Finland expects stable migration levels through 2026
Baku, November 25, AZERTAC
The Finnish Immigration Service expects student and work-related migration to remain stable in 2025 and 2026, while asylum applications are projected to stay at moderate levels, according to Finland Herald.
The agency’s foresight network, a body of experts convening three times a year, updated its forecast based on application trends through October and wider economic and geopolitical developments.
Asylum applications in Finland and the EU have declined from the previous year. In Finland, 1,709 first asylum applications were submitted between January and October, a 15 percent drop compared to the same period in 2024.
The fall in asylum applications was partly due to administrative changes in Syria and tighter entry controls across the EU. He noted that push factors remained strong in countries of origin, including conflict, political instability and poor economic conditions.
In the EU as a whole, 399,000 asylum applications were filed in the first half of 2025.
Finland is expected to receive between 1,500 and 2,500 first asylum applications annually in both 2025 and 2026.