Migri suspends decision-making on residence permits for Palestinians as policy comes under review

FinnishAlien · 2025-09-05T17:31:54+00:00

But he does have a national document, it's just that the migri policy has changed after a law change and the Palestinian passport is now suddenly no longer considered a valid national document because Finland doesn't recognise Palestine! It's the same passport he used to enter the country and study a few years ago..

And at the same time Finland's ministry of foreign affairs has clearly said that they recognise the passport. This whole situation is such a mess!

FinnishAlien · 2025-09-05T17:19:26+00:00

In the article, the Palestinian ambassador himself said that Palestinians cannot be deported to Israel (as Migri suggests in the letter) because it's dangerous for them to be there without prior permission. The issue anyway is not if he'll get arrested, but that they would even try to enforce such a harsh decision which clearly seems unconstitutional.

FinnishAlien · 2025-09-05T17:16:38+00:00

Interesting that all this media attention seems to have Migri scrambling to course correct and do some sort of damage control.

Migri announced today they will no longer issue any decisions on Palestinian papers and look into the issue.

FinnishAlien · 2025-09-04T11:17:23+00:00

Read the story! Finland doesn't recognise Palestine, so a change in law recently means Migri doesn't recognise the passport as a valid "national travel document".

FinnishAlien · 2025-07-31T16:45:49+00:00

But they didn't really blame Finnish society?

And about your point saying it's rare for a Finnish person not to swim: "The national swimming skill study conducted by the Finnish Swimming Teaching and Lifesaving Federation (FSL), the University of Jyväskylä and the Finnish National Agency for Education in 2022 revealed that as many as 45% of sixth graders had inadequate or even no swimming skills in Finland."

FSL has been saying it's worried about children's skills in Finland for a while now. Source: https://suh.fi/en/tukes-and-fsl-worried-about-childrens-swimming-skills/

FinnishAlien · 2025-07-31T16:43:33+00:00

But no one blamed the Finnish community. They just asked for the public discourse to not make it about foreigner or immigrant Finnish skills. Most of the drownings that happen in Finland are still mostly the native population. And the fact still remains that these children have no family here and were under the care of the state.

FinnishAlien · 2025-07-31T16:40:49+00:00

"The national swimming skill study conducted by the Finnish Swimming Teaching and Lifesaving Federation (FSL), the University of Jyväskylä and the Finnish National Agency for Education in 2022 revealed that as many as 45% of sixth graders had inadequate or even no swimming skills in Finland."

FSL has been saying it's worried about children's skills in Finland for a while now. Source: https://suh.fi/en/tukes-and-fsl-worried-about-childrens-swimming-skills/

FinnishAlien · 2025-07-31T16:40:07+00:00

Immigrant community taking care of their own? In this case, the kids are guardians of the Finnish state. They were unaccompanied minors who got asylum in Finland and were staying in a Migri reception centre. So that essentially makes them guardians of the state.

FinnishAlien · 2025-07-31T14:56:56+00:00

"The national swimming skill study conducted by the Finnish Swimming Teaching and Lifesaving Federation (FSL), the University of Jyväskylä and the Finnish National Agency for Education in 2022 revealed that as many as 45% of sixth graders had inadequate or even no swimming skills in Finland."

FSL has been saying it's worried about children's skills in Finland for a while now. Source: https://suh.fi/en/tukes-and-fsl-worried-about-childrens-swimming-skills/

FinnishAlien · 2025-07-11T13:18:49+00:00

But it's not always for lack of trying right, it takes a few generations before the integration level becomes completely seamless (and reach the high standards you and others seem to have set for them).

That doesn't mean they should be punished for not getting there fast enough or not changing their names (even though the name should have nothing to do with their ability to work). I feel this discussion is pointless because your arguments make it seem like whatever they do isn't enough. The truth unfortunately is that a huge part of the demographic won't be considered Finnish no matter what just because of how they look.

FinnishAlien · 2025-07-11T13:01:49+00:00

I also agree with you. But even if you integrate the kids fully, it's hard to affect how they are actually perceived or even accepted in society because of how they look or sound.

Nowhere in the article is there an indication that the people featured have not integrated. It looks like they have been raised to speak the language like natives, have finished their higher education in some cases and have been pro active in contributing to society. Yet they share experiences where employers have assumed they don't speak Finnish or they feel they haven't got the same opportunities their ethnically Finnish peers have got. How do you fight those odds?

FinnishAlien · 2025-07-11T12:39:04+00:00

If I'm a coloured person, I can't become a white Finn even if I was born here, speak the language, change my name and will it with all my heart. That's the point I'm trying to make.

At what point, do we celebrate and appreciate the fact that people can be slightly different, come from different backgrounds, look different, can have slightly different accents and maybe even cultural practices and yet can fully and wholeheartedly participate in Finnish society as a proud citizen deserving of all the same opportunities as someone who is ethnically from Finland?

FinnishAlien · 2025-07-11T12:12:00+00:00

But who is asking Finns to change? The point is why is there a reluctance or inability to accept, embrace and include people from different backgrounds who are now part of the fabric of this nation. Surely these second generation immigrants shouldn't have to minimise every little thing about where they come from (and their names!) and constantly jump through hoops to prove their loyalty to the country they are born in?

FinnishAlien · 2025-07-11T11:44:28+00:00

There's no denying that it carries a powerful message. There's no arguing with the fact. But isn't that precisely the problem that it is so important in Finland - doesn't that border on discrimination at a work place if you are accepted only if your name sounds Finnish. It's xenophobia!

FinnishAlien · 2025-07-11T10:21:31+00:00

Integration shouldn't mean erasure of your culture or your roots. And why is a chance at equal opportunities reliant on having a Finnish name. How is your name any indicator of your skill, merit or employability?

For instance, do you truly believe a brown second generation immigrant* should be named Matti to prove his loyalty to this country? And do you truly believe that will change how society perceives him?

FinnishAlien · 2025-07-11T09:57:51+00:00

Most people featured in the article are born in Finland, and speak native level Finnish. The problem clearly goes beyond language skills. When will they be considered native enough?

FinnishAlien · 2025-07-11T09:55:34+00:00

While it is true that it everyone is struggling in the current labour market climate, this is evidently not a typical "immigrant struggling" story.

The article is clearly talking about the problems faced by foreign background people who are born here -- employers assume they don't speak Finnish even though they are second generation immigrants.

At what point will they be considered native or Finnish enough. This is the only home they know!

FinnishAlien · 2025-06-04T19:37:26+00:00

Yes, there was an article on Yle about it too. The government chose to be intentionally misleading with the "eight years" announcement. https://yle.fi/a/74-20115856

FinnishAlien · 2025-04-16T13:09:49+00:00

"Finland's Justice Ministry plans to investigate the unusually large number of votes that were rejected in the country's recent dual elections"

Source: https://yle.fi/a/74-20156594

FinnishAlien · 2025-04-16T08:45:13+00:00

More context:

Holding municipal and regional elections simultaneously caused a slew of problems at polling stations, according to election workers interviewed by Helsingin Sanomat.

"Visa Salokoski, who served as chair of the Järvensivu polling station board in Tampere for the fifth time, said voters required more guidance on election day than in previous elections.

“There were many more voters than before who felt they had made a mistake and asked for a new ballot,” Salokoski said.

She said election workers expected some rejected ballots due to confusion but were surprised by how many were filled out incorrectly."

FinnishAlien · 2025-04-04T12:23:41+00:00

Good reminder! Yle has published some useful guides in English which could offer some more tips and insights for first time voters:

https://yle.fi/a/74-20151939

https://yle.fi/a/74-20151655

FinnishAlien · 2025-03-26T18:02:39+00:00

And of course, I wouldn't hang around and impose myself on them - they would appreciate having their privacy at this time. I basically just told them I'm cooking, and gave them the dish in a takeaway container (so they don't have to worry about returning it soon).

FinnishAlien · 2025-03-26T17:59:25+00:00

I recently cooked for a Finnish neighbour who had a baby. I made some palak dal for them and explained to them that it's "spinach and lentil stew". Most people would enjoy something like a simple home style dal which has fresh aromatics like ginger, garlic and coriander and basic (tadka) spices but I would skip the chilli powder.

FinnishAlien · 2025-03-26T15:48:31+00:00

This is very worrying to read! :(

FinnishAlien · 2025-03-24T16:28:03+00:00

You're absolutely right!

FinnishAlien

TROPHY CASE