Migri to close down Pudasjärvi refugee centre

The Finnish Immigration Service (Migri) will begin employee cooperation negotiations on Wednesday with the aim of closing down the Pudasjärvi Reception Centre, said a Migri press release.

The cooperation negotiations are based on financial and functional reasons. The appropriations for in 2020 and 2021granted to the Migri have reduced, which requires cutting down on operating costs.

At the same time, the need for receptions centres has diminished as the number of asylum seekers has diminished.

The cooperation negotiations will apply to all nine employees of the Pudasjärvi Reception Centre.

The objective of the negotiations is to discuss the reorganisation of tasks. The employees will be offered a possibility to transfer to the Oulu Reception Centre.

Administratively, the Pudasjärvi Reception Centre is part of the Oulu Reception Centre. The Pudasjärvi Reception Centre has been in operation since 2008.

The Finnish Immigration Service is responsible for two state-run reception centres in Oulu and Joutseno as well as detention units in Helsinki and Joutseno.

Finland currently has 40 reception centres.