Long-term assistance and residence permits 

Victims of human trafficking have different options for a long-term residence in Finland. The options available depend on the victim’s situation and whether there are grounds to grant a continuous residence permit. These include for instance a work permit, permit based on family ties, international protection or a continuous permit for a victim of human trafficking. 

Asylum can be in principle granted on the grounds of human trafficking exploitation, when:

1. Well-founded fear of persecution is established, for example threat of violence or re-trafficking, and
2. There is nexus to a convention ground, for instance the person belongs to a particular social group 

Granting asylum based on human trafficking is nevertheless quite rare. Residence permits granted on the basis of international protection or other types of residence permit are more common. 

As part of the asylum process, or through separate application process, victims of human trafficking, who are considered to be in a particularly vulnerable position, can be granted a continuous residence permit for a victim of trafficking in human beings (Aliens Act 52 a § 2). A trafficking victim may also be granted a continuous residence permit based on a discretionary basis on humanitarian grounds.

Child victims are usually granted continuous residence permits which gives them the right to receive home municipality immediately. 

The National Assistance System advices its clients on residence permit options and assists the client in the application process.

There are no specific long-term assistance programmes for victims of human trafficking in Finland. The National Assistance System can provide assistance to victims as long as the victims are clients of the system. A person can be a client of the National Assistance System for several years. The victim’s children, who reside in Finland, are equally clients in the Assistance System and are entitled to assistance based on an individual needs assessment.

Victims who are assisted by the home municipalities receive services based on the needs assessment conducted by the social services.

Integration

Victims of human trafficking are entitled to general integration services in Finland. These services are provided to foreigners upon the reception of a residence and a home municipality. The services are given by the home municipality. Despite no specific integration measures targeted only to victim of human trafficking exists, a training has been developed to the employment services to take into account the needs of the victim.

Finland is expecting a reform of the The Act on Promotion of Immigrant Integration. The law, entering into force 1.1.2025, will facilitate the access of victims of human trafficking to integration services by:

• Granting victims of human trafficking a special right to integration services even if they have been in the country for longer than 3 years, which is normally the cut-off point to access integration programs. The victim must be a client of the National Assistance System to receive the services.
• Allowing municipalities a right of access the information on whether the person they are provide integration services is a client of the National Assistance System. The access to information is aimed to ensure better accommodation of the vulnerable position of the victims and allow closer support in employment and recovery.