Finland has increased the minimum income requirement for a residence permit for foreign workers to EUR 1,600 per month, effective from 1 January 2025. This change will also apply to applications for extended permits based on employment starting in April 2025. The income limit refers to the gross salary, meaning the salary before taxes and statutory deductions.
Foreign workers must apply for a residence permit if they are coming to Finland to work for a Finnish employer or any other employer in the country. A residence permit for an employed person is specific to the professional field of the job, and applicants must have confirmed employment before applying for the permit.
Currently, the minimum income requirement for an extended permit is EUR 1,430 per month. However, from April 2025, this will increase to EUR 1,600 per month. If an applicant’s salary is below this amount, they will not be eligible for an extended permit. If an application for an extended permit is submitted before 1 April 2025 but remains pending after that date, the employer may adjust the employment terms in the application, raising the salary to meet the new minimum requirement of EUR 1,600 per month.
To qualify for an extended permit, the foreign worker must have sufficient income in Finland for the duration of the permit’s validity. The total monthly salary must be at least EUR 1,600, which can be earned from multiple employment relationships. However, bonus pay, such as compensation for evening, night, weekend work, and similar payments, is not included in the total salary.
Employers can provide fringe benefits, like a company car or housing allowance, but these cannot exceed 50% of the base salary. The value of the fringe benefits is taken into account based on their taxable value.
If the employer has obtained employer certification, the applicant can apply for a D visa simultaneously with the residence permit. The D visa allows the individual to travel to Finland as soon as the residence permit is issued, with the visa sticker placed on their passport. Family members, such as spouses and children, may also apply for a D visa if they are seeking a residence permit based on family ties.
Foreign workers cannot begin working until they receive the residence permit for an employed person. They may only work in the professional field for which the permit has been granted. It is possible to have multiple jobs within the same professional field.
From 17 to 23 March 2025, 25.4% of decisions on extended permits were issued within 14 days, 16.6% within 15–30 days, and 17.1% within 31–60 days after the applicant’s identity was verified. The average processing time for positive decisions is 51 days. In 2025, Finland has received 2,672 applications for extended permits for employed persons and has issued decisions on 2,100 of them, with 1,824 being positive decisions.
