Assistance for voluntary return to remain unchanged

The Ministry of the Interior has issued a decree on assistance for voluntary return for 2022–2023. The decree will enter into force on 1 January 2022.

There will be no changes in the assistance for voluntary return compared to 2020–2021. The new decree on assistance for voluntary return will be valid for two years until the end of 2023.

Assistance for voluntary return may cover the costs of the return journey and financial assistance to enable the returnee to start a new life in the home country. Assistance may be financial or in-kind assistance. In-kind assistance means various items or services helping the person to start a small business or access education or training, for example.

According to the Government Programme, the voluntary return system will be developed as the primary option for securing the departure of unsuccessful applicants and their reintegration.  The functioning and development of the voluntary return system will be examined separately and, if necessary, the decree on the assistance may be amended before it expires.

The Action Plan for the Prevention of Irregular Entry and Stay for 2021–2024 also contains measures related to assisted voluntary return and reintegration. The Ministry of the Interior monitors the implementation of the Action Plan.

Inquiries:

Roope Jokinen, Senior Specialist, tel. +358 295 488362, [email protected]