HELSINKI – The authorities in Finland have announced to tighten the requirements for a permanent residence permit.
The Finnish Ministry of the Interior has set up a project in this regard and the government proposal will be submitted to Parliament in the spring session of 2025.
As per an official press release, the aim of the Government Programme is to encourage immigrants to follow the rules of Finnish society, to work and to study the language and a permanent residence permit will require successful integration.
‘The aim is to extend the period of residence required for a permanent residence permit to six years from the current requirement of four years,’ the press release said.
‘In the future, a permanent permit would also require proficiency in Finnish or Swedish, demonstrated in a language test. In addition, a work history of two years, without resorting to unemployment security or social assistance other than for a short period, will be required and the integrity requirement tightened,’ the official statement read.
It has also been announced that as part of the measures, it must be possible to establish the applicant’s identity as the applicant is required to actively help in establishing their identity.
It has also been clarified that in accordance with the Government Programme, the requirement for a six-year period of residence may be waived if the applicant fulfills certain conditions.
In this regard, a permanent residence permit can be granted after four years of residence if the applicant has an annual income of at least EUR 40,000 or a Master’s degree completed or recognized in Finland, as well as an uninterrupted work history of two years, without resorting to unemployment security or social assistance
Moreover, the requirement for a six-year period of residence may also be waived if the applicant has particularly good skills in the Finnish or Swedish language, as demonstrated in a language test, and an uninterrupted work history of three years. The applicant must not have resorted to unemployment security or social assistance other than for a short period or on a temporary basis.
It is to be mentioned that with each passing day, governments around the world are opening up to the outside world in terms of tourism but are tightening the rules in terms of granting permanent residency or immigration.
