Current Immigration Challenges Highly Driven by Russia’s War in Ukraine, Data Reveals

Migration levels to Finland continue to be high in 2023, and the situation created by the Russian war in Ukraine is one of the main reasons for the results, as recent data by the Finnish Immigration Service has revealed.

The war has had a profound impact on the country’s eastern border, as Finland was forced to keep borders shut for another month due to concerns about the instrumentalisation of migration by Russians, SchengenVisaInfo.com reports.

In addition, the country is experiencing an economic downturn as the number of Ukrainian and Russian workers has dropped, and the country is dealing with labour shortages in various sectors.

Even though the economic downturn has affected labour migration to Finland, the numbers are still at a record-high level.

Demand for Temporary Protection Among Ukrainians in Finland Dropped in 2023

The number of applications for temporary protection, which is offered to a specific category of people without individually considering the candidate’s need for protection and that applied to Ukrainian nationals, has dropped in 2023.

In 2023, Finland received less than half of the applications for temporary protection filed in 2022 – 19,426 compared to 47,302.

Similarly, the number of temporary protection permits granted to people fleeing the war in Ukraine stood at 18,969 in 2023, which is 56 per cent fewer than those granted in 2022 (45,358).

Ukrainian Arrivals in Finland Anticipated to Further Increase

The war in Ukraine is expected to increase the number of applicants for temporary protection in 2024, with the Finnish Immigration Services estimating that between 8,000 and 12,000 applicants will arrive in the country.

The number of Ukrainians applying for protection in Finland depends, among other factors, on the duration and scope of the war, the humanitarian situation in Ukraine and the situation in the receiving countries.

This year, the validity of temporary protection residence permits issued to those fleeing Ukraine, which usually includes people from other countries who were staying in Ukraine on a temporary visa, is automatically extended until March 4, 2025.

Asylum Application Rates to Finland Reached 5,372 in 2023

In the past year, Finland received a total of 5,372 asylum applications, 7.8 per cent less than in 2022.

Unlike the previous year, the conflict between Russia and Ukraine did not have a notable impact on the asylum application figures in Finland for 2023. In 2022, there was a substantial surge in applications from Russian citizens, particularly in the spring following the war in Ukraine and another significant increase after Russia declared a military mobilisation in September, from 207 in 2021 to 1,172 in the following year.

In contrast, in 2023, Russian citizens submitted a total of 416 asylum applications, distributed evenly throughout the year. The highest monthly submissions occurred in January 2023, with 60 asylum applications from Russian citizens.

The conflict in Gaza did not substantially influence the number of asylum seekers arriving in Finland.

A total of 1,571 positive decisions were made on asylum applications, down from 1,760 made in 2022. Additionally, 1,342 quota refugees resettled in Finland.