IMMIGRANTS AND ESF IN FINLAND Sirpa Liljeström Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment ESF Committee Brussels 12.10.2016

Immigration and Integration Authorities * Overall immigration policy * Legislation on entry & exit * Residence of foreigners * International protection * Resettlement program Legislation: Aliens’ Act (2003) and Act on the Reception of Persons Seeking International Protection (2011) Integration policy Employment services Coordination of integration measures Municipality placement Guidance of ELY Centres Legislation: Act on Integration (2010) ELY CENTRES Regional agencies MIGRI Finnish Immigration Service Reception Centres Employment Offices

Number of Asylum Seekers in Finland 2010 – 11.9.2016 Estimation: 10 000 * 1.1.-11.9.2016

Top five nationalities among asylum seekers in 2015 http://www.migri.fi/about_us/statistics/statistics_on_asylum_and_refugees

After the Asylym Process Increase of asylum seekers challenges our integration processes and system to direct refugees to the municipalities → Around 10 000 municipality places for refugees needed → 60 % increase in demand of integration services in local level → Competence and sufficiency of the staff → Housing!!! → Sufficiency of integration training; paths to education and employment Frustration, segration, homelessness, exclusion, radicalization, terrorism, lack of skills, racism, violence, ethnic confilicts, poverty, discrimination Investing in integration is worth doing and pays back!

Integration Services and Guidance Bringing services where the clients are Work-based integration training, More on-the-job-training/ internship programs, Language training at work place Individual guidance in searching jobs Mentoring; support from the civil society Piloting new models of employment, strengthening the partnership with labour market parties

Government integration programme outlines areas of focus for integration in the coming years 1. Using immigrants' cultural strengths to enhance Finnish innovation capacity Utilise the knowledge and skills of trained immigrants and to promote career advancement in Finnish labour market, business growth, and internationalisation. 2. Enhancing integration through cross-sectoral measures Equip people with the required resources for continued training and working life. Ensure the provision of multi-professional support. Support immigrants’ participation in leisure activities.

Government integration programme outlines areas of focus for integration in the coming years 3. Increasing cooperation between the State and municipalities in the reception of beneficiaries of international protection Placement into municipalities of quota refugees and asylum seekers that have received a residence permit takes place within two months of notification of the granting of the residence permit, and that the integration process begins immediately. 4. Promoting a humane national discussion culture that will not tolerate racism Discussion about immigration be carried out openly and in a manner that respects human dignity. Official forums for dialogue between authorities and immigrants.

Examples of tools to help the work…..

MAP of different stakeholders working with immigrants in Finland

information about Finland Examples of links to material which can be used free of charge to study Finnish and acquire information about Finland Finnish language http://www.internetpolyglot.com/lessons-fi-en (36 different languages) http://moninet.rovala.fi/Suomeksi/Maahanmuuttajille/Suomen-kieli/Netti-opiskelu (links to different pages) http://www.goethe-verlag.com/tests/index1.htm (Finnish language test – different levels in 25 languages) http://h105.it.helsinki.fi/FinnishForForeigners/default.htm (Finnish-English/German/French/Russian) https://www.kotisuomessa.fi/web/guest;jsessionid=AC9130081DCEC94BB10A02D8C3E487F1 (Finnish-Finnish) http://funzi.fi/ http://www.kotouttaminen.fi/files/44011/Oppimateriaalia_kielen_ja_kulttuurin_opetukseen_-_vapaaehtoiset.pdf (material for volunteers) Information about Finland Basic information about Finland (Finnish, Swedish, English, Russian, Estonian, French, Spanish, Thai, Chinese, Arabic, Persian, Somali) http://tem.fi/perustietoa-suomesta Finland in your language Finland på ditt språk, Finland in your language, Финляндия на твоём языке (venäjä), Soome sinu keeles (eesti), La Finlande dans votre langue (ranska), Finland oo ku qoran luqadaada (somali), Finlandia en tu idioma (espanja), Sizin dilinizde Finlandiya (turkki), 用中文介绍芬兰 (kiina), فنلاند به زبان شما (persia), فنلندا بلغتك (arabia) http://www.infopankki.fi/# Guide for employees and entrepreneurs interested in Finland Jobba I Finland, Work in Finland, Soome tööle, Para trabajar en Finlandia, Co pracy w Finlandii, На работу в Финляндию http://tem.fi/suomeen-tyohon Basic information about living in Finland (Finnish, English, French, Arabic, Farsi) http://movingtofinland.fi/fi

cont…..

Of all these EU-instruments the ESF is the most important one so far By 30.6.2016 over 80 ESF-projects supporting integration of immigrants, public funding 40,3 mio € (11 % of all ESF projects) of which   Employment 25,7 mio € Skills 6,9 mio € Inclusion 7,7 mio € 3 700 participants with immigrant, foreign or minority background ESF rules and indicators !

Approximate location of ESF projects supporting immigrants in Finland

Examples of ESF Projects: The food recycling center and waste food restaurant provide meaningful jobs for its participants. Important contribution into reducing food waste and mitigating climate change. Six different nationalities. People far away from the labour market For each participant a personal development and training plan, which aims to finding them their path in the working life. Tasks can be assigned according to their own interests : courier and restaurant services, office work (such as accounting, cash management and IT tasks) Training: hygiene passport course, CV course and language training. The work can be organized with a pair work technique.

List of ESF projects which support integration of immigrants in Finland can be found at www.rakennerahastot.fi/web/en/activities-and-results

Examples of COORDINATION NETWORKS Ministerial working group on migration Handles issues related to compiling and maintaining situational awareness on matters related to asylum seekers and those related to monitoring integration. 9 ministers: Minister of the Interior, Prime Minister, Minister for Foreign Affairs, Minister of Finance, Minister of Local Government and Public Reforms, Minister of Transport and Communications, Minister of Economic Affairs, Minister of Social Affairs and Health, Minister of Justice and Employment  Co-operation group on integration Promotes co-operation and coordinates integration measures Representatives of 9 ministries: Economic Affairs and Employment, Interior, Justice, Foreign Affairs, Education and Culture, Environment, Finance, Social Affairs and Health, Agriculture and Forestry 3 ministries (Interior, Econ&Empl, Agri) , 4 regional IBs, Association of Finnish Local and Regional authorities, Red Cross, RAY… Work on the ground: Regional IBs etc. Contact points for immigration issues 1+1 >2

Some things to think about: Idleness of the asylum seekers in the reception centers – how to support their own eagerness Examples of politicians…. ...and citizens Voluntary work is important in Finland – building bridges, offering leisure acitivities Immigrants to help asylum seekers and other immigrants We need companies to employ asylum seekers and refugees Information on our society to avoid misunderstandigs

THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION sirpa.liljestrom@tem.fi