Save the Date: EMN Finland Conference 2026

Finland faces a wide range of challenges that affect the whole of society, which are linked to immigration policy in one way or another. The population is ageing and the dependency ratio is increasing. In practice, Finland’s natural population growth ended in the mid-2010s, and it is solely due to immigration, why the number of labour force and population in Finland has not started to decline.

The image of immigration, which regularly emerges in public debate, frames the phenomenon through a kind of dichotomy. Those who are critical of immigration emphasise immigration as a burden on public finances, a national security risk and a threat to social cohesion. Advocates of immigration cite labour shortages, an ageing population and international humanitarian obligations.

However, at the level of immigration legislation and administration, society should strive for the most long-term and consistent view on immigration policy. Immigration is not a separate policy area. It touches on several different policy areas, such as labour, integration, security and external relations. A well-functioning immigration policy therefore requires a comprehensive approach and a wide-ranging strategy.

The 2026 national conference of the Finnish National Contact Point of the European Migration Network will bring together decision-makers, civil servants, researchers and representatives of organisations to consider outlines for what a shared vision of Finland’s migration policy could look like. The conference will be opened by the Minister of Local and Regional Government, Anna-Kaisa Ikonen and the keynote speech will be given by Jean-Christophe Dumont, an immigration expert at the OECD.

The aim of the conference is to promote dialogue between different parties and to find new perspectives on how immigration policy could be more closely integrated into the functions of society. The conference aims to conceptualise migration as a cross-cutting theme and seeks to find the common ground on which we could build Finland’s immigration policy in the future.

The full program will be announced soon. A separate email will also be sent out when registration opens. Online participation will also be possible.

Further information about the event: emn@migri.fi

The Save the Date may be forwarded to those interested in the topic.