Immigration services

From Newcomers to Permanent Local Residents

In compliance with our municipal strategy of 2017 to 2025, multiculturalism enriches and brings viability to our municipality. New residents move here to work, because of family ties, as returnees and quota refugees through humanitarian reception. We offer immigrants the same basic services as for other local residents. As stated in the Act on the Promotion of Immigrant Integration, the municipality shall ensure that basic services are suitable and available for immigrants; for instance preparatory education for immigrant children, organised as required, serves this purpose.

As a municipality receiving refugees we provide also immigrant guidance services as laid down in the Act on the Promotion of Immigrant Integration. The purpose of immigrant guidance is to promote and facilitate new quota refugees’ and other immigrants integration into Finnish society. The tasks include, among other things, reception arrangements; accommodation and day-to-day guidance; support for independent activities; guidance to services; introduction to Finnish customs and practices; close cooperation with other authorities, organisations and volunteers; support in maintaining cultural identity; influence of general attitudes and provision of information about refugees.

High-quality integration services, genuine sense of being part of the communities in the region and an opportunity to study or work locally enhance integration with our municipality.

We participate in the joint integration programme of Kainuu municipalities. The programme includes objectives, procedures, responsible bodies as well as monitoring and evaluation of integration from educational, economic and employment perspective, and also from the perspective of operation environment.

Contact info:

immigration director
Tytti Matero
p. 044 777 3234
tytti.matero@suomussalmi.fi

refugee director
Jarmo Korhonen
p. 044 777 3233
jarmo.korhonen@suomussalmi.fi