The Finnish government is proposing changes to streamline the residence permit process for students while making it more challenging for third-country nationals to obtain permits for family reunification. The new proposal, if approved, could allow international students to gain permanent residence in Finland without having to fulfill the current residency duration requirements.
Henrik Vuornos, a Member of Parliament from the National Coalition Party, praised the proposal, particularly its focus on fast-tracking residence permits for students, describing it as a significant improvement. Vuornos emphasized that Finland needs highly skilled migrants, and this reform is expected to boost the number of international students at Finnish universities, thus helping address the country’s labor shortages.
The Interior Ministry’s proposal will be open for public comments until March 7. Key aspects of the proposal include:
- Foreigners who generate at least €40,000 in annual income could qualify for permanent residence.
- Applicants who have obtained a master’s or postgraduate degree and gained two years of work experience would be eligible for permanent residence.
- Individuals who are proficient in Finnish or Swedish and have three years of work experience would also be considered for permanent residency.
In 2024, Finland received approximately 63,000 student applications, a 3% increase from the previous year. Of these, around 53,800 were from international students, with 80% coming from outside the EU. The largest groups of international students in Finland were from Bangladesh, Pakistan, Nigeria, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Ghana, India, Vietnam, Iran, and Cameroon. Business, administration, law, and information and communication technologies (ICT) were the most popular study programs among these students.
