According to Ilta-Sanomat, many of those who have cancelled their applications are planning to return to their homeland.
The majority have attributed family reasons behind the decision to return home. Many Iraqis, however, have been disappointed and also encountered culture shock in the country.
“Applicants had thought that treatment for serious illness is quickly arranged in Finland or it is easy to get a job here,” Hanna Kautto, head of communications at Finnish Immigration Service, told the paper.
According to Kautto, the withdrawal of the applications mostly happened during autumn when mass immigration was witnessed in Tornio.
Around 200 asylum seekers arrived in Tornio in early Thursday evening. The number of new arrivals has been dropping since last week.
