The flow of refugees from regions in conflict to other countries in search of a better life does not stop. And Finland is not alien to that reality, as the figures show.
According to the latest report published by the Regional Representation for Northern Europe of The United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR), Finland received in the first semester of 2018 1.470 new asylum seekers. This is far below the 8.430 registered in Sweden, but still is above the numbers reached in Denmark (1.435), Norway (1.080), Iceland (300), Lithuania (120), Latvia (80) and Estonia (20).
The report points also that in 2017 the Finnish state granted protection to 3.430 asylum-seekers. This means a recognition rate for protection status of 48.5% compared to the 7.070 in 2016. Nevertheless, the UNHCR stresses that waiting times for asylum decisions may vary from one year to another.
As regards this granting of protection, Finland was in 2017 the third most generous country in the region with the 3.430 concessions above mentioned, after Sweden (26.775) and Norway (4.770), but ahead of Denmark (2.365), Lithuania (285), Latvia (265), Estonia (95) and Iceland (70).
Arrivals in 2017
This report reviews also the evolution of the arrivals in the Northern Europe. The UN agency highlights that in 2017 the total number of asylum-seekers who arrived in Finland is 4.325.
Again, this is the second highest number among the countries analysed after Sweden, where 22.190 new asylum-seekers arrivals were registered in 2017. Finnish records are above those reached by Norway (3.350 arrivals in 2017), Denmark (3.125), Iceland (1.065), Lithuania (520), Latvia (355) and Estonia (180).
The number of arrivals in Finland of asylum-seekers has been declining since 2015, when registered its peak (32.150) during the European refugee crisis. In 2016 there were 5.275 new arrivals.
Unaccompanied children
As for those 4.325 that arrived to Finland in 2017, the main countries of origin are Iraq, Syria, Eritrea, Russia and Afghanistan. The largest group (51%) are men, 2.200. There are also 800 women (19%) and 1.315 children (30%). Among the latter, the UNHCR remarks the presence of 175 unaccompanied asylum-seeking children (UASC).
Also the report draws attention to the fact that Finland resettled 1.088 refugees in 2017. For 2018, the resettlement quota is 750, according to preliminary numbers provided by national authorities.
At the end of 2017, UNHCR estimated the number of people of interest for its activity in Finland at 26.704. Among them there are 20.805 refugees, 3.150 asylum-seekers and 2.749 stateless. All that among a total population of 5.513.130, according to Eurostat figures.
For more information on this matter, you can consult the full report of The UN Refugee Agency about the situation in Northern Europe HERE
