Govt adopts action plan to support Ukrainian refugees in Finland

The ministerial working group on employment and entrepreneurship on Friday adopted an action plan to help Ukrainian refugees to enter the labour market and to support their participation in Finnish society, said the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment in a press release.

The government’s action plan includes 30 measures aimed at promoting the employment of Ukrainians.

Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, about 68,500 people have applied for temporary protection in Finland and about 43,000 of them have stayed in Finland.

“I am pleased that many Ukrainians who have arrived in Finland have found employment. At the same time, there are many Ukrainians who want to enter the labour market. With this action plan, we support their opportunities to find a place in Finnish society and labour market,” said Minister of Employment Arto Satonen.

About 70 per cent of Ukrainians who have arrived in Finland, or around 30,000, are of working age. Of the Ukrainians, 7,200 were employed and 11,900 were unemployed jobseekers in April 2024.

Poor Finnish, Swedish or English skills, incompatible occupation or training, and shortcomings in education have hampered the employment of Ukrainians in Finland.

Cooperation between employment services and employers, career services and language and integration training are used to speed up employment.

In future, Ukrainians will receive more information about job search and working life in their own language.

Simultaneously, the identification and recognition of Ukrainian qualifications will be improved and more information on study opportunities will be made available.

After they have received a municipality of residence, the Ukrainians move from the refugee centres to the services provided by municipalities and wellbeing services counties, and are subject to compulsory education.

Those who have stayed in Finland for more than a year have the choice of applying for a municipality of residence.

Support for the transition of Ukrainians from reception centres to municipalities is provided to help Ukrainians better integrate into Finnish society.

The aim is to grant additional funding to municipalities and wellbeing services counties for the employment, integration and inclusion services and activities of Ukrainians who have received a municipality of residence.

The Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment will open a call for discretionary government grant applications during 2024.

Housing advice by municipalities or joint municipal authorities support the organisation of housing for Ukrainians.

Information about mental health is shared more widely, and mental health support and care in one's own language are increased. Access to social and healthcare services for Ukrainians who have received a home municipality is strengthened.

It has emerged that beneficiaries of temporary protection have been victims of exploitation in the Finnish labour market.

In accordance with the action plan, Ukrainian-language information on the rules of the Finnish labour market will be distributed at reception centres, employment offices and other service points used by Ukrainians.

The authorities will exchange information and advise victims of exploitation on how to proceed with the matter.

The measures will be implemented in 2024–2027. The programme was prepared by a working group of public officials appointed by the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment.

Some of the measures still require project funding or funding from the supplementary budget.