In the summer of 2007, the Åland Island Peace Institute started researching issues related to migration to Åland. A survey of the migrants’ attitudes towards the Ålandic society resulted in the report “Immigrant Integration on Åland- an exploratory study” by Bogdan State (currently a PhD-student in sociology at Stanford University). A second survey, about the Ålanders’ attitudes towards migrants, was undertaken on Åland. To supplement these studies, the legal framework for the integration of migrants on Åland is also researched by pol.mag. Petra Granholm. The research resulted in a report where the legal situation on Åland is compared with the situation in Finland. Finland has had an Act on the integration of migrants and the reception of asylum seekers since 1999. On Åland the work towards a plan or a law on integration has just started, for instance through the final report of the committee on integration in 2007. The project as a whole has until now resulted in three reports published within the report series of the Åland Islands Peace Institute (No 2-2007, No 2-2009 and No. 3-2009. Downloadable for free here.
