Finland Considers Tightening Criteria for Permanent Residency

Finland Considers Tightening Criteria for Permanent Residency

KEY TAKEAWAYS

  • Finland is contemplating tougher criteria for obtaining a permanent residence permit, with the Ministry of the Interior launching a project to outline stricter requirements.
  • The project aims to promote integration among immigrants by encouraging adherence to Finnish societal norms, employment, and language proficiency.
  • Additionally, there is a proposal to extend the residency period needed for eligibility from four to six years.

Finland is considering tightening conditions for a permanent residence permit.

Finland’s Ministry of the Interior has set up a project, the main purpose of which is to prepare strictures of requirements for a permanent residence permit, according to the government.

Through the project, Finland’s government aims to encourage those who immigrated to the country to follow the rules of Finnish society, work as well, and study the language, emphasising that successful integration is a prerequisite for a permanent residence permit.

In addition, the goal is also to prolong the period of residence required for a permanent residence to six years. At present, the residency requirement is four years.

In the future, a condition for a permanent permit would also be Finnish or Swedish language skills, which would be verified by a language test. In addition, a two-year work history without other than very short-term recourse to unemployment insurance or income support is required, and the requirement of integrity is tightened. 

Finland’s Ministry of the Interior

In addition, the identity of the applicant must be verified. The applicant is required to be active in finding out his own identity.

Based on Finland’s government program, the six-year residency requirement can be abolished if the applicant meets some specific conditions.

A permanent residence permit can be granted already after four years of residence if the applicant has an annual income of at least 40,000 euros or a higher university degree completed or recognised in Finland and a two-year work history without other than very short-term recourse to income support or unemployment support.

Finland’s Ministry of the Interior

The government also said that the six-year requirement can be lifted if the applicant has particularly good Finnish or Swedish language skills in addition to a three-year work history.

The applicant shouldn’t have depended on welfare or unemployment benefits except for brief periods.

Finland’s Ongoing Tightening of Conditions

Authorities in Finland are tightening conditions for family reunification as well. In February this year, the Finnish Ministry of Interior unfolded plans to introduce stricter requirements for family reunions, as permitted by the EU Family Reunification Directive.

In this regard, the Ministry said that a new condition would be added to the Finnish Aliens Act, where the spouse acting as a sponsor must be at least 21 years old.

Number of Residence Permit Applications in 2023 Increases

Based on the statistics from the Finnish Immigration Service, a significant number of residence permit applications were filed in Finland last year. In 2023, there were registered a total of 16,999 applications for a first residence permit on the basis of work, 12,867 applications for a residence permit for studies, and a record number of 21,523 residence permits based on family ties.

At the same time, figures from the same source revealed that in 2023, nationals from Russia accounted for the highest number of citizenships acquired in Finland, totalling 13,202, followed by those from the Philippines, India, China, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Vietnam and Iran.

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