Government Programme measures to reform migration policy

The operating environment and security situation in Finland and elsewhere in Europe have changed considerably in the past few years. Most other EU Member States have introduced stricter grounds for refusing or ending international protection status.

The aim is to grant international protection only for as long as there is a need for protection. A person who commits offences may be refused protection or their status may be withdrawn more effectively than before.

No, it will have no effect on the permits already granted. The amendment would apply to residence permits issued in future. The amendment is currently being discussed by Parliament. The amendment will not enter into force until Parliament has passed it.

The legislative amendment is part of measures to balance general government finances, which requires everyone’s participation. The amendment is expected to achieve savings of over EUR 16 million in 2024 and 2025. The reception allowance is a short-term benefit granted to persons who are in need of support and cannot earn a living through gainful employment or other income. The amendment was approved on 5 July 2024 and it entered into force on 1 August 2024.

The border procedure will provide a good tool for managing asylum applications that are likely to be unfounded. At the same time, the movement of applicants from Finland to other parts of Europe can be restricted. However, the border procedure will not solve the instrumentalisation of migrants at the eastern border. Fewer than 100 of the approximately 1,300 people who have arrived in Finland from Russia would have been referred to the border procedure. 

The amendments were approved on 28 June. The Act entered into force on 1 September 2024.

In the border procedure, an application is examined in accordance with the same rules as in the asylum procedure. The examination should just be carried out more quickly, i.e. within four weeks. Applicants must stay close to the border during the examination of the application and they do not have the right to move freely on Finnish territory.

In order to be granted Finnish citizenship, a residence period of eight years in Finland will be required instead of the current five years. The legislative amendment was adopted on 5 July 2024 and entered into force on 1 October 2024.

The Ministry is also preparing a legislative amendment that would require applicants to meet stricter requirements related to livelihood and integrity and to have satisfactory skills in Finnish or Swedish. Applicants meeting the language skills requirements could acquire citizenship after five years of residence in Finland. This would encourage applicants to acquire language skills. 

The Ministry is also preparing to introduce a citizenship test.

Previously, Finland has not required applicants to pass a citizenship test. In other words, the Ministry of the Interior is preparing a completely new prerequisite for acquiring Finnish citizenship.  In other countries, citizenship tests include questions on the general rules of society, as well as the country’s history and political system. The government proposal on the citizenship test is scheduled to be submitted to Parliament in spring 2025. 

According to the Government Programme, the aim is to examine the possibilities of introducing the principle of reciprocity in respect of the dual citizenship system. For example, Russian legislation does not recognise dual citizenship. 

A study on the dual citizenship system will be prepared in 2024 to serve as background for the reform. It is not yet possible to say what amendments might be proposed based on the study. The Ministry will provide more information on the completion of the study as it becomes available.   

The aim is to introduce several new measures. Voluntary return to the home country will be supported and removals from the country will be made more effective as necessary.  The period of detention will be extended and the possibilities for detention increased on the grounds of public order and security. The conditions for submitting subsequent applications will be tightened and unfounded subsequent applications will be prevented. 

In addition, it will be made possible to withdraw a residence permit from an alien staying outside Finland and to impose an entry ban for security reasons. Cooperation with third countries to promote returns will be deepened in collaboration with the Ministry for Foreign Affairs.

The legislative amendments preventing evasion of provisions on entry were approved on 5 July 2024. The amendments entered into force on 1 September 2024. 

The law specifies in more detail and in mandatory terms the situations in which a residence permit is not issued. The Finnish Immigration Service will have less discretion. The aim is to intervene more resolutely in reprehensible or dishonest conduct and abuses of the residence permit process when issuing residence permits. 

The amendments prohibit asylum applicants from switching to a work-based or education-based application procedure in order to apply for a residence permit in Finland. The amendments, which were approved on 5 July 2024, entered into force on 1 September 2024.

In future, illegally staying migrants will not be able to legalise their status directly by starting to work or study. The legislative amendment does not remove the applicant's right to work or study in Finland, but requires that normal procedures be used to obtain a residence permit and that a residence permit be applied from abroad.