Babys feet in Helsinki. Photo: Irene Stachon / Lehtikuva
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Immigration to Finland declined in the first three months of 2025, while the birth rate held steady and the population grew fastest in the Helsinki and Tampere regions, according to new figures from Statistics Finland.
Between January and March, immigration fell by about 2,700 people compared to the same period in 2024. Chief actuary Joonas Toivola said the drop is largely due to fewer Ukrainians arriving.
Finland offers temporary protection to Ukrainians fleeing the war, and that protection has been extended until March 2026.
Adjusting for Ukrainians, immigration from other countries also dropped by around 2,600 people. The largest increase in immigration was from Myanmar, where arrivals rose by nearly 150 compared to the start of last year. Finland’s Foreign Ministry has cited Myanmar’s worsening humanitarian crisis, intensified by a major earthquake in March, as a driver of displacement.
The birth rate, which has been declining for years, appears to have stabilised. In the first quarter of 2025, 10,852 children were born in Finland, an increase of 11 compared to the same period last year.
Despite the slight increase in births, deaths continued to outpace them. A total of 15,123 people died in the first quarter, though this was 140 fewer than a year ago.
Uusimaa, which includes the capital Helsinki, recorded the largest population increase, growing by nearly 5,000 people. Pirkanmaa, home to Tampere, added about 700 residents, while Lapland grew by just under 200.
In contrast, eastern regions saw a decline. South Savo and North Karelia both lost around 300 inhabitants each.
Statistics Finland estimates the total population at the end of March was 5,640,437. However, it cautions that last autumn’s revision of national figures, which lowered the total population by nearly 4,000, shows that adjustments are sometimes necessary.
HT
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Source: www.helsinkitimes.fi
