2009 - Maahanmuuttovirasto

origin information. “In 2009, over halfof our total labour input went intosupporting asylum decision-making.Country of origin information is themost important determining factorwhen decision making and assessingthe credibility of applications,”explains Jaana Vuorio, Director of theLegal Service and Country InformationUnit.In 2009, Vuorio’s unit launcheda special Afghanistan Programmesupported by the European ReturnFund. The programme conductedinformation gathering trips andseminars and carried out networkingwith different information providingorganisations and with Afghansresiding in Finland.“The network makes it easier forus to get real-time local information.We acquire as much relevant countryinformation as possible using as widea range of channels and sources aspossible. Our goal in the Afghanistanprogramme was to obtain full, up-todateinformation on the country.”Customer servicea common priorityThe Finnish Immigration Service’scommon Customer Service Policiesand Customer Service Handbook werecompleted in 2009. The handbookand service policies form part ofthe Finnish Immigration Service’sbroader customer service developmentprogramme.“We are using concrete tools tobuild a harmonised, high-qualityservice. Thanks to our common servicepolicies, everyone knows what weare striving to achieve and what isexpected of our customer service,”explains Director of Customer ServiceHanna Koskinen.For example electronic serviceshave been developed and considerablyimproved to ease the burden on serviceresources. “Although we are workinghard to improve our electronic serviceswe will, naturally, also continue servingour customers on a personal basis,”stresses Koskinen.Introduction of the UMA electroniccase management system forimmigration processes was postponedto 2010. “UMA rationalises andenhances the entire immigrationprocess and case processing chain. Wealso aim to use the system to assistcontrolled immigration,” says Directorof Information Management VesaHagström. ◆MAAHANMUUTTOVIRASTO 200929