Amendments proposed to new Integration Act
Amendments to the Integration Act, which will enter into force in 2025, are circulated for comments until 24 October 2024. The amendments aim to strengthen public finances. They would concern specified government transfers to municipalities and municipalities' obligations, for example to draw up multi-sectoral and family integration plans.
In future, the cost of providing basic social assistance under the Integration Act would not be reimbursed. The proposal would increase municipalities' incentives to promote the employment of migrants. Meanwhile, supplementary and preventive social assistance paid by the wellbeing services counties and Åland would be reimbursed for one year instead of current three years.
Municipalities would have fewer tasks
Because municipalities and wellbeing services counties would receive fewer imputed specified transfers in future, their tasks would be reduced. The responsibility of municipalities and wellbeing services counties to plan, develop and monitor the promotion of integration would be reduced. The obligation of municipalities and wellbeing services counties to draw up a multi-sectoral assessment of skills and service needs related to integration and a multi-sectoral integration plan, and the obligation of municipalities to draw up a family integration plan would be repealed from the Integration Act.
The proposal aims to achieve the savings target set in the government session on spending limits and the government budget session.
The proposal is circulated for comments from 26 September to 24 October 2024. Comments can be submitted in the Lausuntopalvelu.fi service. The Swedish-language government proposal will be sent out for comments later. Information on that proposal will be updated at Lausuntopalvelu.fi. The proposal now being circulated for comments replaces the proposal on amending the Integration Act circulated for comments in summer 2024.
The government proposal is due to be submitted during the autumn session 2024. The amendments would enter into force on 1 January 2025.
More information:
Press release of the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment 26 September 2024: Proposal to cut integration spending sent out for comment