Integration of Finnish Immigrants Research Review

Abstract

Finland, as a European welfare state with a long history, has, like many other European welfare states, become a desired destination for many immigrants, including refugees. However, without an in-depth understanding of Finland's socio-historical context, we may inappropriately compare its immigration issues with those of other countries, making it difficult to accurately grasp the current state of the Finnish nation and the immigration challenges it faces. Finland's socio-cultural environment has long been at the crossroads of East and West. Finland's long history of foreign domination seems to have shaped the national consciousness of Finns and their acceptance of newcomers. As a result, Finnish society maintained a relatively homogeneous ethnic composition from independence until the 1980s. It was not until the 1990s that Finland began to systematically receive foreign immigrants. Since the immigrant population as a percentage of the total Finnish population was very low at this time, Finland had not yet enacted a formal national immigration and integration policy program. It was only after becoming a member of the European Union in 1995 that Finland became obliged to harmonize its immigration policy with the other member states. However, Finland's immigration policy is significantly more restrictive than that of other European countries.