Finland to tighten rules for permanent residence permits

The Finnish government is planning to tighten the conditions for people seeking permanent residence permits, the government said, Report informs via Yle.

For example, the new rules will require applicants to have a longer period of residency before being eligible, having some proficiency in Finnish or Swedish as well as having worked in the country for a certain period of time.

The government said it submitted its proposal about the new conditions to Parliament on Thursday.

"Successful integration would be a prerequisite for a permanent residence permit. One of the objectives set in the government programme is to encourage immigrants to comply with the rules of Finnish society, and to work and to study the language," Interior Minister Mari Rantanen (Finns) said in a press release.

The current four-year residency requirement will be extended to six, but the government noted that some applicants would be eligible for a permanent residence permit after four years, if certain criteria are met.

Under the new rules, people would be able to apply for permanent residency after living in the country for four years if they fulfill at least one of these three requirements:

- A minimum annual income of 40,000 euros;

- Hold a master's or postgraduate degree recognized in Finland and have worked in the country for two years;

- Have a "high proficiency" in Finnish or Swedish and three years of work experience;

"If the applicant meets the work experience requirement, it would also be required that they have only used unemployment security or social assistance for a maximum of three months," the release stated.

The government included a number of the proposal's other conditions and rules in its press release.

The government said that it expects that the law changes will enter into force on January 8, 2026.