Illegal residence in the country to be diversely prevented and controlled

The ministerial working group on migration discussed an action plan on the prevention and control of illegal residence in the country. The plan has been prepared as a collaborative effort of various ministries and it focuses on the illegal residence in the country of people who have received a negative asylum decision.

Illegal residence is a growing phenomenon whose consequences affect the administrative branch activities of the Ministry of the Interior, the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment, the Ministry of Education and Culture, the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of the Environment and the Ministry for Foreign Affairs. The consequences are also evident in municipalities and organisations. The measures included in the discussed plan cover the administrative branches of all of these ministries. The ministerial working group decided to further specify the measures, and it intends to make a final decision on the plan at its next meeting.

Investments in real-time situation analysis and returns
 

The purpose of the action plan is to ensure that the authorities have constant access to a real-time situation analysis of illegal residence in the country. Illegal residence will be monitored more systematically and the situation analysis will be available to all actors. A more comprehensive situation analysis will support authorities’ activities and help direct measures to where they are required most. 
 

Successful returns will be promoted by continuing negotiations to prepare readmission agreements not only with Afghanistan, but also with Somalia and Iraq. The agreements will particularly take into account the possibility of forced returns.

Successful returns will also be ensured by various means in Finland. In connection with notifications of decisions on removal from the country, the Police will provide information on the possibility of voluntary return. At the same time, steps will be taken to ensure that other authorities and organisations actively offer voluntary return when encountering those who are illegally resident. The Finnish Immigration Service will prepare material to promote voluntary return for nationwide use, both for authorities and organisations.

Illegal residents’ health services, and right to necessary subsistence and care

The ministerial working group also discussed health and social services of illegal residents. This mainly means urgent essential support, for example food and essential medication for a few days.

The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health will supplement existing guidelines on essential health and social services. At the same time, illegal residents’ requests for urgent medical care will be monitored. Under the Health Care Act, public health care must provide urgent care to those who need it.

Guidelines on granting social assistance are being supplemented with regard to illegal resident’s right to necessary subsistence and care safeguarded by the Constitution, directing customers to the system of voluntary return, and ending reception services.

Monitoring of illegal working to be enhanced

As part of the fight against the shadow economy, work done without permits will be monitored. Monitoring of work permits as well as provision of information to employers about illegal employment will be stepped up. In practice, this will mean, for example, moving increasingly from the occupational health and safety inspections made by the Regional State Administrative Agencies towards unannounced inspections and more joint workplace inspections by several authorities (Regional State Administrative Agencies, Police, Tax Administration etc.). The Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment will prepare a situation report on illegal working.

Direction of illegal residents into training will be examined as part of other situation monitoring.

Homelessness will be monitored by collecting information for each municipality in connection with the annual housing market survey. Municipalities will provide survey information on their own situation and the Ministry of the Environment will monitor results.

Responsibility for measures in each administrative branch

Preventing and controlling illegal residence in the country will affect public authority actors extensively. Each administrative branch will be responsible for the steering, implementation and monitoring of the effects of measures belonging to the administrative branch as well as for necessary sector-specific communications.

Ministers also discussed security at reception centres and the allocation of the refugee quota

The same meeting of the ministerial working group discussed an action plan on preparing for security threats associated with reception centres and their surroundings. The Ministry of the Interior will be responsible for implementing the plan.

The ministerial working group also decided on the allocation of the coming year’s refugee quota. The refugee quota for 2017 is 750. The Ministry of the Interior proposed an allocation of the refugee quota such that 530 Syrian refugees will be taken from Turkey and Middle Eastern countries, 120 Congolese refugees from Southern Africa, and 100 emergency cases without regional or nationality restriction.

Further information on the action plan, please contact:
 

Erkki Matilainen, General Secretary, ministerial working group on migration, tel. +358 50 456 1805
Viveca Arrhenius, Ministerial Adviser, tel. +358 295 163 286, Ministry of Social Affairs and Health
Olli Sorainen, Senior Adviser, Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment, tel. +358 50 396 0162
Kirsi Kangaspunta, Director, Ministry of Education and Culture, tel. +358 40 709 9295
Janne Kanerva, Counsellor of Legislation, Ministry of Justice, tel. +358 2951 50176
Jaana Nevalainen, Senior Specialist, Ministry of the Environment, tel. +358 295 250 195