Save the date: EMN Finland National Conference 27.11.

Between integration and return:

Employment and integration of beneficiaries of temporary protection from Ukraine in Finland and Europe – Experiences and Future prospects

Time: Wednesday 27.11.2024, 9.00-16.00

Venue: Hotel Arthur, Ballroom (Vuorikatu 19, 00100 Helsinki)

Online participation also possible.

As the war in Ukraine drags on, some Ukrainians are beginning to find new homes in EU countries, including Finland. It is possible that Ukrainians will become one of the largest diasporas in Finland and many other EU countries in the near future. EU countries are therefore now compelled to consider the transition of those granted temporary protection to other longer-term legal statuses and to look at integration in a broader context. On the other hand, at the same time, Member States must take into account that some may still return to Ukraine even after integrating to a member state.

The 2024 National Conference of the European Migration Network Finland Contact Point shall examine the state of play as well as the future prospects of the situation of Ukrainians in Finland and in EU countries. The conference aims to address the challenges of integration in a situation where a refugee finds himself between two countries. The conference seeks to promote dialogue between different actors and to find new perspectives on how to support refugees in the limbo between integration and return.

The keynote speech for the conference will be by Meltem İneli Ciğer, Associate Professor of International Law at the Suleyman Demirel University Faculty of Law, who is an expert in temporary protection and refugee law.

Opening words for the conference will be by Minister of Labour Arto Satonen.

The conference will also feature presentations based on the European Migration Network publications Labour market integration of beneficiaries of temporary protection from Ukraine and The application of the Temporary Protection Directive: challenges and good practices in 2023. In addition, the Ministry of Employment and Economic Affairs will present its Action Plan to Help People Who Have Fled Ukraine 2024–2027.

The event will also feature comments on the reports from national and international experts, as well as from Ukrainians themselves. The second half of the conference will consist of a panel discussion on how Finland (and Europe) should organise the transition of Ukrainians to permanent EU residency in the near future, and on how to facilitate the return of those willing to return to Ukraine once reconstruction is underway.

The full programme will be published soon. A separate newsletter will also be sent out when registration opens.

Contact: emn@migri.fi