Enhancing Stakeholder Engagement in Multilevel Immigration Governance: A Finnish Perspective within the EU Context

In 2015, Europe faced a major migration wave as people fled wars, poverty, and persecution, primarily from Syria, the Middle East, Asia, and Africa. This posed significant governance challenges, particularly for Finland, which received around 30,000 asylum applications—ten times its usual intake. While much attention has been given to the broader migration crisis, this study focuses on Finland’s response within the EU, using a constructivist approach. Migration governance involves collaboration between multiple actors and institutions across different levels. This research explores how Finland manages immigration at both local and national levels and interacts with EU institutions. It analyses these processes using social constructivism and the multilevel governance (MLG) framework. Interviews with key migration governance actors reveal that Finland’s culture of trust and cooperation and its small size contribute to effective migration governance. Finland’s well-prepared positions, shaped by government programs and parliamentary debates, allow it to engage effectively in EU negotiations. This unified approach reflects the constructivist view of multilevel governance, ensuring Finland plays an active role in EU deliberations.