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A new study conducted at the University of Eastern Finland highlights the challenges faced by older immigrants in Finland when seeking social and healthcare services, employment and citizenship.
News Medical Life Sciences reports that the empirical socio-legal research was published in Retfaerd (Nordic Journal of Law and Justice). The study outlines the regulations stipulated in Finnish laws and examines older immigrants’ realization of their rights in practice based on interviews with 26 older immigrants living in Finland.
The findings show that in healthcare, the use of non-specialized interpreters may lead to an incorrect diagnosis, and the lack of previous health records for older immigrants who have recently arrived may delay their access to healthcare services. Some decisions regarding access to services were based on the discretion of state employees rather than on what the law stipulates, resulting in unequal access to services for individuals with similar needs. Inconsistencies in the dissemination of information about rights and available services also constituted barriers to accessing services, as only a few older immigrants reported receiving such information from the Finnish authorities.
Limited recognition of foreign education and skills hindered the access of older immigrants to employment opportunities. Foreign names and belonging to ethnic minority groups also negatively affected access to employment, indicating instances of cultural discrimination during the recruitment process. Nonetheless, deteriorating health has a detrimental effect on older immigrants’ ability to learn Finnish, thus restricting their access to employment and citizenship.
According to the study, the assessment of immigrants’ health status should be improved in the citizenaship application, and potential problems created by a lack of language skills should be taken into account. For the study participants, Finnish citizenship was experienced as an important reinforcer of well-being, employment, freedom of movement and reunion with family and friends abroad.
