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Migrant Integration
IOM supports policies and strategies that promote the social, economic and cultural inclusion of migrants within existing legal frameworks in countries of destination.
Its focus is on the development of strategies that help migrants better integrate into new communities, as well as assisting receiving communities to recognize the positive contributions that migrants can make. This two-way integration process is essential for the existence of thriving, diverse communities.
- Orientation Courses for Quota Refugees
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IOM Finland provides pre-departure orientation courses for refugees accepted for resettlement to Finland, Iceland and Sweden as part of these countries’ refugee quota. The orientation courses are organized for refugees before their departure from their countries of first asylum. The goal is to contribute to refugees’ integration processes by providing them with practical information about the destination country, society and culture, which helps them adapt to their new environment. Furthermore, pre-departure orientation aims to manage refugees’ expectations, reduce culture shock and provide life skills essential for their inclusion in their new communities.
- Supporting Integration Locally
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IOM Finland has been active in supporting quota refugees’ integration in Finland on the local level. Between 2018 and 2022, IOM cooperated with the Finnish Refugee Council and the Diaconia University of Applied Sciences in a project called Navigator, which aimed to advance quota refugees’ integration in the Finnish municipalities. This was done by building the capacities of municipal workers and decision-makers by providing trainings on the resettlement process of refugees, developing and sharing the training materials for further dissemination and awareness raising, and organizing orientation courses for newcomers in Finland, among other activities.
Read more about our work in supporting integration in municipalities