New legislation to improve position of asylum seekers

Thors says international criticism increases pressure for change

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The status of asylum seekers who have been given a temporary residence permit in Finland will improve when a new home municipality law comes into force in early September.
      The Finnish system of granting "class B" residence permits has come under criticism by human rights organisations, who say that the terms of the permits put their holders in a precarious position.
      Asylum seekers with temporary permits are not allowed to work in Finland. Existing law also says nothing about the asylum seekers' access to education.
     
The new law would allow holders of B permits to have a home municipality in Finland after living in this country for one year.
      Interior Ministry official Ilkka Turunen says that the asylum seekers would not be getting a home municipality automatically; they will be expected to submit a separate report of their intention to remain in Finland.
      When they get an official municipality of residence, the holders of B permits would also be entitled to most municipal services.
      However, having an official municipality of residence does not automatically entitle a person to all services of the Social Insurance Institution (KELA).
     
There are also plans to amend the law on foreigners. It is likely that the controversial B permits could be given up completely in connection with the reform.
      "For many reasons, the use of these B permits has proven to be more extensive than originally intended", says Immigration Minister Astrid Thors (Swed. People's Party).
      She admits that the criticism that has been aimed at Finnish asylum procedure has led to increased pressure to reform the system.
      A government proposal for changes is to be ready for analysis and comments during the summer, and it could come before Parliament in the autumn.
      There are plans to gradually phase out the B permits already before the legislative change. In the first three months of this year, nine B permits have been granted, whereas at the same time last year, 29 had been granted.
     
The decline in the number of B permits, which have mainly been given to Somalis Afghanis, and Iraqis, stems from the fact that many areas are considered safer than before, making it possible to turn people back to those areas.
      There has also been a decline in the number of people seeking asylum in Finland.
      Finnish officials began granting B permits about three years ago. By the end of last year, more than 600 of the permits had been granted.
      The Finnish treatment of asylum seekers was recently criticised by the European Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI) in a report it issued on Thursday. The report calls on Finnish officials to stop the present practice, which it sees as being incompatible with fundamental rights.


Previously in HS International Edition:
  Directorate of Immigration suspends repatriation of Iraqis (18.5.2007)
  Finland to start sending asylum-seekers back to Northern Iraq (30.3.2007)
  Finland to start repatriating people to Afghanistan and possibly Iraq (4.1.2007)

Links:
  The European Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI): Third report on Finland

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