Astrid Thors wants companies to help train immigrants

Minister sees party criticism of integration efforts as signs of support

Astrid Thors

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Minister of Migration and European Affairs Astrid Thors (Swed. People’s Party) says that she is actually pleased that all of Finland’s political parties are dissatisfied with the results of integration efforts for immigrants. Thors sees the comments as support for her views.
      Helsingin Sanomat reported on Monday about the critical stands taken by Finnish parties toward the results if integration efforts. Special note was made of the difficulties that immigrants have had in finding work.
     
Thors will certainly need support soon. In February, in connection with the half-term assessment of the government, she will try to squeeze more money into integration efforts.
     One priority is to provide funding for local authorities, who have not seen any increase in state compensation for the settlement of refugees in 16 years.
     Thors does not want to give any specific figures, but she says that compared with all state funding for municipalities, the increase that she is proposing “fits within the margin of error of inflation index increases”.
     Compensation of EUR 61 million has been budgeted for local authorities in the national budget.
     
The challenges do not end here. Parliament is currently handling a report by Thors, promising integration training for all who come to Finland for at least a year.
     Currently, only customers of public employment offices are entitled to the training. Parliamentary committees have generally favoured Thors’s proposal saying that it cannot be allowed to falter over funding.
     Thors wants employers to be brought into the effort to expand training, seeing this as one of the most difficult parts of the political wrangle.
     She emphasised that not everything can be left to the public sector.
     
Helsinki Mayor Jussi Pajunen has said that the number of asylum seekers should be reduced, because the state is not capable of handling their employment services.
     One reason for the increase in asylum applications in Finland is the more restrictive policy enacted by Sweden. Perhaps Pajunen meant that Finland should follow Sweden’s example?
     “I don’t know if Pajunen is standing behind his blog. Perhaps he might even regret it”, Thors says. She also notes that decisions on sending asylum applicants back are made by independent courts.
     Thors agrees with Pajunen that waiting lists for immigrants’ employment services should be reduced. Now it can take up to about six months for an immigrant to get help at a labour exchange.
     If it is not possible to get more resources for labour services, other measures are needed. Local authorities and private companies could also conduct aptitude assessments, Thors says.
     
But how can Thors even imagine that labour services might be given more resources in a situation when the state productivity programme calls for reductions?
     “The productivity programme has been the topic of intense public debate in the labour administration. The matter is not closed.”


Previously in HS International Edition:
  Thors open to changes to immigration legislation (16.12.2008)
  Higher employment level for immigrants would save Helsinki millions (3.10.2008)
  Mayor Jussi Pajunen concerned about growth in immigration (2.12.2008)

See also:
  Few parties put emphasis on immigration policy (12.1.2009)

Helsingin Sanomat