The four-party alliance government led by conservative Kansallinen Kokoomus (National Coalition Party-NCP) has taken another initiative to further tighten integration rules for the immigrants.
The government on Thursday submitted a proposal on the reform of integration services to Parliament, said an official press release.
The reform will increase immigrants’ responsibility for their own integration and make the system more binding, said the government.
The amendments would enter into force on 1 January 2027.
“Integration is based on learning the language, working, and becoming familiar with Finnish society and complying with its rules. The Government is clarifying the integration system and strengthening immigrants’ responsibility for their own integration, while also making better use of funding and applying savings of over EUR 46 million,” said Minister of the Interior Mari Rantanen in the press release.
According to the proposal, immigrants would have a stronger obligation to advance their own integration and employment by seeking access to and accepting services. They would also be required to take part in an assessment of skills and the need for integration services.
If immigrants do not comply with their integration plan, their eligibility for unemployment benefits could be restricted or social assistance reduced.
The labour market focus of integration would be improved by merging integration training and literacy training with labour market training.
The proposal implements the government spending cut programme concerning savings in integration.
Together with a later amendment to a government decree, the proposal would generate total savings of EUR 46.8 million in 2027.
The government tightened the immigration policy despite strong protest by different groups.
Separate demonstrations were held in Helsinki on June 27, 2023 and June 18,2023 protesting against the immigration policy taken by the government.
