Finland Times

 

Minister of Local Government and Public Reform Anu Vehviläinen ( Left), Minister of Labour and Justice and Jari Lindström and Ministry of Education and Culture Sanni Grahn-Laasonen presented the Action Plan for the Integration at a press conference in Helsinki on Tuesday.

The government on Tuesday published its action plan on integration with the view to find for those granted a residence permit a place more swiftly in the municipalities, in education and in employment.

 

The purpose is to make integration more flexible and efficient, said an official press release.

 

The action plan jointly prepared by a number of ministries consists of six sets of measures.

 

It has been prepared together with the action plan on asylum policy adopted on 8 December, 2015 and form an integral programme package.

 

Successful integration benefits the whole of society and a well-managed and speedy transition into the municipalities in different parts of the country lends support to this objective. 

 

There are too few places in the municipalities at the moment, and the government wants to step up the availability.  

 

Integration makes it easier to become a member of the society and helps prevent social exclusion. 

 

To succeed in becoming well-integrated, the person must be motivated, proactive and act responsibly. 

 

Integration services will be revamped while also making sure that there are no privileged services that infringe the principles of equality and parity.

 

The government will accelerate the transition of those who have been granted a residence permit into the municipalities and into integration services. 

 

One of the objectives is to make sure that the initial assessment is completed within a fortnight after a residence permit has been granted. The drafting of the initial assessments will already be started in the reception centres.

 

The government will expedite employment, entrepreneurship and education and training for those who have been granted a residence permit. 

 

Where necessary, the threshold for integration training and next-step training will be lowered through experimenting. 

 

The recognition of prior learning will be enhanced and those with prior completed studies will be channelled into appropriate training that will complement these more effectively than before. Language learning will be integrated into other studies. Basic education for adults will be reorganised.

 

Integration training will be closely linked to working life and the needs of employers. Employability will be promoted by for example accelerated employment trials. Healthcare and social services will help safeguard the functional capacity and health of those with residence permits.

 

Multi-professional support for immigrant families and student welfare services help the process of learning. 

 

The specific needs of immigrants will be taken into account in teacher training. The participation of immigrants in recreational and civic activities will be increased.