right to language training in future”.
This statement however comes in the wake of the government continually cutting back on the funding for integration services during its time in office.
Last year, Yle News’ All Points North podcast asked if Finland is making integration more difficult for foreigners. Listen to the episode via this embedded player, on Yle Areena, via Apple, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.
Is Finland making integration more difficult?
