Finland to rise refugee quota to 1,500 next year

The government proposed that Finland’s refugee quota for 2022 be increased to 1,500, due to the situation in Afghanistan, said the Ministry of the Interior in a press release on Thursday.

In accordance with an earlier decision, Finland had prepared to receive 1,050 quota refugees in 2022.

The government proposed an appropriation of EUR 1.1 million in the supplementary budget proposal for increasing the refugee quota.

A total of 661 quota refugees arrived in Finland in 2020, according to the Finnish Immigration Services (Migri).

Finland’s refugee quota for 2019 was 850. The country accepted 730 quota refugees in 2020.

A significantly smaller number than the stipulated one of quota refugees arrived in Finland last year, as the refugee selection process was hampered due to the coronavirus outbreak across the world.

Under the refugee quota, Finland admits persons who have been recognised as refugees by the UNHCR and who have been submitted for resettlement by the UNHCR. The Finnish authorities select the quota refugees to be admitted to Finland on the basis of a submission by the UNHCR.

The resettlement of quota refugees is the most effective way of helping refugees in severe distress, since their need for protection is assessed before they arrive in Finland. Finland has resettled quota refugees since the 1970s. A lot of work has been done to successfully integrate new arrivals in Finnish society.

Along with the European Commission, Finland has also encouraged other EU member states to get involved in resettlement of refugees.

The European Commission allocates funds from the EU’s Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund (AMIF) to support resettlement. The member states participating in the resettlement programme receive financial assistance from the fund based on the number of the resettled persons.

The member states receive a lump sum of EUR 6,000 or 10,000 for every person resettled depending on the country of origin or the urgency of resettlement.

In Finland, this money is used for supporting integration of refugees and their placement in municipalities, and for improving the processes of authorities involved in resettlement.

Finland received a lump sum of EUR 10,000 for every refugee resettled under the refugee quota for 2019.