Over 40% asylum applications rejected in Finland in 2015

More than 40 percent of the processed asylum applications were rejected in Finland last year, said the Finnish Immigration Service on Friday.

A total of 1,628 asylum seekers were issued with residence permits on the basis of international protection. Most of them were from Iraq, Somalia and Afghanistan.

Meanwhile, over 1,300 asylum seekers received negative decisions, accounting for 41 percent of the processed applications.

The majority of the decisions made in 2015 were issued to asylum seekers who arrived in Finland before last autumn, said the Immigration Service.

According to the authority, more asylum seekers arrived in Finland in 2015 than ever before.

To accommodate the asylum seekers, Finland had to set up new reception centers at a rapid pace last year. The number of the reception units for adults increased from 18 to 142, and the number of units for minors increased from 8 to 68.

Last week, a delegation of the Iraqi Ministry of Migration and Displacement visited Finland, in an effort to enhance cooperation in the repatriation of Iraqi asylum seekers to their home country.

Source: XINHUA