Population figures
Total country population
5,549,886
Forcibly displaced population
Refugees (under UNHCR's mandate):
87,691
Asylum-seekers:
6,554
IDPs (of concern to UNHCR):
0
Other people in need of international protection:
0
Other
Statelessness persons
2,534
Host community
0
Others of concern to UNHCR
0
Country context
Finland is situated in Northern Europe, sharing land borders with Sweden to the west, Norway to the north, and Russia to the east. To the south, it is separated from Estonia by the Gulf of Finland. This geographical positioning places Finland within the European Union's external frontier, influencing its role in regional migration and asylum frameworks.
As of mid-2024, Finland hosts a diverse population of refugees and asylum seekers, primarily originating from Ukraine, Syria, Iraq, and Yemen. These individuals predominantly reside in urban areas and are accommodated in reception centres, as Finland does not operate formal refugee camps. In response to the conflict in Ukraine, Finland has granted temporary protection to over 65,000 individuals fleeing the war.
...In response to the influx of displaced persons from Ukraine, Finland amended its Aliens Act to extend temporary protection measures. These amendments aim to align national legislation with the European Union's Temporary Protection Directive, facilitating access to protection and services for eligible individuals.
Finland has ratified both the 1954 Convention relating to the Status of Stateless Persons and the 1961 Convention on the Reduction of Statelessness. The Finnish Nationality Act includes provisions to grant nationality to children born in Finland who would otherwise be stateless. However, Finland does not have a dedicated statelessness determination procedure (SDP). Instead, a related process exists to assess an individual's citizenship status, which may impact access to rights and services for stateless persons.
In 2024, Finland proposed reforms to its asylum and citizenship laws, including increasing the required period of residence for naturalization from five to eight years. These changes are intended to promote integration and ensure that applicants have sufficient ties to Finnish society. UNHCR has provided observations on proposed amendments to the Finnish Aliens Act, emphasizing the importance of maintaining effective access to asylum procedures and ensuring that the rights of asylum seekers are upheld throughout the process.
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