The article analyses the role and effects of economic cost and welfare

state arguments in Finnish immigration politics and policies. It argues

for a need to distinguish between welfare nationalist, welfare chauvinist

and welfare exclusionist discourses. Through an examination of

the immigration programmes of the political parties and parliamentary

debates and policy documents mapping the changes in asylum policy in

2009–2011, the article shows that welfare nationalism strongly characterises

the way asylum and non-Western migration is treated in Finnish

politics. Welfare chauvinism is typical for right-wing populist argumentation,

but is also used by individual politicians from other parties and

by policy makers. Examples of welfare exclusionism were found in party

programmes but not in the policy process. Moreover, it is argued that

struggles over welfare benefits cannot be understood without an analysis

of the cultural definitions of national belonging.