Finland tightens rules for permanent residence permits

Finland has approved amendments tightening the conditions for obtaining a permanent residence permit, extending the required continuous period of residence and introducing stricter language and work history requirements.

The amendments to the Aliens Act were approved by the presidency on Dec. 22 and will enter into force on Jan. 8, 2026, according to a statement by the Finnish government released on Monday.

Under the new rules, the continuous period of residence required for a permanent residence permit will be extended from four to six years. Applicants who have lived in Finland for six years may, as a rule, be granted a permanent residence permit if they demonstrate satisfactory proficiency in Finnish or Swedish and have a two-year work history in the country.

"In line with the Government Program, applicants will be required to comply with the rules of society, and to work and to study the language," Interior Minister Mari Rantanen said.

If an applicant has been sentenced to unconditional imprisonment, the uninterrupted authorized period of residence will be considered interrupted, and its calculation will restart only after the sentence has been fully served.

Obtaining a permanent residence permit after four years of residence will still be possible, but only if one of three additional conditions is met: a minimum annual income of €40,000 (around $47,180), a master's or postgraduate degree recognized in Finland combined with a two-year work history in the country, or high proficiency in Finnish or Swedish, together with a three-year work history in Finland.

Applicants meeting the work history requirement must also not have relied on unemployment security or social assistance for more than three months.

In addition, applicants who have completed a master's degree, postgraduate degree, or a university bachelor's degree in Finland may obtain a permanent residence permit without meeting the minimum residence period in years, provided they meet the required level of proficiency in Finnish or Swedish.