The pages of InfoFinland.fi contain important basic information for immigrants. Information in 5 languages about Oulu and in 13 languages about Finland.
Ukraine
Questions and answers on the Ukraine situation
The state of war and the devastating news of the events in Ukraine have raised a wide range of questions. We collected answers to the most frequently asked questions from city experts.
Updated on 15.3.2022
Persons fleeing the war in Ukraine have the right to temporary protection. Temporary protection is intended for persons fleeing the war in Ukraine. The purpose of temporary protection is to enable them to be offered provisional protection quickly.
- Temporary protection for those fleeing Ukraine (Finnish Immigration Service)
- Instructions in Ukrainian: Що я повинен робити прибувши з України до Фінляндії
The Finnish Immigration Service Migri’s website provides instructions and advice on what to do when arriving in a foreign country. This information is given both in Finnish and English. The website also gives advice on the situation in Ukraine relating to, inter alia, asylum, residence permits, allowances, donations and giving assistance.
- Frequently asked questions about Russia's attack on Ukraine (Finnish Immigration Service)
- Temporary protection page in Ukrainian (Migri): Тимчасовий захист для тих, хто утік від війни в Україні
In Oulu you can register at the Oulu Reception Centre. Please call the police in advance tel. 0295 464 555.
- Oulu Police info on temporary protection,
Tel. 0295 464 555
Open Mon-Fri 8.00am–4.15pm. - Information for asylum or temporary protection seekers (Police of Finland)
- Oulu Reception Centre,
Heikinharjuntie 66, 90630 Oulu,
tel. 0295 463 100
The State is responsible for arranging housing for asylum seekers. Ukrainians seeking asylum or temporary protection are registered by the Police or by Finnish Border Guards. In Oulu you can register at the Oulu Reception Centre. Please call the police in advance tel. 0295 464 555.
Registered Ukrainians are clients of reception centres and obtain the reception services from the centre where they have been registered (the principle of the nearest reception centre).
The Finnish Immigration Service Migri is responsible for accommodation. The Oulu reception centre is one of the accommodation options offered by Migri.
Person arriving from Ukraine can go directly to the Oulu Reception Centre, if the person is in immediate need of accommodation and reception services.
- Oulu Police info on temporary protection,
Tel. 0295 464 555
Open Mon-Fri 8.00am–4.15pm. - Information for asylum or temporary protection seekers (Police of Finland)
- Oulu Reception Centre,
Heikinharjuntie 66, 90630 Oulu,
tel. 0295 463 100
Some of the Ukrainians fleeing war may stay with relatives and friends without the help of any official. Persons travelling with a passport have a free right to stay in Finland for three months without a visa.
If you live in private accommodation, for instance with your relatives, your spouse or acquaintances, and you have registered with the police as an asylum seeker, the police will put you on record as a private accommodation client. You then have the opportunity to obtain reception services from the Oulu Reception Centre. No financial support is provided for costs arising from private accommodation. The right and guidance for children to attend school are received via the reception centre.
The police will report all asylum seekers living in private accommodation to the private accommodation unit, which will contact the asylum seeker. You will obtain, via the private accommodation unit, all the reception services you are entitled to, such as health care services, as well as a possible reception allowance if you are entitled for it.
In Oulu you can register at the Oulu Reception Centre. Please call the police in advance tel. 0295 464 555.
- Oulu Police info on temporary protection,
Tel. 0295 464 555
Open Mon-Fri 8.00am–4.15pm. - Information for asylum or temporary protection seekers (Police of Finland)
- Oulu Reception Centre,
Heikinharjuntie 66, 90630 Oulu,
tel. 0295 463 100
The right to municipal services is determined by the person’s residential status. Everyone residing in the municipality has the right to essential and urgent services, regardless of their residential status. In these situations you can come to the Kontinkangas Welfare Centre during office hours, and out of office hours to the Oulu Region Joint Emergency Services or the Oulu Region Social and Crisis Emergency Service.
Essential and urgent health issues:
- During office hours, Kontinkangas Welfare Centre (Kontinkankaan hyvinvointikeskus), Kajaanintie 46A, tel. 08 558 44 333.
- Out of office hours. Oulu Region Joint Emergency Service (Oulun seudun yhteispäivystys), Kajaanintie 50, entrance A1 door, tel. 116 117 (emergency assistance).
Social and Crisis Emergency services help with the urgent social need for social assistance, and provide crisis help in devastating life situations around the clock.
- Oulun seudun sosiaali- ja kriisipäivystys, Oulu Region Social and Crisis Emergency Service, tel. 044 703 6235.
The Public Transport Committee has extended the right of Ukrainian citizens to travel for free on Oulu busses until 31.8.2022. When boarding Ukrainians have to show their passport or a certificate of seizure of passport issued by the police, border control authority or Finnish immigration service authority (Migri).
The website of the City of Oulu provides information in Finnish and English.
Advice on social security matters can be obtained from the Centre for International Affairs of Kela, the Social Insurance Institution. You can be entitled to the right to social security if you are granted a resident permit. As to the effect of the Directive on Temporary Protection on social security, information will be announced later.
- Social security rights of persons arriving in Finland in the wake of the situation in Ukraine (Kela.fi)
- Russian language version: Права на социальное обеспечение лиц, прибывающих в Финляндию в связи с текущей ситуацией в Украине
- Ukrainian language version: Права на соціальне забезпечення осіб, які прибувають до Фінляндії у зв'язку з поточною ситуацією в Україні
- Kela's customer service
The City of Oulu’s multilingual counselling service provides information on the authorities, tips for various areas of life, as well as help with problem situations.
Counselling is offered in the following languages: English, Persian/Kurdish (Sorani), Arabic, Chinese/Japanese, Tigrinya, Somali, Russian and Ukrainian.
- Multilingual Guidance, Torikatu 10, Oulu.
- Check the office service hours and telephone numbers on the multilingual guidance website.
InfoFinland is a multi-language website providing vital information to people planning to move to Finland and to immigrants already living in the country.
Do not stay alone with discomforting thoughts bothering you, if the changed world situation gives rise to concern and fear. The website includes places for help and support.
Instructions for psychological support issued by the Finnish Red Cross have also been translated into Ukrainian and Russian.
- What can you do if talk of war worries you? (Mieli Mental Health Finland)
- Russian language version: Что вы можете сделать, если вас беспокоит обсуждение российско-украинского конфликта?
- Russian attack on Ukraine (Finnish Government)
Services of the City of Oulu
Psychiatric nurses at Welfare centres
Help and support are available, if you or your family have concerns about mental health problems or if you need conversational help in life crisis situations.
Haukipudas tel. 08 5585 4600
Kiiminki tel. 08 5585 9312
Kaakkuri tel. 08 5584 4510
Tuira tel. 08 558 4447
Kontinkangas tel. 08 5584 4333
Myllyoja tel. 08 5584 4366
Oulunsalo tel. 08 5587 3401
Contact Information for the Social Services
Help and support is available for life’s crisis situations, if you or your family have concerns e.g. about finances, coping or raising children.
Social work is performed at welfare centres. You can contact the social worker at your own welfare centre on Mon–Thu klo 8am–4pm and Fri 8am–3pm.
The Oulu Region Social and Crisis Emergency Service
tel. 044 703 6235. Our service is open around the clock.
The Social and Crisis and Emergency services help people in urgent need for social help, as well as provide crisis help in devastating life situations. This help can be sought by the client himself/herself, a close relative, a friend or the authories. The services are free of charge.
Mental Health and Substance Abuse services telephone service
Assessment for need of care, guidance and counselling, tel. 044 703 5940. Opening hours: Mon–Thu 8am–4pm and Fri 8am-3pm.
Emergency mental health services for children and young people
If a child or young person needs urgent mental health care, please contact your own Welfare Centre (Mon-Fri from 8 am to 4 pm). Contact the Oulu Region Joint Emergency Service (Oulun seudun yhteispäivystys) after 4 pm and on weekends.
The child and adolescent psychiatry helpline 044 703 5919 (Mon-Fri from 8 am to 11 am) is intended for families and professionals living in Oulu who suspect that a child or young person needs special psychiatric care. You can also call the helpline if there is a sudden change in the condition of a child or young person in psychiatric care and an urgent assessment is needed.
Byström’s One-stop guidance centre Ohjaamo for persons under 30 (In Finnish)
Other actors
Oulu Crisis Centre
The Oulu Crisis Centre is a service run by the Oulu Region Mental Health Association. You can come to talkwith the Crisis Centre by phoning for an appointment on 044 369 0500 on weekdays, 9am-2pm.
National Crisis Helpline
Swedish language line: Kristelefon 09 2525 0112 Mon, Wed 4pm-8am, and Tue, Thu, Fri 9am-1pm.
Arabic line: 09 2525 0113 Mon, Tue 11am–3pm, Wed 1pm-4pm and 5pm-9pm, and Thu 10am-3pm.
You can call in English to both the Swedish and Arabic lines.
On-call assistance
The emergency services of the North Ostrobothnia Hospital District area can be used to ask for advice on sudden emergency and urgent social and health problems around the clock.
Mannerheim League for Child Welfare
- Contact information for Mannerheim League (MLL) for Child Welfare of North Ostrobothnia District
- MLL Telephone and Chat for Children and Young People
The telephone for children and young people is on call on tel. 116 111 - På svenska på numret 0800 96 116.
- MLL Phone and Chatline for Adults Tel. 0800 92277
Oulu Evangelical Lutheran Congregations
Numerous actors and private persons have said that they are looking for Ukrainians who have fled to Finland due to the Russian invasion. The Finnish Immigration Service Migri asks that their office be informed about Ukrainians arriving by voluntary transportation.
Migri asks for advance information about transport of Ukrainians to Finland (Finnish Immigration Service)The Finnish Immigration Service is interested in large properties that can accommodate larger numbers of asylum seekers. You can send information on the available property to the Finnish Immigration Service, by email to migri@migri.fi. If there is a need for facilities, you will be contacted.
For instance, the Finnish Red Cross, Finn Church Aid and the United Nation Children’s Fund Unicef, as well as Doctors Without Borders, are well-known, reliable parties through which you can support a country at war. Primarily, such organisations wish for financial support that can be precisely channelled to those needing help or to specific supplies. Some organisations have launched fundraising initiatives with collection boxes, and you can contribute by volunteering your time by working a collection box. You can enrol as a donor for future requirements on the voluntary registers of such organisations.
Goods can be donated in the usual way, for instance via a second-hand department store, Kontti, of the Finnish Red Cross. From these Kontti stores the goods can be procured for those in need by the Finnish Immigration Service Migri.
The Finnish Red Cross helps victims of the conflict in Ukraine (Finnish Red Cross)
The website of the Finnish Immigration Service (Migri) provides instructions and guidance for people fleeing from Ukraine and for people helping them.
Info Finland
Short cut to this page www.ouka.fi/ukraine
