The Finnish Immigration Service (Migri) has announced a temporary suspension of decisions concerning rejected residence permits for Palestinians as its interpretation of immigration law undergoes reassessment.
Published: 5/09/25 | 20:02
The Union of Academic Researchers and Teachers in Finland has raised concerns arguing that Migri’s current stance endangers the prospects of Palestinian scholars working in the country.
Yle News reported on Thursday that Palestinian project engineer Fayez Bassalat was issued a deportation order by Migri last month.
The deportation stemmed from amendments made in 2023 to section 35 of Finland’s immigration legislation which introduced a general obligation to provide a valid national travel document.
“This requirement for a ‘national document’ did not exist earlier,” explained Johanna Waal, who is Director of Migri’s Legal and Specialist Services Unit in an interview with Yle News.
Since Finland does not officially recognise Palestine as a state Migri has ruled that Palestinian passports cannot be considered valid national travel documents.
However, Migri confirmed on Thursday that it is now revisiting this interpretation. “It is too early to say whether this discussion will result in a change in practice,” Waal added.
In a statement on Friday Migri clarified that it cannot determine the content of laws but only provide feedback during their drafting process. It said it had already stressed the importance of equal treatment for stateless individuals and the need for clear and consistent legislation during the law’s preparation stage but Parliament’s final decision did not reflect those concerns.
Migri further pointed out that anyone receiving a negative residence or deportation ruling has the right to appeal. “As a rule deportations are not enforced while an appeal is pending unless the removal is related to criminal activity,” the statement noted.
In a separate announcement the Union of Academic Researchers and Teachers criticised the stricter immigration policies warning that they jeopardise the status of Palestinian academics in Finland.
The union urged the Finnish government to step in and instruct Migri to accept Palestinian passports as equivalent to national travel documents in line with the stance taken by the Ministry for Foreign Affairs.
“We are aware of several Palestinian researchers who came to Finland legally to carry out scientific research and pursue advanced degrees including doctoral studies. Now their legal stay in Finland is entirely uncertain because Migri no longer recognises Palestinian passports as valid proof of identity,” said Nina Hahtela, who is Executive Director of the Union of Research Professionals.
Hahtela stressed that the researchers’ situation has not changed as they are still engaged in doctoral programmes while employed at Finnish universities.
She described it as “deeply unreasonable” that international experts who have followed all legal procedures now face deportation due to hastily enforced immigration restrictions.
“Given the broader global situation it is especially troubling that Palestinians who are people whom many international scholars argue are at risk of genocide in their homeland are the ones affected by this policy,” she added.
