“Short-sighted decisions” – integration cuts undermine immigrant employment
The government cut additional €30 million from the immigration integration support. Experts warn that the decision will directly weaken immigrants’ job prospects. Finland’s employment growth in this century has relied on immigration, reminds Kuntaliitto.
Green MP Inka Hopsu criticizes the government for cutting €30 million from integration support, arguing the move will harm immigrants’ chances of finding work.
“The tough rhetoric from government parties on immigration is also reflected in short-sighted decisions,” Hopsu says. “The additional cuts to the municipal integration compensation, which were now agreed in the budget talks, will further weaken language and employment training. That, in turn, reduces immigrants’ opportunities to enter the labor market. What we need is more language education and a clear guarantee that everyone has the chance to work.”
Since the beginning of 2025, municipalities have held the main responsibility for integration services. The government insists the cuts will not affect these efforts, but Maija Niskavirta, an expert at Kuntaliitto (Association of Finnish Local and Regional Authorities), is skeptical.
“Even if the reductions target, for example, compensation for those receiving international protection, they still impact both integration services and municipal finances overall. Cutting one stream of funding creates pressure elsewhere. It may mean longer queues for other services or force municipalities to prioritize which services they can provide,” Niskavirta notes.
According to the association, two-thirds of the compensation under the Integration Act this year will be paid for people who fled Ukraine after Russia’s invasion. Ukrainians are currently the largest group arriving in Finland, many of them of working age and with good potential to join the labor market. Their biggest barrier is language skills – precisely the area most affected by the government’s cuts.
The government justifies the reductions by saying municipalities’ responsibilities are being lightened. Kuntaliitto chair Mikko Härkönen disagrees.
“There isn’t much to lighten. Integration should not be weakened, but strengthened,” Härkönen says.
Hardline government voices have repeatedly argued that immigrants should manage their integration on their own. Niskavirta counters that the process requires effort from both sides.
“Integration happens through interaction between the newcomer and society, and it requires mutual engagement. Early-stage integration services are vital entry points that allow immigrants to become part of society.”
The association also stresses that Finland’s employment growth in this century has relied on immigration.
