Finland to roll out stricter rules on permanent residence permits from January
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The conditions around obtaining a permanent residence permit in Finland will become stricter from 8 January 2026, the interior ministry has said in a press statement.
The new rules will require applicants to have lived in Finland for longer, demonstrate some proficiency in Finnish or Swedish, and have a work history of a certain length.
“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,” Interior Minister Mari Rantanen (Finns) commented.
Longer period of residence required
One of the key changes to the Aliens Act will see the period of residence required for a permanent residence permit extended from four years to six.
“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,” the press release said.
However, if an applicant has been sentenced to unconditional imprisonment, the period of residence will be deemed to have been interrupted and the calculation will start again from the beginning once their sentence has been served in full.
The press release noted that obtaining a permanent residence permit based on a four-year period of residence will still be possible — but based on meeting one of three conditions.
The three conditions, of which at least one must be met, are a minimum annual income of 40,000 euros, a master’s degree or a postgraduate degree recognised in Finland and a two-year work history in Finland, or 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,” the statement added.
