From January 8, 2026, the conditions for obtaining a permanent residence permit in Finland will become stricter. This was reported by 'Glavkom' citing Yle.
According to the new rules, applicants must live in Finland longer, demonstrate a certain level of proficiency in Finnish or Swedish, and have a certain work experience. 'According to the government's program, applicants must adhere to societal rules, work, and study the language,' commented Minister of the Interior Mari Rantanen (Finns).
Key changes in the foreigners law
One of the key changes to the foreigners law will be the extension of the necessary residence period for obtaining a permit from four to six years. 'As a rule, after six years of living in Finland, applicants may be granted a permanent residence permit provided they have a satisfactory level of Finnish or Swedish and have worked in Finland for two years,' the ministry's statement said.
'If the applicant has been sentenced to unconditional imprisonment, the residence period will be considered interrupted, and its calculation will start again from the beginning after serving the full sentence.'
Obtaining a permanent residence permit based on the four-year residence period will still be possible, but on the condition that one of the three requirements is met. These conditions include a minimum annual income of €40,000, a master's or doctoral degree recognized in Finland, a two-year work experience, or a high level of proficiency in Finnish or Swedish and a three-year work experience in the country.
'If applicants meet the work experience requirements, they must also have experience using unemployment benefits or social assistance for no more than three months.'
As reported, nearly half of the Ukrainian refugees in Finland plan to stay here, 90% are satisfied with life in the country, and every third one has already found a job. Such data were obtained from a study conducted by sociologist and board member of the Society of Ukrainians in Finland Arseniy Svyrynenko on behalf of the Ministry of the Interior.
The conditions for obtaining a permanent residence permit in Finland will be stricter from January 8, 2026. According to the new rules, applicants must have more time living in the country, speak the language, and have work experience. These changes also foresee an extension of the residence period before obtaining a permanent residence permit.