This thesis deals with integration of refugees into Finnish society. In 2015, millions of people left their home because of war and conflicts and they ended up in Europe. During this year the number of applicatios for asylum was exceptionally high, 32 476. After a positive asylum decision, a refu-gee settles down in a new country. Integration into Finnish society has its own challenges for both refugee and society.

The purpose of the thesis was to find out how integration is promoted and what factors influence the integration of refugees and to clarify the importance of the ways of promoting integration based on Act on the Promotion of Immigrant Integration. In addition, another purpose of the thesis was also to study how identity card for foreigners promotes the integration of refugees in Finland.

This thesis is juridical and the research method is qualitative. The most important main sources consist of the law in force and legislative history, literature and websites of governmental authori-ties. The theory section was supplemented by interviewing the area manager of the Northern Fin-land of Startup Refugees organization. Startup Refugees promotes integration of refugees by sup-porting employment and education among refugees.

As a result of this thesis, integration of refugees has an essential effect on the functionality of the labour market, business, regional development and preventing social marginalization of refugees. The integration of every refugee takes place step by step. Both personal resources and resources of the society can promote or delay integration. There is a high unemployment rate among refu-gees, compared to indigenous population. The authorities co-operate and promote integration with several measures based on Act on the Promotion of Immigrant Integration. Furthermore, this thesis results indicate that employment and education are the best and the most important ways to inte-grate into society, not forgetting the importance of communality.