Pakolaiset

Pakolaiset is Finnish for refugees, referring to people who have fled their country due to a credible fear of persecution or serious harm. They typically escape because of reasons related to race, religion, nationality, membership in a social group, or political opinion, and they are outside their country of origin and unable or unwilling to seek protection there. A related term is asylum seeker, a person who has applied for international protection and whose claim has not yet been finally decided. Another related category is internally displaced persons, who remain within their own country.

International law provides protection principles for refugees, most notably non-refoulement, which prohibits returning a person to a place where life or freedom would be threatened. Refugees and those with subsidiary protection have rights to basic humanitarian assistance, access to education and healthcare, work opportunities, and the possibility of family reunification. Status is determined through asylum procedures, which assess the applicant’s claim. If protection is granted, individuals typically receive a residence permit; if not, there may be an appeals process or other options.

Globally, displacement is driven by armed conflict, persecution, and disasters, leading to millions of refugees and asylum seekers. Some countries also run resettlement programs to relocate refugees from reception countries to longer-term destinations.

In Finland, pakolaiset are processed by the Finnish Immigration Service (Migri). Those granted protection receive residence permits and support for integration, including language training and employment assistance; asylum seekers receive reception services while their status is decided.