Migration in Greater Helsinki makes record last year

The combined total net migration of municipalities in Greater Helsinki was 13,867 persons in 2019, according to Statistics Finland. The number is the highest in at least 50 years.

The total net migration includes migration gain from elsewhere in Finland and from abroad. Foreign-language speakers accounted for 71 per cent of the total net migration in Greater Helsinki.

Finland’s migration gain from abroad grew in 2019 by around one-third compared with that in the previous year. The migration gain rose to 15,495 from 11,965 persons in the year before.

The reason for the higher migration gain was an increase in immigration and a decrease in emigration. In 2019, altogether 32,758 persons moved to Finland from abroad and 17,263 persons moved abroad from Finland.

The number of persons that moved to Finland from abroad grew by 1,652 year on year. 24,178 or 74 per cent of the immigrants in 2019 were foreign citizens.

Emigration from Finland in the year decreased by 1,878 persons or 10 per cent from the previous year. Fifty-eight per cent or 10,036 of the emigrants were Finnish citizens.

Finland’s migration gain from foreign citizens amounted to 16,951 persons, but Finnish citizens generated a migration loss of 1,456 persons.

In 2019, Finland’s migration gain consisted almost completely of immigrants from outside the EU. Immigration from non-EU countries grew by around 2,000 from that in the previous year, while immigration from EU countries remained almost at the same level. Net immigration from countries outside the EU grew to 14,289 from the previous year's 12,733.

The immigration gain was largest in Russian citizens, 1,787 immigrants or the second largest was in Iraqi citizens– 1,182 immigrants. The third most immigration gain to Finland came from Indian citizens– 1,078 immigrants.

In intermunicipal migration, the region of Uusimaa received 8,114 persons in migration gain from the rest of Finland. The number is the biggest since 1999. Foreign-language speakers in Finland concentrate on Uusimaa, as nearly one-half of the migration gain seen by Uusimaa from the rest of Finland comprised of foreign-language speakers.

In addition to Uusimaa, only Pirkanmaa (1,872 persons) and Southwest Finland (887 persons) received migration gain from elsewhere in Finland.

Vantaa (3,033 persons) and Espoo (2,535 persons) received the largest migration gain from intermunicipal migration. Two-thirds of the migration gain in Vantaa and one-half of the migration gain in Espoo were foreign-language speakers.

Examined in relative terms, Sipoo, Kempele and Kauniainen received the most migration gain. Only around every sixth municipality received migration gain from migration within Finland.

Of the regions, Kymenlaakso, South Savo, Satakunta and Ostrobothnia suffered migration loss of over one thousand persons to the rest of Finland. Examined in relative terms, migration loss was biggest in the regions of South Savo and Kymenlaakso.

Migration losses from intermunicipal migration were biggest in Kouvola (639 persons) and Mikkeli (610 persons). The migration loss of Kotka was 546 persons.

Examined in relative terms, migration loss was the biggest in the municipalities of Punkalaidun, Honkajoki, and Uurainen.