Source: Statistics Finland

TOTAL POPULATION IN 2009 5,351,427

CITIZENSHIPFinnish citizens 5,195,722Foreign nationals 155,705

LARGEST GROUPS BY CITIZENSHIPRussian 28,210Estonian 25,510Swedish 8,506Somali 5,570Chinese 5,180Thai 4,497Iraqi 3,978Turk 3,809German 3,628UK 3,333Indian 3,168Iranian 2,495US 2,378

NATIVE LANGUAGEFinnish 4,852,209Swedish 290,392Sámi 1,789

LARGEST GROUPS BY FOREIGN LANGUAGERussian 51,683Estonian 25,096English 12,063Somali 11,681Arabic 9,682Kurdish 7,135Chinese 7,078Albanian 6,736Other languages 207,037

Population By Citizenship, Native Language And Country Of Birth

General principles guiding immigration policy of the Ministry of Education Fostering good relation between different ethnic groups

- two-way integration, measures targeted towards the original population

Taking into account the needs of immigrants within the functioning of regular services and systems

- special targeted measures (special treatment, allocations) only as secondary options

Promoting the right of immigrants to their own language and culture Equal treatment of immigrants regardless of the reasons for

immigration Efficient coordination of measures Taking into account experiences of other countries

Guidelines in the field of education and research Sufficient availability of Finnish/Swedish language teaching in

all levels of education Studies concerning multicultural issues for all teachers. More

study places for teachers with immigrant background Further development of recognition of knowledge Efficient guidance and counselling services immediate

availability, focus on periods of transition (from one education level to the next)

Strengthening of education on internationalism and tolerance Promotion of mobility (students, teachers, researchers)

Adult education

Vocational basic or supplementary education Upper secondary education Liberal education (folk high schools, summer universities) General language examination system a prerequisite for

citizenship (64 providers of which 23 are folk high schools) Education of illiterate adults cooperation between the

Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Employment and the Economy

Training of teachers: an ESF-funded common model shared by 5 universities and 2 polytechnics

Adult education – targets (1)

To strengthen language teaching of immigrants

To develop the language examination system

To integrate language teaching into vocational, higher adult education and on-the-job training

To strengthen guidance and counselling services, and increase targeted services for immigrants having a higher education background

Adult education – targets (2)

To increase training for teachers with immigrant background or teachers working with immigrants

Transfers of administrative resources from the Min. of Employment and the Economy to the Min. of Education which concern teaching of illiterate adults

More resources for upper secondary education institutes

Changes in the legislation and funding of liberal adult education