Stricter conditions for permanent residence permits as of 8 January

The conditions for obtaining a permanent residence permit will be tightened. For example, the continuous period of residence required for the permit will be extended. Applicants will also be required to demonstrate higher integrity, proficiency in Finnish or Swedish and have a work history of a certain length. The President of the Republic approved the relevant amendments to the Aliens Act on 22 December. The amendments will enter into force on 8 January 2026.

“In line with the Government Programme, applicants will be required to comply with the rules of society, and to work and to study the language,” says Minister of the Interior Mari Rantanen.

The continuous period of residence required for a permanent residence permit will be extended from four to six years. When applicants have resided in Finland for six years, as a rule, they may be granted a permanent residence permit on condition that their proficiency in either Finnish or Swedish is satisfactory and they have been working in Finland for two years. If an alien has been sentenced to unconditional imprisonment, the uninterrupted authorised period of residence will be interrupted and its calculation will start from the beginning once the sentence has been served in full.

Obtaining a permanent residence permit based on a four-year period of residence will still be possible. However, the applicant will have to meet one of the following three additional requirements: 1) a minimum annual income of EUR 40,000, 2) a master’s degree or a postgraduate degree recognised in Finland and a two-year work history in Finland, and 3) high proficiency in Finnish or Swedish and a three-year work history in Finland.

If applicants meet the work history requirement, it will also be required that they have only used unemployment security or social assistance for a maximum of three months.

Applicants who have completed a master’s degree, a postgraduate degree or a university bachelor’s degree in Finland may obtain a permanent residence permit without having to meet the required period of residence in terms of years. In such a case, a certain standard of proficiency in Finnish or Swedish will also be required. 

Inquiries:
Pekka Lindroos, Senior Specialist, tel. +358 295 488 327, [email protected]
Harri Sivula, Ministerial Adviser, tel. +358 295 488 623, [email protected]