One of the first choices a person makes when moving to a country is whether they want to primarily integrate in Finnish or Swedish. The choice of language determines, among other things, which language the person will use to participate in integration services and which language learning will be the focus of the services.
Finland is officially a bilingual country, where both Finnish and Swedish are national languages. Swedish is also a minority language, the status of which is protected by legislation.
Swedish-language integration services are primarily available in Swedish-speaking and bilingual areas, while Finnish-language services are widely available throughout the country. In some areas, it may also be possible to participate in bilingual services.
The choice of language is registered in connection with the assessment of integration skills and service needs, individually according to the person's needs and wishes. When considering the choice, the benefits of different languages can be examined in light of, for example, background factors, future plans and family situation.
Background factors and previous language skills
Previous countries of residence and language skills can influence the choice of language. For example:
- Has the person previously lived in another Nordic country?
- Does he/she know Swedish or other Nordic languages?
- Does he/she have knowledge of Indo-European languages, such as English, German or French?
If the person already has a basic command of Swedish, it may be natural to continue learning it and take advantage of a Swedish-language education path. On the other hand, if the goal is to expand language skills, learning Finnish may be justified.
Family language choice
A common language within the family supports inclusion and facilitates everyday life, for example in early childhood education, education and healthcare. The mother tongue of a potential spouse and the language of early childhood education or education of the children can influence the language choice of the entire family.
Especially from the perspective of supporting children's schooling, it may be justified for all family members to learn and use the same language.
Place of residence
The language environment of the place of residence and the regional service offering also influence the choice of language for integration. In areas where Swedish is the majority language, learning Swedish can support everyday fluency and inclusion in the local community, but also in bilingual areas, you can take advantage of the Swedish-language service offering, from public services to leisure activities.
Future plans and service offerings
When choosing a language for integration, it is worth considering long-term plans, such as a person's educational and career goals. Your own goals can be viewed in relation to the service offerings, educational paths, and the opportunities and demands of working life.
In Finland, it is possible to study in Swedish from comprehensive school to university degree, but there are large regional differences in the educational offerings in the country.
The Swedish-speaking labor market is narrower than the Finnish-speaking one, but Swedish language skills may open doors to Nordic cooperation and the international labor market.
Choosing a language may seem like a significant decision at the time, but it does not have to determine the rest of your life. As your life situation or goals change, new opportunities may open up to make another language a part of your everyday life – sometimes gradually, at your own pace.
Read more:
Integration in Swedish
National Language Strategy (in Finnish)
Ministry of Justice brochure on linguistic rights
Swedish as an Integration Language brochure (in Finnish)
