Closing the Finnish Immigration Service (Migri) office in Kuopio would weaken the region’s overall growth, vitality, and accessibility
The proposal to close the Finnish Immigration Service (Migri) offices in Kuhmo, Kuopio and Lahti as part of government cost-saving measures has raised widespread concern in Eastern Finland. The planned changes would have significant negative impacts on the cities of Kuopio and Joensuu, as well as on the competitiveness, vitality, and accessibility of the entire Eastern Finland region.
In a joint letter to Migri’s leadership and national decision-makers, the cities of Kuopio and Joensuu, regional higher education institutions, and the business community call for the suspension of the planned closures and invite Migri to engage in dialogue to find a solution to the situation.
The possible closure of the Kuopio office in particular would have a significant impact on the daily lives of immigrants in Eastern Finland. In recent years, services have largely been centralized in Kuopio, which has been at a reasonable distance from several regions. Travel time and costs have been manageable both by public transport and private car.
If services are to be transferred to Lappeenranta, Tampere or Helsinki, travel costs would increase significantly, and travel times and expenses would at least double, substantially weakening the accessibility of services. At the same time, concerns arise about the capacity of the receiving offices: will there be enough appointment slots for the growing number of customers, and how can the smooth functioning of services be ensured in the future?
Immigrants often use Migri’s services over several years. Smooth, predictable, and reasonably accessible services are a key factor in deciding where to settle in Finland. The location of services therefore has a direct impact on the attractiveness of regions and population development.
Kuopio and Joensuu are significant university cities where work-based immigration, international student mobility and the availability of skilled labor are key drivers of vitality. Immigration plays a central role in the growth of these cities, and the accessibility of services supports both the settlement of international experts and companies’ recruitment opportunities. The region’s higher education institutions and business sector are strongly international and rely on well-functioning immigration services. Migri’s presence in Kuopio has supported this development. The planned changes would weaken the smooth functioning of everyday life from the perspectives of both clients and employers across Eastern Finland.
The signatories emphasize that, when evaluating the state’s premises solutions, regional impacts, accessibility, and the role of growth centers in Finland’s overall development must be considered alongside cost efficiency. Actors in Eastern Finland are ready to engage in constructive dialogue on the matter and to seek solutions that reconcile the state’s cost-saving objectives with the region’s sustainable growth and vitality.
Signatories:
Soile Lahti, Mayor of Kuopio
Jere Penttilä, Mayor of Joensuu
Tapio Määttä, Rector of the University of Eastern Finland
Mervi Vidgren, Rector of Savonia University of Applied Sciences
Petri Raivo, Rector of Karelia University of Applied Sciences
Kaija Savolainen, CEO of the Kuopio Region Chamber of Commerce
Antti Toivanen, CEO of the North Karelia Chamber of Commerce
