UTH-survey
The number of persons of foreign origin whose both parents were born abroad is around 280,000 in Finland. Statistics Finland and the National Institute for Health and Welfare (THL) carried out a Survey on work and well-being among persons of foreign origin (UTH-survey), because the information need for integrating the population of foreign origin has grown, but the present population studies do not provide sufficiently reliable on the living conditions of this group.
The survey collected information about the labour market situation, ability to work and function, physical and mental health, possible experiences of discrimination and need for services among people of foreign origin.
The questions of the survey were gathered from the biggest national population studies (Labour Force Survey, Regional Health and Well-being Study, Health 2011, Work and Health), which allows comparison of the results with those of Finnish-born people.
The survey data was collected between 1 January and 31 December 2014 with face-to-face interviews. The survey data is available for researchers through remote access from our research services.
Publications in English
There has been several publications based on UTH-survey. Reports and articles on results can be found from below in Finnish and an executive summary in english. In addition a methodological despricption is available in english. Handbooks on Good practices to those conducting a quantitative interview survey and on Cooperation in monitoring immigrants’ integration can be found in Finnish.
Executive Summary
The survey on work and well-being among persons of foreign origin (UTH) for the first time provided information on the reasons for immigration for the entire population with foreign background. The survey indicated that family reasons... read more
Methodological description
The UTH data contain 3,262 interviews of persons aged 15 to 64 living permanently in Finland in 2014 who’s both parents were born abroad. The data were.... read more
Original publications (in Finnish only)
- Work and well-being among persons of foreign origin in Finland in 2014. Statistics Finland, Population 2015
- Mental well-being, security and inclusion of persons with foreign origin. THL Working paper 18/2015
- Immigrants in population studies – Good practices to those conducting a quantitative interview survey. Statistics Finland Handbooks 51/2015
- Cooperation in monitoring immigrants’ integration, employment and well-being. THL Working paper 19/2015
- Sutela: Attention should be paid to the integration of women from the Middle East and Africa. Tieto&Trendit, 2/2016
The articles collected to the book have also appeared on Statistics Finland's thematic pages (in Finnish only):
- Nieminen: Job search of non-employed persons with foreign background is more active than among those with Finnish background – lack of language skills the biggest obstacle to employment
- Larja & Sutela: Employment rate of men with foreign background nearly on level with men with Finnish background – women have more difficulties in finding work
- Sutela: Persons with foreign background in working life
- Nieminen & Larja: Three out of four persons with foreign background have at least average level Finnish or Swedish language skills
- Sutela & Larja: Many persons with high and low level of education among persons with foreign background
- Larja & Sutela & Witting: Young people of foreign background continue to upper secondary education less often than those of Finnish background
- Sutela & Larja: Immigrants come to Finland primarily for family reasons
The results of Sections 10 to 15 can also be examined on the Terveytemme.fi website, which provides statistical and follow-up data on the population's health and well-being (Castaneda, A., Jokela, S., Koponen, P., Pentala, O., Koskela, T. & Koskinen, S., 2014).