Public understanding and attitudes to irregular migration in Finland

Laurence Lessard-Phillips Lena Näre and Aleksiina Asell

 This country report presents evidence from the I-CLAIM public perceptions survey carried out in Finland in February 2025 with a nationally-representative sample of 1,025 adult respondents. It examines what people in Finland understand about irregularity and how they evaluate irregularised migrants, with particular attention to work.

The results reveal tightened attitudes towards immigration in general.Most respondents stated that immigration is a threat for Finland and has a negative impact on the economy, but still it was considered enriching Finnish culture. In general, it seems that the influence of gender in shaping attitudes towards immigration has diminished, and age group as well as political affiliation are more appropriate predictors instead.

The findings point out a substantial lack of knowledge about irregular migration. Respondents significantly overestimated the share of irregular migrants in Finland. Women, older adults and right-leaning voters were especially inclined to overestimations. Further, the pathways to irregularity were unclear for the public. Most
respondents judged pending asylum claims the main reason for irregularity but did not recognise more hidden pathways such as being born in Finland to parents who do not have legal residence status. These findings signal that attitudes towards irregular migration might be more shaped by media and political discourse than factual knowledge.

Economically important sectors such as cleaning, delivery, construction and care were recognised as sectors in which irregularised migrants work. Respondents reported feeling some level of unease when encountering irregularised migrants, especially in intimate home settings. Preferences for migrant workers were found to be pragmatic, but racialized and gendered. Respondents favoured aspects such as language fluency, longer stay in Finland, recommended candidates and family ties in Finland, but preferred Ukrainian candidates over Iraqi and Somali ones as well as women over men. Similarly, respondents considered aspects of social belonging, language skills and social relations, as the most significant signs of integration.

Perceptions of irregular migration and irregularised migrants in Finland are fragmented, ambivalent and not particularly well informed. Attitudes are a mix of pragmatic views and evident suspicion demonstrated in racialized and gendered outlooks. These findings highlight the need to address both inaccurate beliefs and the wider narrative frameworks that shape how irregularity is discussed in the public sphere.