Municipalities have a general obligation to plan and develop the promotion of integration and good relations between population groups. If necessary, the municipality must fulfil this obligation in cooperation with other operators. Provisions on this task are laid down in Chapter 5 of the Act on the Promotion of Immigrant Integration (681/2023).
The planning of municipal promotion of integration covers all immigrants living in the municipality. It also includes the promotion of good relations between population groups of the municipality.
Municipalities and wellbeing services counties are self-governing areas, but cooperation between them plays a key role in promoting integration. Municipalities will coordinate the planning and development activities concerning the promotion of integration in municipalities and employment areas with the planning and development of services for which the wellbeing services counties are responsible. Provisions on the obligations of the wellbeing services counties are laid down in Chapter 6 of the Integration Act.
The Act on the Promotion of Immigrant Integration (1386/2010), which was in force until the end of 2024, contained provisions on a municipal planning document called an integration programme. When the new Integration Act entered into force on 1 January 2025, the concept of integration programme was abandoned.
More information:
Strategic integration planning
Checklist: Planning the promotion of municipal integration
Integration programme
