Ukrainian refugees arriving to Finland in October 2024. Photo: Lehtikuva
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Finland will continue offering temporary protection to Ukrainian citizens fleeing the war until 4 March 2027, following a decision by the EU’s Foreign Affairs Council. The Finnish Ministry of the Interior confirmed the extension in a press release on Monday.
The EU directive, originally adopted in March 2022 after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, allows member states to offer streamlined protection outside the standard asylum process. It is aimed at enabling rapid support for displaced persons during large-scale crises.
Finland currently hosts around 46,000 Ukrainian nationals under the scheme. Since the directive took effect, authorities have received approximately 84,000 applications for temporary protection. Many applicants have since returned to Ukraine or relocated to other EU countries, the ministry said.
Across the European Union, about 4.3 million people are receiving temporary protection status under the same directive.
The Finnish Immigration Service (Migri) estimates that between 8,000 and 12,000 more Ukrainian nationals will apply for temporary protection in Finland during 2025. The final number will depend on several evolving factors, including developments in Ukraine’s military situation, international support, and conditions affecting daily life in Ukraine.
“The key factors affecting the number of applicants include possible changes in Ukraine’s military situation, the US policy on Ukraine and Russia, the West’s support for Ukraine, the economic and humanitarian situation in Ukraine, the state of infrastructure and opportunities for education and employment,” the ministry stated.
The government has not proposed any changes to the current rights attached to temporary protection status, which include access to healthcare, education, accommodation, and limited employment rights.
The decision ensures that Ukrainians in Finland can remain legally until at least spring 2027, unless conditions in Ukraine significantly change before that time.
HT
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Source: www.helsinkitimes.fi
