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Tue, 24 May, 2016 12:04:55 AM FTimes – STT Report, May 24  File Photo – Lehtikuva. The number of refugees who have received residence permits but are yet to be placed in a municipality is threatening to bog down the reception centres.
This year, there will be about 10,000 municipal homes needed for those who are granted residence permits.
Right now, there are just over 3,500, Ministry of Employment and Economy Immigration Director Sonja Hämäläinen told the news agency STT.
Those who are granted residence permits are also allowed to change their municipalities.
Many are heading for growth centres such as Helsinki, Oulu, Turku, and Tampere. Having open municipal homes allows the refugees to be more evenly distributed throughout the country.
Movement of people granted residence permits come as a surprise to the municipalities, and integration services are often not adequate. For example, they may have to wait for access to language training schools.
“I would prefer the distribution throughout the country, so we can find them housing, education and employment opportunities, instead of them transferring as soon as possible to growth centres, where they may have to wait for these opportunities,” said Hämäläinen.
The state reimburses municipalities for international protection and reception of international refugees.
The Association of Finnish Local and Regional Authorities, however, consider the compensation too little.
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