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RR RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHDA RUEHDBU RUEHDF RUEHFL RUEHIK RUEHKW RUEHLA
RUEHLN RUEHLZ RUEHNP RUEHPOD RUEHROV RUEHSK RUEHSL RUEHSR RUEHVK
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DE RUEHHE #0293/01 2151342
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 031342Z AUG 09 ZDK
FM AMEMBASSY HELSINKI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 5100
INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 HELSINKI 000293 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PINR ECON ELAB SMIG PREL PGOV FI
SUBJECT: FINLAND: Immigration Creates Future Integration 
Concerns 
 
REF:  A)08 STATE 128186  B)HELSINKI 00239  C)HELSINKI 00289 
(D)08 HELSINKI 574 
 
¶1.  (U) Summary:  After a slight lull in 2006 and 2007, 
Finland is experiencing a boom in asylum and refugee 
immigration.  Finland's asylum policies are one of the most 
"accommodating" in the region - more so than neighboring 
Nordic countries.  Yet even with Government of Finland (GoF) 
assistance, integration remains difficult.  Asylum-immigrants 
are culturally different from Finns and usually lack the 
Finnish language skills necessary for employment.  In order 
to address the integration issue, the GOF is taking steps to 
better assist intending immigrants.  The GOF is also 
tightening its asylum policies.  Despite these initial 
efforts, the Finnish public's attitudes towards immigration 
have hardened over the past two years.  Two challenges facing 
Finland's immigration integration policies - 1) an 
increasingly diverse immigrant population and 2) budgetary 
concerns - could make it more difficult to fund and implement 
integration programs, leading to immigrant isolation, 
dissatisfaction, and similar integration problems seen in 
neighboring countries.  End Summary. 
 
Asylum Cases by the Numbers:  A Boomlet 
--------------------------------------- 
¶2.  (U) After a slight lull in 2006 and 2007, Finland is 
experiencing a boom in asylum and refugee immigration. 
Asylum applications have increased by nearly one-third.  In 
2008, the GoF received over 4,000 cases with over 6,000 cases 
expected in 2009.  Main refugee source countries are Somalia, 
Iraq and Afghanistan.  Intending asylum seekers often hear 
about Finland from friends and family already in Finland, and 
it has become common for asylum-seekers to target Finland as 
a final destination. 
 
¶3.  (U) Finland's asylum policies are one of the most 
"accommodating" in the region - more so than neighboring 
Nordic countries.  Ministry of Interior (MOI) officials have 
noted an increased number of Iraqi asylum applications since 
Sweden recently tightened its asylum and immigration 
policies.  In Finland, asylum-seekers are quickly processed 
at a reception centers where they receive financial support 
and are well-cared for until their case is decided. 
 
Integrating into Finland: Harder? 
--------------------------------- 
¶4.  (U) Even with GOF assistance, integration remains 
difficult.  Asylum-immigrants are culturally different from 
Finns and usually lack the Finnish language skills necessary 
for employment.  Authorities worry that immigrants unable to 
learn Finnish and without meaningful employment could be 
marginalized, and turn to criminal or anti-social activities 
(reftel D).  While quota refugees arriving in Finland have 
been better educated than ever before, reports indicate that 
highly trained immigrants do not settle into work life better 
than those with a basic education and may in fact become 
bitter and de-motivated if the jobs available to them do not 
meet their expectations. 
 
Finnish Government Action 
------------------------- 
¶5.  (SBU) In order to address the integration issue, the GOF 
is taking steps to better assist intending immigrants.  For 
example, in early 2009, the Finnish Parliament changed the 
Aliens Act (Finnish immigration law) to offer asylum seekers 
housed in reception facilities a new visa type which allows 
them to look for work rather than remain on social services 
while their cases are under consideration.   In addition, the 
City of Helsinki offers immigrants language and skills 
training through two centers, and limited language courses 
are offered in areas outside Helsinki. 
 
¶6.  (U) The GOF is also tightening its asylum policies.  In 
May 2009, the GOF harmonized their Iraqi immigration policy 
with UNHCR standards, identifying safe areas in Iraq that 
would not qualify an immigrant for asylum.  In its Fall 2009 
session, Parliament will likely debate polices requiring 
accepted asylum-seekers to wait one year before requesting 
residency for family members.  Additionally, family 
reunification would become dependent upon the asylum- 
immigrant's financial ability to support a family.  At the 
local level, the City of Helsinki City works to spread 
subsidized municipal housing throughout the city to avoid 
large clusters of immigrants and thereby encourage more 
integration with local communities. 
 
Finns Remain Uneasy About Immigration 
------------------------------------- 
¶7. (U) Despite these initial efforts, the Finnish public's 
attitudes towards immigration have hardened over the past two 
years.   In March 2009, only 45 percent of the public would 
 
HELSINKI 00000293  002 OF 002 
 
 
welcome an increase in immigration, compared with 56 percent 
as polled in January 2007.  About 44 percent of the 
respondents said they were against an increase in 
immigration, up from some 36 per cent two years ago. 
 
¶8.  (SBU) Comment:  The total population in Finland is about 
5.3 million. The number of immigrants, about 2.7 percent, is 
among the smallest in Europe.  The immigration debate is due to 
reappear in parliamentary sessions in Fall (2009).  Two 
challenges facing Finland's immigration integration policies 
are 1) an increasingly diverse immigrant population and 2) 
budgetary concerns.  As immigrant numbers increase, they will 
have a greater role in determining services for their 
integration.  Since such decisions are reached by consensus 
in Finland, the GOF must really manage perceptions on both 
sides - immigrant and native - to avoid deadlock.  However, 
the current economic situation has pinched budgets making it 
harder to fund robust integration programs, which could lead 
to immigrant isolation, dissatisfaction and similar problems 
seen in neighboring countries.  End comment. 
 
BUTLER