US embassy cable - 05HELSINKI1145

UNCLAS HELSINKI 001145 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR G/TIP, EUR/NB 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PHUM, SOCI, SMIG, FI, Trafficking-In-Persons 
SUBJECT: FINLAND:  PROPOSED RESIDENCY PERMITS FOR TIP 
VICTIMS 
 
 
1.  (U)  Officials at the Interior Ministry told Poloff that 
they intend to draft a proposed amendment to Finland's 
"Aliens Act" that would allow trafficking-in-persons victims 
to receive temporary residency permits.  The proposed permits 
would allow TIP victims to remain in Finland for up to one 
year.  Victims could work and receive social security 
benefits (health and housing assistance, etc.) during that 
time, and the permits could be extended beyond the initial 
year.  Permit holders would also be eligible to apply for 
permanent residency status based on employment or other 
factors.  Eligibility for the proposed residency permits 
would be based on at least some cooperation with Finnish law 
enforcement officials investigating the victim's case.  The 
exact nature of such cooperation is still under 
consideration.  The MoI said that the proposed amendment 
would be vetted by Finland's inter-agency TIP working group 
before submission to Parliament and the Government.  Little 
opposition is expected, and the MoI hopes the amendment can 
be enacted sometime next year. 
 
2.  (U)  Comment:  This is an important step for Finland, 
both in terms of providing greater protection for TIP victims 
and in terms of increasing investigations, prosecutions, and 
convictions.  The biggest gap in Finland's protection 
measures to this point has been the GoF's policy of quickly 
deporting TIP victims from certain countries like Russia and 
Ukraine (although in practice, the policy was not always 
enforced).  Extending residency permits to TIP victims was 
one of the chief recommendations in Finland's new National 
Action Plan, and the MoI's quick action on the issue is a 
positive sign that the GoF is serious about the plan's 
implementation.  The protection provided will also give 
incentive to assist the police in prosecuting traffickers. 
 
HYATT