The aim of the integration services reform is to renew the integration services in line with the Government Programme, according to which immigrants will integrate into Finland through work and the integration system will be reformed to encourage integration.
The government proposal would reform the integration services and amend the Act on the Promotion of Immigrant Integration (Integration Act) that entered into force on 1 January 2025.
Government proposal for the integration services reform
Questions and answers about the integration services reform
Objectives and schedule of the integration services reform
What is the reform about?
The proposal aims to reform integration services in line with Prime Minister Petteri Orpo's Government Programme, according to which integration policy is based on language learning, work, familiarisation with Finnish society and compliance with its rules. In addition, the integration system would be reformed to encourage integration. The proposal aims to increase immigrants' responsibility for their own integration and make the system more binding.
Training that promotes integration and language skills would be reformed in accordance with the Government Programme, and its funding would be pooled into a single channel under central government transfers for basic municipal services. The objectives and content of integration training would be renewed, and the employment authority would be responsible for organising literacy training. The proposal would also implement the EUR 15 million savings target set out in the Government Programme. The aim of the proposal is to ensure that integration is possible in both national languages in accordance with the Government Programme.
The proposal would implement the decision made by Prime Minister Petteri Orpo's Government in the autumn 2025 budget session to reduce the central government transfer for promoting integration by EUR 30 million (at the 2027 level), effective from the start of 2027. In addition, the proposal would dismantle norms related to municipal and central government tasks and implement the savings target set in the spring 2024 government discussion on spending limits by streamlining the service process for integration clients.
When will the reform enter into force?
The reform would enter into force on 1 January 2027.
Schedule of the integration services reform
The project to reform integration services began on 20 August 2024. The government proposal for the integration services reform was circulated for comment between 30 December 2025–10 February 2026. The Government submitted the proposal to Parliament on 23 April 2026.
News about the reform of the Integration Act
More information:
Integration services reform project page and schedule
Request for comment on the government proposal to amend the Integration Act and related legislation
Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment:
Nea Brandt, Senior Specialist, Labour Migration and Integration Unit, [email protected]
Laura Ruuskanen, Senior Specialist, Labour Migration and Integration Unit, [email protected]
Hanna-Maria Hyttinen, Senior Specialist, Labour Migration and Integration Unit, [email protected]
KEHA Centre:
[email protected]
Content related to the integration services reform project at integration.fi is maintained by the KEHA Centre. The questions and answers have been produced in cooperation with the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment.
