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Reform of the Act on the Promotion of Immigrant Integration (KOTO24)

The Act on the Promotion of Immigrant Integration (hereinafter, the Integration Act) aims to strengthen immigrants’ employment, capacity to work and language skills, and to increase their participation in society. Another objective of the Act is to promote equality, non-discrimination and positive interaction between different population groups

The current Integration Act has been amended (comprehensive reform of Integration Act, KOTO24) to meet the requirements of Parliament regarding the promotion of immigrant integration (Report of the Audit Committee) and the changed operating environment. The new Act will replace the current Act with the same name. The new Integration Act (681/2023) will enter into force on 1 January 2025 at the same time as the TE services reform.

The new Integration Act (The Act on Promotion of Immigrant Integration 681/2023) (in Finnish)

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The goals and schedule of the reform of the Integration Act

KOTO24 contents and materials at integration.fi

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Frequently asked questions Frequently asked questions and answers about the comprehensive reform of the Integration Act.
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Actors and tasks The actors defined in the Integration Act and their tasks according to the law from 1 January 2025.
The municipality's integration program consists of services.
Integration program The integration program is a set of services organized by the municipality for the initial phase of integration. The aim of the services of the integration program is to promote the integration, employment or entrepreneurship, skills and working life skills of the immigrant.
Family with a mother, father and two children.
Reaching immigrants outside the labour force In this online material, methods of operation have been compiled, with the help of which immigrants who are outside the labor force would be reached more comprehensively than at present with services that promote integration after the comprehensive reform of the Integration Act.
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Koto-digi Provisions on the use of Koto-digi system services are laid down in the new Integration Act. Koto-digi supports integration customer work, improves data transfer and produces data on integration at the municipal, regional, and national levels.
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Materials to support the implementation of the comprehensive reform of the Integration Act The materials and useful links compiled on the page can support municipalities and other integration and refugee reception actors in the implementation of the comprehensive reform of the Integration Act (KOTO24). (The material will be translated into English soon.)

Materials are added and updated according to need and demand.

News about the reform of the Integration Act

Legislative changes of the comprehensive reform of the Integration Act circulated for comments
19.9.2023 | News item
The Government has proposed amendments to the Act on the Promotion of Immigrant Integration (Integration Act), which will enter into force on 1 January 2025. The aim is that the changes will strengthen general government finances, increase immigrants’ own responsibility for integration and improve the position immigrant mothers. Comments on the Government’s proposed amendments will be accepted until 23 October 2023.
Ministry of Employment to prepare legislative amendments on work-based residence permits
8.9.2023 | News item
The Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment is preparing legislative amendments to clarify the effects of unemployment on valid work-based residence permits. In future, persons with a work-based residence permit will have to leave Finland if their employment relationship ends and no new employment relationship has been concluded within three months.
Comprehensive reform of Integration Act: Municipalities will have a larger role in promoting integration and coordination of services will improve
13.4.2023 | News item
The comprehensive reform of the Integration Act, which will enter into force in 2025, will increase the municipal responsibility for promoting integration and clarify the authorities’ responsibilities and cooperation related to the promotion of integration. It seeks to improve integration and strengthen the inclusion of immigrants in society.

Events related to the comprehensive reform of the Integration Act (KOTO24)

The Centre of Expertise in Immigrant Integration aims to publish all events and training related to the comprehensive reform of the Integration Act (Act on the Promotion of Immigrant Integration), KOTO24, on the Finnish language KOTO24 page and event calendar on the kotoutuminen.fi website, as long as they may be published in a public online service. Some of the events may be limited to specific target groups or areas. Please check the target group and area when you register for an event.

Follow the TE/KOTO24 event page on the Job Market Finland website (in Finnish) and the events organised by the Association of Finnish Local and Regional Authorities (in Finnish).

All events, regardless of the language used at the event, are published in the Finnish language event calendar on the kotoutuminen.fi website. Go to the Finnish language page to browse KOTO24-related events and training.

Read more about this topic (in Finnish)

Reform of the Integration Act – project page 

The Act on the Promotion of Immigrant Integration (681/2023)

Government report on integration 

Report of the committee: Functioning of integration

Report of the committee: Government report on the need for a reform in integration promotion services

Inquiries

Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment:
Hanna-Maria Hyttinen, Senior Specialist, Labour Migration and Integration Unit, [email protected]
Nea Brandt, Senior Specialist, Labour Migration and Integration Unit, [email protected]

KEHA Centre:
Laura Pajari-Xiang, Development Specialist, TE-Services and Integration Unit, [email protected]
Emine Karakan, Group Leader, TE-Services and Integration Unit, [email protected]

Association of Finnish Municipalities:
Maija Lehtimaa, Specialist, [email protected]

The KOTO24 contents at integration.fi are produced in cooperation with the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment, KEHA Centre and the Association of Finnish Municipalities.