Integration in Hämeenlinna
Hämeenlinna aims to be a good environment for immigrants, both in terms of activities and housing. The purpose of all integration activities is to encourage migrants to find their place in working life and in everyday life in Hämeenlinna.
Like to other places in Finland, migrants move to Hämeenlinna mainly for family, work and study reasons. The population figure of Hämeenlinna is 67 848 inhabitants and the share of foreign language speakers is 3 618 or 5.3 % (31.12.2020).
Integration is a set of activities, that are multi-professional, cross-functional and based on different companionships. Besides the authorities of municipalities and the state, also organizations, companies, neighborhoods and other communities are involved in the cooperation.
THE STAKEHOLDERS IN INTEGRATION
Ministry of economic affairs and employment
The Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment (TEM) is responsible for the integration of immigrants, integration legislation as well as promotion of employment of immigrants. Read more: TEM-website.
Ministry of the interior
The Ministry of the Interior (SM) is responsible for the preparation of immigration policy as well as the legislation related to migration and citizenship. In addition to that, the Ministry of the Interior is also responsible for the performance management of the Finnish Immigration Service. Read more: SM-website.
Ministry of education and culture
The Ministry of Education and Culture (OKM) deals with matters related to the development of education of immigrants (on different levels of education) as well as with matters related to culture, sports, youth work and religion.
Read more: OKM-website..
Read more: OKM-website..
Ministry of social affairs and health
The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health (STM) deals with matters related to the basic welfare, wellbeing, and health of immigrants living in Finland. Read more: STM-website.
Ministry of justice
The Ministry of Justice (OM) manages matters referring to, among others, non-discrimination (equality) and the promotion of good ethnic relations. Read more: OM-website.
Ministry for foreign affairs of Finland
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Finland (UM) is among others responsible for the visa policy. Finnish missions abroad grant visas and receive citizenship declarations and residence permit applications. Read more: UM-website.
Finnish immigration service
The Finnish Immigration Service (Migri) is a decision-making organisation in migration, asylum, refugee and citizenship matters and it maintains the reception system.
Read more: Migri-website.
Finnish national agency for education
The Finnish National Agency for Education (OPH) is among others responsible for the development of teaching and education, the recognition of foreign examinations and the development, enforcement and supervision of general language examinations. Read more on the OPH-website.
Non-discrimination ombudsman
The task of the Non-Discrimination Ombudsman is to advance the situation of ethnic minorities and foreigners as well as equality, legal protection and good ethnic relations in Finland. The Non-Discrimination Ombudsman is also the national human trafficking reporter. Read more on the Non-Discrimination Ombudsman- website.
The advisory board for ethnic relations (Etno)
The Advisory Board for Ethnic Relations (Etno) acts as a broad-based advisory body in matters related to refugees and emigration as well as racism and ethnic relations. Read more on the Advisory Board for Ethnic relations – website.
Regional state administrative agency of southwestern Finland
Within matters belonging to its field, the Regional State Administrative Agency (AVI) is in charge of planning, guidance and supervision of services promoting integration. AVI directs the municipalities’ actions for example in the fields of social and health care as well as schooling and other fields of education. Read more on the AVI-website.
The centre for economic development, transport and the environment (ELY)
On the regional level, the Centres for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment (ELY) are responsible for the integration of immigrants. The ELY centres support municipalities in the preparation and implementation of integration programs and agree with the municipalities upon the so-called municipality places of people receiving international protection. The ELY centres guide TE Offices in matters related to migration and integration.
Read more on the ELY-center website.
Read more on the ELY-center website.
The city of Hämeenlinna
The duty of the City of Hämeenlinna (municipality) is to ensure that the services it provides are suitable also for residents with an immigration background. The municipality’s duty is also to develop, plan and monitor integration processes on the local level. Read more on the hameenlinna.fi website.
Housing services
There are lots of rental flats in Hämeenlinna. A rental flat is a flexible housing option. Read more on myintegration.fi website and hameenlinna.fi website.
Early education
The goal of early education is to support the child’s growth, development and learning as well as to promote well-being. Early education can be organised in day care centres, family day care or other form of early education, for example in the form of clubs and play activities. Read more on myintegration.fi website and hameenlinna.fi website.
Basic education
Basic education has a dual purpose of upbringing and educating. The aim is to support pupils’ growth as human beings and members of the society as well as to teach necessary knowledge and skills. Basic education gives the same equal eligibility for further education for everyone and it is free of charge. Read more on myintegration.fi website and hameenlinna.fi website.
Services for children and young people
Services for children and young people consist of, among other things, early education, children’s clubs, pre-school education, and basic education as well as leisure activities and youth centers.
Read more:
- Daycare and preschool education (myintegration.fi)
- Education for children and young people (myintegration.fi)
- Youth facilities (myintegration.fi)
- Nuorisopalvelut – Hämeenlinna (hameenlinna.fi)
Health services
The aim of health services is to promote and maintain people’s health, well-being, work and performance ability and social security and to narrow health inequalities. The basis of these services is preventive health care and well-functioning services accessible to the whole population. Read more on myintegration.fi website and hameenlinna.fi website.
Social services
Social welfare means the social welfare professionals’ actions, social services and their supporting services, which promote and maintain the individual’s, family’s and community’s performance. Read more on myintegration.fi website and hameenlinna.fi website.
Refugee reception
The Refugee Reception organises services for quota refugees and other residents who need international protection and who fall under the scope of integration services. Read more at Hämeenlinna.fi.
Immigration info
The Immigration Info guides how the Finnish authorities’ system works and how integration process is supported in Hämeenlinna. The Immigration Info also offers assistance in settling official errands, for example filling in forms in Finnish. Read more on hameenlinna.fi website.
Elderly persons´care and nurture services
Elderly persons’ services support their clients’ life quality, resources and comprehensive well-being. Read more on hameenlinna.fi website.
Cultural and physical exercise services
Hämeenlinna has good and versatile cultural and physical exercise services. Read more on myintegration.fi website and hameenlinna.fi website.
Local register office of Häme, Hämeenlinna unit
The Local Register Offices are responsible for their area’s population information system and guardianship matters. Other duties of the Local Register Offices are, for example, the examination of marriage obstacles and change of names matters. Read more on myintegration.fi website and Local Register Office’s website.
The social insurance institution of finland
The Social Insurance Institution of Finland (KELA) provides social security in different life situations for persons living in Finland. Read more on myintegration.fi website and Kela’s website.
Häme TE office
TE Offices organize integration services for immigrants in order to help them integrate and find employment. Early-stage integration services, which are especially intended for immigrants, provide guidance and counselling, initial mapping, and integration training. Read more myintegration.fi website and TE Office’s.
Academies
The academies operating in Hämeenlinna and elsewhere in the Kanta-Häme region (for example Tavastia Education Consortium, Kiipula Vocational College and Häme University of Applied Sciences) organize education for both immigrants and people working with immigrants. Some of the academies carry out also research and projects, which produce good practices and versatile information that support integration. Read more on studentum.fi website and on studyinfo.fi website.
Companies
There are important employers among various companies of different industries in Hämeenlinna and elsewhere in the Kanta-Hame region. You can find the registry of the companies visiting Linnan Kehitys Oy website. The register is in alphabetical order or grouped according to industry. Read more on the Business and Service Directory website.
Other employers
Apart from local companies, also the municipalities of the Kanta-Häme region and local organizations are important employers. Read more on hamewiki.fi website and meidanhame.fi website.
Trade unions
Trade union (also trade association) is an association acting in connection with the labour union movement, which strives to defend and improve employees’ terms of work. Read more on the Info Finland website.
Non-governmental organizations
In Hämeenlinna and elsewhere in the Kanta-Hämen region there are several non-governmental organizations that organize activities and services promoting integration. In Hämeenlinna there are also immigrants’ own organizations and associations. Participation in sport activities and other leisure pursuits also promotes the integration of immigrants.
Read more on meidanhame.fi website and Hämeenlinna National Cultural Association website.
Read more on meidanhame.fi website and Hämeenlinna National Cultural Association website.
Parishes and other religious communities
In Hämeenlinna and elsewhere in the Kanta-Häme Region there are several parishes and other religious communities that organize activities and services promoting integration. Read more myintegration.fi website and Info Finland website.
City of Helsinki:
InfoFinland
Welcome guide
Finnish Immigration Service:
Enter Finland
Moving to Finland
Suomi.fi:
TE services:
Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment:
Ministry for Foreign Affairs:
City of Hämeenlinna:
International Hämeenlinna. Immigrants’ Integration Policy for the years 2021 – 2025 (pdf in Finnish.)
Assistance system for victims of human trafficking:
Ihmiskauppa.fi (for victims, authorities and other actors)
IOM Finland:
National Institute for Health and Welfare:
Migration and cultural diversity
PALOMA-koulutus
Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment:
Faktatietoa maahanmuutosta ja kotouttamisesta
Integration.fi
