Fear of change: why some Ukrainians hesitate to transition to municipal services
With the transition to municipal services, Ukrainians can apply for housing subsidies and arrange separate accommodation according to their needs.
Nadiia Fedorova
Nadiia Fedorova
Published 02.10.2025 at 12:30
Updated 02.10.2025 at 12:33
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Nataliia Dragan works at the Finnish Refugee Council in a project Ridne misto that supports Ukrainians transitioning from reception centres to municipalities. She explains that municipal services offer a wider range of support and better financial security.
Through Kela, people can receive basic social assistance, child allowance, housing subsidy, and, after a year of work, unemployment benefits. New parents are also entitled to parental leave allowance.
One of the most valued advantages is the freedom to choose housing. In reception centres, accommodation is assigned and often shared with strangers. After moving to a municipality, families can live separately and choose the housing by their own criteria.
The transition also gives more options for education. Not every town with schools or training opportunities has a reception centre. After the move, people can choose where to study.
A permanent address also makes everyday life easier. With strong bank identification, many things can be handled online.
“By giving Ukrainians the chance to transition to municipalities, Finland aims to integrate them into society and give them equal opportunities with Finns,” Dragan explains.
Why some do not wish to apply for municipality
Despite advantages, not everyone moves immediately after a year of residence. According to Migri, there are 13,306 Ukrainians in the reception system, 5,870 of them have already completed 12 months of residence.
Nataliia Dragan says that the main reason is fear of change.
“Moving to Finland was already extremely stressful— leaving home, adapting to a new country and language. After finally settling into life in a reception centre, many feel they are being asked to start over again, this time with more independence.”
Another concern is coping with all the bureaucratic procedures. In reception centres, help was available “under one roof.” After the transition, people must apply for benefits, pay bills, and use online systems on their own. The language barrier makes this even harder, Dragan notes.
Some families who plan to return to Ukraine also avoid building stronger ties in Finland. For example, some children still attend only Ukrainian online schools. But after registering with a municipality, Finland’s compulsory education law applies, and children must attend a Finnish school.
Health concerns also play a role. Those undergoing medical treatments, such as chemotherapy, postpone the transition until the end of treatment. Those waiting for surgery also delay the move for fear of losing their place in line. People with chronic illnesses also feel safer in reception centres, where nurses take care of the doctor’s appointments and prescription renewals.
Most experiences are positive
Dragan emphasizes that her clients are usually satisfied once they have moved, even if the transition felt challenging.
“As for the problems they may experience, I would rather call them tasks that need to be solved,” says the specialist.
Detailed information in Ukrainian about the transition is available on the Finnish Immigration Service website. If necessary, Migri or non-governmental organizations like the Finnish Refugee Council can help during the process. Depending on the situation, it takes around 1-2 months.
After getting permanent residence, the municipality can support with arising issues. For example, if someone has trouble filling in applications or paying bills, they can ask a local social counselor for help.
According to Dragan, now there are more Ukrainian speaking workers in different organizations, which makes things easier.
The specialist notes that Ukrainians often share negative stories on social media, discouraging others. But every situation is different, and one person’s bad experience may not apply to others.
Preparing the article, Satakieli asked Ukrainians to share their experiences about the transition through Facebook groups. From more than 20 responses, feedback was mostly positive. Challenges after the transition were connected with the health care system or bureaucracy.
Reception centres closing
Meanwhile, the Finnish Immigration Service has already terminated contracts with 18 reception centres, 8 more will be closed by February 2026. As more Ukrainians move to municipalities and fewer arrive in Finland, the demand for centres is shrinking.
This means that in some areas, Ukrainians have little choice but to transfer. Those who have lived in Finland for less than a year, and do not yet have the right to a permanent address, are moved to other centres with available places — sometimes far from their current home. The same possibility if offered for those who do not wish to transition.