A special report aired by Yle’s current-affairs programme MOT and summarised in Selkouutiset on 12 December 2025 has sparked soul-searching in Finland’s higher-education and immigration circles. Journalists posing as applicants uncovered a network of private ‘education agents’ in South Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa who market Finnish degrees with promises of easy part-time jobs, rapid permanent residency and generous social benefits. In reality, many international students arrive to find tight labour markets, high living costs and limited support, forcing some into food-bank queues.
Finland actively recruits talent from abroad—non-EU student residence permits have tripled since 2022—but relies on third-party agents to funnel applicants. The investigation documented how commissions of up to €2 000 per accepted student incentivise exaggeration. One Bangladeshi-based agency advertised that "Finland is the world’s happiest country and getting a passport is simple," while another claimed students can "earn €2 500 a month in casual work"—double typical wages in entry-level service jobs.
Under Finnish law, universities are responsible for the accuracy of marketing carried out in their name, yet oversight has been patchy. The Ministry of Education immediately announced a task-force to draft a mandatory code of conduct for recruitment partners, echoing Australia’s ESOS framework. Proposed measures include public agent registers, random audits, and sanctions ranging from suspension to liability for students’ repatriation costs.
![Finnish investigation reveals overseas agents mislead prospective foreign students]()
For prospective students or employers who want extra clarity before embarking on the Finnish visa process, VisaHQ can provide up-to-date checklists, fee information and personalised application support. Their Finland portal (https://www.visahq.com/finland/) summarises residence-permit categories, processing times and required financial documentation, helping applicants set realistic expectations and avoid costly mistakes.
For multinational employers running graduate-rotation schemes, the revelations are a reminder to temper relocation communications and to provide realistic cost-of-living briefings. Immigration counsel also note that Migri can revoke residence permits if a student fails to progress academically or falls below subsistence-income thresholds—risks that may rise if expectations are not managed.
Universities fear reputational fallout in priority markets such as India and Vietnam but see an opportunity to pivot towards direct, digital recruitment channels. The University of Turku has already announced it will cease using agents in 2026 and launch its own multilingual admissions portal. Meanwhile, student unions are calling for an expansion of on-campus employment services and capped annual tuition-fee hikes to ensure Finland remains competitive against Dutch and German programmes.
Finland actively recruits talent from abroad—non-EU student residence permits have tripled since 2022—but relies on third-party agents to funnel applicants. The investigation documented how commissions of up to €2 000 per accepted student incentivise exaggeration. One Bangladeshi-based agency advertised that "Finland is the world’s happiest country and getting a passport is simple," while another claimed students can "earn €2 500 a month in casual work"—double typical wages in entry-level service jobs.
Under Finnish law, universities are responsible for the accuracy of marketing carried out in their name, yet oversight has been patchy. The Ministry of Education immediately announced a task-force to draft a mandatory code of conduct for recruitment partners, echoing Australia’s ESOS framework. Proposed measures include public agent registers, random audits, and sanctions ranging from suspension to liability for students’ repatriation costs.
For prospective students or employers who want extra clarity before embarking on the Finnish visa process, VisaHQ can provide up-to-date checklists, fee information and personalised application support. Their Finland portal (https://www.visahq.com/finland/) summarises residence-permit categories, processing times and required financial documentation, helping applicants set realistic expectations and avoid costly mistakes.
For multinational employers running graduate-rotation schemes, the revelations are a reminder to temper relocation communications and to provide realistic cost-of-living briefings. Immigration counsel also note that Migri can revoke residence permits if a student fails to progress academically or falls below subsistence-income thresholds—risks that may rise if expectations are not managed.
Universities fear reputational fallout in priority markets such as India and Vietnam but see an opportunity to pivot towards direct, digital recruitment channels. The University of Turku has already announced it will cease using agents in 2026 and launch its own multilingual admissions portal. Meanwhile, student unions are calling for an expansion of on-campus employment services and capped annual tuition-fee hikes to ensure Finland remains competitive against Dutch and German programmes.
