Comments on the new integration support are requested

The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health invites comments on the integration support. The comments should be submitted by 16 February 2026.

The aim of integration support is to promote the participation of immigrants in the job market and their access to language training within a reasonable time. The aim of the changes is to strengthen the meaning of work and language skills when integrating into Finland. Adequate language skills and participation in the job market are key prerequisites for the integration into society of people moving to Finland.

"People integrate into Finland by working, and access to the job market requires sufficient skills in Finnish or Swedish. Integration support strengthens the incentives for immigrants to learn the language and, at the same time, their right to language training," says Minister of Social Security Sanni Grahn-Laasonen.

A prerequisite for receiving the general social security benefit is working or living in Finland for three years

The draft proposal proposes that general social security benefit be paid as integration support to unemployed jobseekers who do not meet the employment condition, have lived in Finland for less than three years during the previous ten years and are in need of financial support.

The working and residence time requirement of the general social security benefit would not apply if:

• the person’s mother tongue is Finnish, Swedish or Sami
• the person has demonstrated Finnish or Swedish language skills in accordance with the target level (B1.1) in at least two areas or cannot demonstrate their language skills due to a disability or other similar reason.

The level of integration support would correspond to the basic component of the basic assistance for a person living alone (EUR 33.64 per day in 2026).

The amendments are intended to take effect on 1 January 2027. The new integration support would only apply to people who move to Finland after the Act enters into force.

In addition, the Act on General Social Security Benefit would be amended so that an unemployed jobseeker in the country with a residence permit granted on the basis of temporary protection would be entitled to general social security benefit or integration support even if they did not fulfil the condition of employment under the Unemployment Security Act.

"It is important that Ukrainians fleeing the war to Finland are finally included in the scope of the general social security benefit instead of social assistance. Many of them have been under temporary protection in Finland for many years without the right to primary benefits. It is also good for the integration and employment of Ukrainians that they have stronger incentives to seek employment services," says Grahn-Laasonen.

The Integration Act would be amended to provide for an obligation for municipalities to provide unemployed jobseekers in the early stages of integration with a service that supports employment or promotes Finnish or Swedish language skills within a reasonable period of time, i.e. no later than six months after registering as a jobseeker.

The proposal is estimated to strengthen government finances by EUR 3.5 million at the 2030 level.

The deadline for comments is 16 February 2026

According to the Government Programme of Prime Minister Petteri Orpo, the Government will implement new integration support for immigrants, which will include an incentive and obligation to integrate. In addition, the net level of labour market support will be brought to the level of the basic component of social assistance. Adequate and verified Finnish language skills will raise labour market support to the current level.

Since the labour market support and basic unemployment allowance for unemployed jobseekers will be replaced by general social security benefit starting from 1 May 2026, integration support would be included in the Act on General Social Security Benefit.

The proposal proposes to amend the Act on General Social Security Benefit, the Act on the Promotion of Immigrant Integration and the Act on National Certificates of Language Proficiency.

Comments on the draft proposal can be submitted through the Lausuntopalvelu.fi online service between 5 January 2026 and 16 February 2026.

The comments provided are public and they will be published in the Lausuntopalvelu.fi online service. The comments will be taken into account when finalising the Government's proposal.

• Lausuntopalvelu.fi (in Finnish or in Swedish)

Inquiries

Annu Jaakkola, Special Assistant to the Minister of Social Security, tel. +358 295 163 330 (absent 5-6 January 2026)
Jere Päivinen, Ministerial Adviser, Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, tel. +358 295 163 108 (absent 12-23 January 2026)
Lawyer Silja Dahlgren, Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, tel. +358 295 163 391 (absent 9-16 February 2026)
Timo Meling, Senior Ministerial Adviser, Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment (employment policy prerequisites), tel. +358 295 049 084 
Anna Kettunen, Senior Specialist, Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment (integration and language skills testing), tel. +358 295 047 015 (absent 5 January 2025), [email protected]

Email addresses are in the format: [email protected].