Finland Changes for Permanent Residency

Key Points  

• Finland introduced stricter measures for foreign nationals seeking permanent residency in the country  

Permanent Residency in Finland

Finland proposed stricter measures for obtaining permanent residency. The proposal includes extending the required continuous residence period from four to six years, requiring proficiency in Finnish or Swedish and having a certain length of work history. 

Foreign nationals can obtain permanent residency with a four-year residence period if they meet one of the following criteria:

• A minimum annual income of EUR 40,000;
• A master’s or postgraduate degree recognized in Finland; or
• Excellent language skills combined with a three-year work history.

Other key points of the proposal include: 

• Work history must be accumulated without relying on unemployment benefits or social assistance for over three months. 
• Applicants with a master’s, postgraduate or bachelor’s degree from a Finnish university can bypass the residence period requirement, provided they have sufficient language skills. 
• Applicants must demonstrate proficiency in Finnish or Swedish to qualify for long-term EU resident permits.
• Unconditional prison sentences will impact the calculation of the required residence period.