Migri to close down 7 refugee centres in 2020
Published : 25 Jun 2020, 02:03
Updated : 25 Jun 2020, 10:00
The Finnish Immigration Service (Migri) will end the contracts of seven refugee reception centres and reduce the capacity of three reception centres by the end of this year, said a Migri press release.
This year, the number of asylum seekers arriving in Finland is about half compared to that of last year. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, new asylum applications to Finland have reduced to a trickle.
Despite the low number of applications, the Migri has not decided on any fresh shutdown of units. The reception system prepared against the coronavirus pandemic by converting unused rooms into facilities for quarantine and social isolation.
“Generally speaking, all current reception centres have handled the response to the pandemic well. The centres have also been able to prevent the spread of the virus and have performed commendably under difficult circumstances,” said Migri Reception Unit Director Pekka Nuutinen.
Due to the coronavirus, occupancy rate at reception centres is currently considerably below the target level of 90 per cent.
The Finnish Immigration Service estimates that by the end of the year, the centres will have a total of approximately 1,400 vacant beds.
The seven reception centres that will be closed down are Jämsä Reception Centre with 170 beds to be closed down by the end of September, Kemi Reception Centre with 200 beds, Lieksa Reception Centre with 150 beds, Siilinjärvi Reception Centre with 200 beds, Mänttä-Vilppula Reception Centre with 200 beds, Punkalaidun Reception Centre with 150 beds, and Hanko Reception Centre with 150 beds to be closed down by the end of December.
The authority will also reduce the accommodation capacity of Rovaniemi Reception Centre from 200 beds to 132 beds by the end of September, of Kristiinankaupunki Reception Centre and Tampere Reception Centre from 200 to 150 beds.
Finland currently has 40 reception centres.