Finland Times

 

File picture of residential Street Zaatar refugee camp in Jordan on Tuesday 21 January 2014. Syrian refugees at the camp. Photo – Lehtikuva.

The first quota of refugees from Syria will arrive in the country in August, sources at the Finnish Immigration Service said.

 

The sources said a total of 218 refugees will arrive from Jordan in the first batch.

 

The majority of the arrivals are young families with children from Syria’s civil war-ravaged regions of Homs and Daraa.

 

The country chose the quota refugees based on the recommendation from UNHCR, the UN’s refugee agency.

 

The Finnish Immigration Service also interviewed the refugees in Jordan in March and April.

 

“They left their homes thinking they will soon come back. Many have now become refugees for a couple years, some even for three years. They do not have homes where they can return to. Neither do they have other genuine opportunities to return,” said Susanne Tengman, an interviewer from the immigration service

 

Most of the quota refugees from Syria already have been accorded municipal placement, said the Ministry of Employment and the Economy.

 

Jaana Suokonautio, a specialist from the ministry pointed out that it has been easier to find municipal placement for Syrian refugees compared to the other refugee groups.

 

“There are many reasons for this. One reason is probably the fact that the Syrian conflict has been much exposed in the media and has come to our living rooms via the television,” believes Suokonautio.

 

The country this year will welcome 500 quota refugees from Syria. Apart from Jordan, the refugees from Syria will also be received from Lebanon, where the immigration service interviewed the refugees last month.