Some refugees need resettlement because they have left their region of residence or their home country for another country or region where they are unable to stay. This means that they must be resettled.

Finland hosts people whom the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) has defined as refugees and proposed to be resettled in Finland. Only a small proportion of refugees are resettled in another country like this.

Finnish Parliament decides on the size of the refugee quota

In Finland, Parliament decides on the size of the refugee quota when the Budget is adopted. The Ministry of the Interior prepares a proposal to the Government with the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on which nationalities will be selected for the quota and which areas the refugees will be selected from. The Finnish Immigration Service and the Finnish Security and Intelligence Service are also consulted during the preparation of the proposal. The Minister of the Interior confirms the decision on allocation after Parliament approves the Budget proposal.

The allocation can also be weighted, meaning it can be decided that highly vulnerable refugees will be selected, for example. Finland’s 2025 refugee quota is 500 persons. 

The video provides more information on the selection and hosting of quota refugees. 

More information:

• Quota refugees (Ministry of the Interior)
• Quota refugees (Finnish Immigration Service)
• Resettlement (UNHCR)
• Finnish Red Cross: help for immigrants