Government Proposes Tougher Aliens Act

The Finnish government wants to tighten certain rules on the right of asylum seekers to work. The government is proposing that asylum applicants without valid travel documents not be allowed to work until they have been in the country for at least six months.

At present, asylum seekers awaiting a decision in their cases can take up jobs after being in the country for three months.

Tougher regulations are also being proposed on the reunification of families. The draft revisions would give underage asylum seekers the right to be joined by family members only if they are minors at the time that a residence permit is granted. Currently, the right is based on a minor's age at the time of application.

Another change that the government wants written into law is legal status for a forensic determination of age. This could be done in cases in which there is cause to believe that the asylum applicant has lied about his or her age.

The government's draft does not take a stand on the definition of a nuclear family -- for example, if grandparents should be granted the same rights as parents, children or siblings.

YLE