People at the Puhos shopping centre in Helsinki. Photo: Emmi Korhonen / Lehtikuva
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Finland is one of the most favourable countries in the European Union for migrant integration, according to new findings from the Migration Integration Policy Index (MIPEX). The country scored 84 out of 100, placing it just behind Sweden and ahead of Portugal.
The report, covering the period between 2019 and 2023, assessed policies across eight key areas, including education, labour market, anti-discrimination, permanent residence, health, and political participation. On average, EU countries scored 54, meaning Finland stands well above the European norm.
The index notes that Finland provides strong protections against discrimination and robust security through permanent residence. Migrants also benefit from relatively favourable labour market conditions. Since 2020, measures have expanded access to employment support and recognition of qualifications in line with the EU Single Permit Directive.
Education is another area where Finland has made improvements. The arrival of Ukrainian refugees since 2022 prompted more inclusive measures in schools, including expanded support for foreign pupils and improved access to language instruction. These policies were designed initially to respond to an urgent crisis but have since benefited broader groups of migrant learners.
Despite this, the report points to weaknesses. Political participation remains low, with non-EU citizens having limited opportunities to vote or engage in national decision-making structures. Finland, like many EU countries, has also moved toward stricter naturalisation requirements. Since 2018, policymakers have raised the language and residency thresholds for citizenship applications, potentially making long-term security more difficult for some migrant groups.
In comparison to Eastern EU countries, where average integration scores remain low (44/100 in EU-13 states), Finland’s policies reflect a longer history of immigration and higher levels of political investment in inclusion. Still, the report cautions that progress has stagnated in recent years. Across the EU, integration policies improved by only 0.8 points since 2019, with Finland’s score increasing by just one point.
The report also highlights the contradiction between advances in anti-discrimination protections and restrictions elsewhere, such as family reunification. Although Finland has not experienced the sharpest declines seen in countries like Slovenia or the Netherlands, recent policy debates reflect a broader European trend of tightening conditions for family entry and naturalisation.
Overall, Finland’s high score confirms its position as a leader in migrant integration. Yet the combination of stricter citizenship rules and low political participation for migrants indicates that inclusion is still incomplete.
HT
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Source: www.helsinkitimes.fi
