News

A recent report presents three reforms aimed at improving the educational and employment paths of immigrants. The report offers a more in-depth discussion of two reforms: the so-called “establishment programme” and the fast track. The third reform focuses on wage subsidies and is still ongoing.

The European Commission has launched a public consultation to gather views on actions to promote integration. The public consultation will be available in all EU official languages until 21 October 2020.

The act on the processing of personal data by migration authorities will enter into force on 1 September 2020 and replace the Act on the Register of Aliens, which is more than 20 years old. The new act will respond to needs in areas such as digitalisation, data protection and information management. In addition, the act will incorporate other provisions concerning the processing of personal data laid down in other acts that apply to the migration authorities.

Finnish Education Evaluation Centre FINEEC has published an evaluation report on the impacts of reforms aiming to accelerate the educational pathways of immigrants. The report provides an over-view of these impacts on literacy training in liberal adult education, adult basic education, and vocational education and training. According to the report, it would be important to focus on building stronger basic skills in training and education provided to students with an immigrant background.

Multilingual support in the coronavirus situation is available for women, children and families. Support is available for many situations such as distance learning, or being a victim of domestic violence or crime. Due to the coronavirus situation, support services for women, children and families are provided via remote service or telephone. We have put together useful links to be shared and suggested in customer service situations.

Guidance and counselling services for immigrants in Finland are fragmented in terms of accessibility, service provision and resourcing. Access to services is not equally provided to customers in all parts of the country. These were the conclusions of the final report of the study on low-threshold guidance and counselling services for immigrants commissioned by the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment. The report also makes recommendations for the development of the service network.

Authorities and municipalities have opened telephone helplines providing instructions and guidance on coronavirus in different languages. Multilingual telephone helplines provided by various organisations are also functioning as usual. We have put together a news item listing the availability of multilingual instructions and guidance on coronavirus (telephone helplines and chat services). Provide access to services.

Due to the coronavirus COVID-19 outbreak, contact teaching in liberal adult education institutions and adult basic education has been suspended. Educational institutions provide distance teaching, taking into account students’ learning abilities and other opportunities available. The Centre of Expertise for Immigrant Integration has put together multilingual materials for independent studies in subjects such as languages and social studies, and for supporting integration.

Many authorities and municipalities may have no previous experience of having communications material translated into languages other than Swedish and English. The online editorial staff of Infofinland is used to having information translated into 12 different languages, and put together some useful tips for multilingual communications.

Ymmärrä Suomea (‘Understand Finland’) is a series consisting of seven video clips, available in multiple languages. Intended for adult immigrants living in Finland, this series discusses various aspects of Finnish society from taxation to human rights. The videos can be used as learning material in educational institutions, or viewed independently.

According to a review published by the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment on 21 January 2020, employment alone is not an indication of successful integration, nor is there just one indicator for effective integration.