Responsibility for preparing the integration plan rests with either the employment authority or the municipality. At the request of the TE Office or the municipality, the wellbeing services county takes part in the preparation and review of the plan also when the immigrant’s service needs call for coordination of the wellbeing services county’s services. The wellbeing services county is invited to join in the preparation and review of the plan by the employment authority or the municipality. The integration plan is prepared in cooperation with the immigrant and support is provided for the customer to take part in planning the promotion of integration and employment from the very outset of planning.
The integration plan is based on the immigrant’s goals and the assessment of the immigrant’s service needs made in the assessment of skills and the need for integration services, as well as on the services and measures by which the immigrant’s integration and employment or entrepreneurship can be promoted.
The integration plan takes into account the immigrant’s individual needs, goals and skills. The content of the plan is influenced by the immigrant’s competencies and education, work experience and other working life skills, age, health status and other personal factors. The aim of individualising plans means that the immigrant’s personal goals, wishes and motivation shall be taken into account.
The content of the plan is also influenced by factors such as the kinds of services and educational and employment opportunities available in the area.
The integration plan provides for:
- the immigrant starting or continuing Finnish or Swedish language studies;
- jobseeking and its goals as well as services in support of jobseeking and promoting employment or entrepreneurship;
- participation in other services promoting integration and health, wellbeing and civic skills;
- participation in third-sector activities;
- guidance and advice.
Integration plans shall include at least services from the municipal integration programme or other services promoting integration and employment, according to individual needs. A key element of integration plans is to agree on multilingual civic orientation and enhancement of Finnish or Swedish language skills as well as occupational and working life skills through integration training or self-motivated studies, for example literacy education or basic education for adults or other similar language studies meeting the needs of the person concerned. When necessary, the integration plan may also provide for instruction in a person’s native language. The employment authority or municipality preparing the integration plan has overall responsibility for ensuring that the services agreed with the immigrant in the integration plan make up a clear package of services promoting integration and employment. In addition, the immigrant shall be referred to services organised by other authorities or to other activities as necessary.
Integration plan prepared in employment services
Integration plans prepared by the employment authorities provide for education and training to promote integration, employment or entrepreneurship as well as jobseeking and its goals along with other services to support the jobseeking and employment of the immigrant. The integration plan also provides for a jobseeking obligation in the manner required under the Act on the Organisation of Employment Services.
The services agreed in the plan are based on the determination of the immigrant’s situation and service needs made in the assessment of skills and the need for integration services (language skills, work experience, competencies and education, other working life skills and civic skills) and on the immigrant’s personal goals, wishes and plans. The determination of service needs based on the assessment may be specified when preparing the integration plan and also at a later date, in the context of the updating of the plan. Monitoring achievement of the plan shall also be agreed in the context of plan preparation.
Integration plans often initially provide for participation in multilingual civic orientation and integration training. After integration training is completed, the employment authority will review the integration plan and update it as necessary. The plan may then provide for services under the Act on the Organisation of Employment Services, for example, that are judged best to support the immigrant’s employment and/or professional development. Updating the plan also provides an opportunity to assess whether the immigrant continues to be in need of services supporting integration or whether the preconditions for employment or entrepreneurship might continue to be strengthened by means of services under the Act on the Organisation of Employment Services and an employment plan.
Further information:
Laki työvoimapalveluiden järjestämisestä
Assessment of skills and the need for integration services
Who is assessed?
