KEHA Centre publishes instructions on cost reimbursements under the Integration Act 

The Development and Administrative Services Centre (KEHA Centre) has published new instructions on the reimbursement of costs under the Act on the Promotion of Immigrant Integration (681/2023) to municipalities, wellbeing services counties and Åland’s public healthcare services (Ålands hälso- och sjukvård, ÅSH). The instructions are available on the kotoutuminen.fi website.

The update to the reimbursement instructions is due to the new Integration Act, which entered into force on 1 January 2025. The new Act includes changes to the reimbursement paid by the central government to municipalities and wellbeing services counties. As a result of the comprehensive reform of the Integration Act, the tasks of the KEHA Centre have been extended to cover legal advice on the implementation of the Integration Act as well as other support of those involved in integration matters. Therefore, the responsibility for issuing and updating the reimbursement instructions was transferred from the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment to the KEHA Centre. 

ELY Centres provide guidance to municipalities and wellbeing services counties

The Centres for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment (ELY Centres) provide guidance to the municipalities and wellbeing services counties in their area on how to apply for reimbursements. ELY Centres are responsible for deciding on the reimbursement of the following costs in their area: 

• Reimbursement for preparedness for reception, section 64 
• Specified government transfer for special costs, section 65 
• Reimbursement of costs incurred from services and support measures provided to victims of human trafficking, section 68 
• Reimbursement for organisation of housing or support for unaccompanied minors, section 69 

As ELY Centres are responsible for providing advice to municipalities and wellbeing services counties, they can contact the ELY Centre of their area in questions related to reimbursements.

KEHA Centre is in charge of processing payment applications

The KEHA Centre is responsible for processing payment applications and instructing municipalities and wellbeing services counties on how to apply for payment. You can contact the KEHA Centre concerning payments by email at [email protected]. 

In January, the KEHA Centre organised a webinar for municipalities and wellbeing services counties to provide information on the reimbursements and their payment under the Integration Act. The recording and material of the webinar are available at kotoutuminen.fi. Both the reimbursement instructions and the materials from the webinar can also be found at the Tuutti service of the KEHA Centre.  

The reimbursement instructions have been published in Finnish at kotoutuminen.fi. The instructions will also be published in Swedish as soon as possible. The web content on reimbursements will simultaneously be updated at kotoutuminen.fi.

More information:
Instructions on reimbursement of costs to municipalities and wellbeing services counties under the Integration Act (681/2023)
Integration experts at KEHA Centre: [email protected]
Payment of reimbursements at KEHA Centre: [email protected]
Webinar materials of 24 January 2025 at kotoutuminen.fi