Municipalities, wellbeing services counties and Åland's public healthcare services can be reimbursed for the costs of a person belonging to the group referred to in section 2, subsections 3 and 4 of the Integration Act. 

Compensation under the Integration Act is paid for the following persons:

1. Quota refugees (Aliens Act, section 90)
2. Persons granted asylum (Aliens Act, section 87)
3. Persons granted subsidiary protection (Aliens Act, section 88)
4. Persons granted temporary protection with a registered municipality of residence (Aliens Act, section 110)
5. Persons issued with a residence permit on a discretionary basis on humanitarian grounds (Aliens Act, section 52)
6. Victims of human trafficking (Aliens Act, section 52a)
7. Persons issued with a residence permit in case of an obstacle to leaving the country (Aliens Act, section 51)
8. Persons issued with a residence permit when exception clauses are applied (Aliens Act, section 89)
9. Persons whom the Government has decided to admit into Finland on special humanitarian grounds or to fulfil international obligations (Aliens Act, section 93)
10. Family members of the persons mentioned above
11. The abovementioned persons who have been issued with an extended licence Aliens Act, section 54)

In addition, wellbeing services counties are compensated for certain costs of volunteers in the Finnish wars.

Costs for persons with Finnish citizenship will not be reimbursed. Victims of human trafficking are an exception to this. Costs for services and support measures provided to them can be reimbursed even if the victim of human trafficking is a Finnish citizen.

Quota refugees

Persons designated as refugees by the UN Refugee Agency UNHCR and other foreign nationals in need of international protection can be relocated to Finland in the refugee quota.

The refugee quota refers to the reception of foreign nationals in need of international protection for resettlement in accordance with the criteria established in the Budget for each year (Aliens Act, section 90).

Persons granted asylum

Foreign nationals residing in the country are granted asylum if they reside outside their home country or country of permanent residence because of a well-founded fear of being persecuted for reasons of ethnic origin, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group or political opinion and if they, because of this fear, are unwilling to avail themselves of the protection of that country. (Aliens Act, section 87). 

Persons granted subsidiary protection 

A foreign national residing in Finland is issued with a residence permit on grounds of subsidiary protection if the conditions for granting asylum under section 87 of the Aliens Act are not met, but the person would face a real risk of serious harm in their home country or permanent country of residence, and they are unable or unwilling to rely on the protection offered by the country in question (Aliens Act, section 88). 

Persons granted temporary protection with a registered municipality of residence

As a result of the war in Ukraine, millions of people have fled the country. The European Union activated the Temporary Protection Directive on 4 March 2022. The purpose of a residence permit issued on the basis of temporary protection is to provide help to people fleeing war. Beneficiaries of temporary protection come under the scope of reception legislation and can be accommodated in a reception centre or private accommodation.

Beneficiaries of temporary protection can be assigned a home municipality if they meet the conditions specified in the Municipality of Residence Act. The majority of those granted temporary protection also meet the conditions for being assigned a home municipality if the period of validity of temporary residence permits granted to them has been extended and they have lived in Finland continuously for at least one year. The customer relationship of beneficiaries of temporary protection who have been assigned a home municipality is transferred from reception centres to municipalities and wellbeing services counties, and reception legislation no longer applies to them. Beneficiaries of temporary protection who have been assigned a home municipality come under the scope of cost compensation as specified in the Integration Act and can be referred to municipal placements in accordance with the Act.

Persons issued with a residence permit on a discretionary basis on humanitarian grounds 

Foreign nationals residing in Finland are issued with a continuous residence permit if refusing such a permit would be manifestly unreasonable with regard to their health, ties to Finland or on a discretionary basis on other humanitarian grounds, particularly in consideration of the circumstances they would face in their home country or of their vulnerable position (Aliens Act, section 52).

Victims of human trafficking

A victim of trafficking in human beings staying in Finland is issued with a temporary residence permit if:

• the residence of the victim of trafficking in human beings in Finland is justified on account of a criminal investigation or court proceedings concerning trafficking in human beings;
• the victim of trafficking in human beings is prepared to cooperate with the authorities in apprehending those suspected of trafficking in human beings; and
• the victim of trafficking in human beings no longer has any ties with those suspected of trafficking in human beings (Aliens Act, section 52a)

If the victim of trafficking in human beings is in a particularly vulnerable position, the residence permit can be issued on a continuous basis.

Persons issued with a residence permit in case of an obstacle to leaving the country 

Foreign nationals residing in Finland are issued with a temporary residence permit if they cannot be returned to their home country or country of permanent residence for temporary reasons of health or their return to their home country or country of permanent residence is not actually possible (Aliens Act, section 51). 

Persons issued with a residence permit when exception clauses are applied 

A temporary residence permit is issued for a maximum of one year at a time to a foreign national who has not been granted asylum on the basis of grounds specified in the Aliens Act (section 87, subsections 2, 3 or 6) or who has not been issued with a residence permit on grounds of subsidiary protection on the basis of the Aliens Act (section 88, subsections 2-4). In the cases mentioned above, a residence permit is only issued if the person cannot be removed from the country because they are under the threat of death penalty, torture, persecution or other treatment violating human dignity (Aliens Act, section 89).

A temporary residence permit is issued for a maximum of one year at a time to a foreign national in Finland whose refugee status or subsidiary protection status has been terminated or cancelled on the basis of the Aliens Act (sections 107 or 108). A residence permit is only granted if the person cannot be removed from the country because they are under the threat of death penalty, torture, persecution or other treatment violating human dignity (Aliens Act, section 89).

Other humanitarian immigration

The Government may decide to admit foreign nationals into Finland on special humanitarian grounds or to fulfil international obligations (Aliens Act, section 93). 

Family members

Municipalities, wellbeing services counties and Åland's public healthcare services are reimbursed for the costs of receiving family members and other relatives of the abovementioned persons referred to in section 2, subsection 3 of the Integration Act and of organising integration services if the family member or other relative was in a family relationship with a person referred to in section 2 subsection 3 of the Integration Act before the person came to Finland. 

Issue of extended permits

A new fixed-term residence permit is issued if the conditions for granting the previous fixed-term residence permit are still met (Aliens Act, section 54). 

More information:
Instructions on the reimbursement of costs under the Act on the Promotion of Immigrant Integration (681/2023) to municipalities and wellbeing services counties (available in Finnish)