Speaking at the Finns Party council in Helsinki on Saturday, 14 December 2025, Finland’s Finance Minister and party chair Riikka Purra reiterated the Orpo-led government’s intention to tighten immigration rules and restrict access to social welfare for non-citizens. Purra framed the issue in the starkest fiscal terms yet, telling delegates that “immigration that does not pay for itself is a heavy burden on the public economy.”
Purra said the ageing of Finland’s native population is placing mounting pressure on health-care, pension and labour-market budgets and argued that the country must therefore “reserve its limited resources for its own people.” Her remarks come only a week after she floated the idea of limiting basic social assistance (toimeentulotuki) exclusively to Finnish citizens—an idea that instantly sparked constitutional questions and vocal criticism from opposition parties and NGOs.
In her Saturday speech Purra claimed that the current government has already executed a “complete U-turn” in migration policy compared with the previous centre-left administration. She highlighted the higher income thresholds for work permits that entered into force in January, the three-year cap on most humanitarian residence permits, and the May amendments to the Aliens Act that tripled the maximum length of entry bans to 15 years. Purra told delegates that the Interior Ministry is “negotiating a new legislative package” that will further curb student migration and tighten family-reunification rules—areas long criticised by the Finns Party as “loopholes” for low-skill migration.
![Finance Minister Riikka Purra doubles down on tougher immigration stance at party council meeting]()
Amid these evolving regulations, individuals and businesses seeking to secure Finnish visas can turn to VisaHQ for practical, up-to-date guidance. The service’s Finland portal (https://www.visahq.com/finland/) tracks policy changes in real time and provides step-by-step assistance with work, study and business visa applications, helping applicants avoid delays and comply with the country’s stricter requirements.
The finance minister also linked migration to broader security concerns, pointing to Finland’s ongoing closure of its eastern border with Russia to deter what the government calls “instrumentalised migration.” According to Purra, the influx of asylum seekers via Russia in 2023–2024 “proved that a small country cannot afford lax rules.” She urged the EU to allow member states wider latitude to expel foreign nationals convicted of serious crimes, echoing language in the draft EU Return Regulation currently under negotiation in Brussels.
For employers that depend on foreign talent, Purra’s hardening rhetoric signals an environment of continued regulatory tightening. Companies may need to budget for higher salary floors, longer processing times and greater scrutiny of intra-company transfers. Immigration lawyers note that the government’s promised “track change ban”—which prevents asylum seekers from switching to work-based permits—could take effect as early as the second quarter of 2026, complicating recruitment pipelines in sectors such as care work, hospitality and ICT. Multinationals with Finnish operations are therefore advised to fast-track pending applications and monitor forthcoming bills from the Interior and Finance ministries.
Purra said the ageing of Finland’s native population is placing mounting pressure on health-care, pension and labour-market budgets and argued that the country must therefore “reserve its limited resources for its own people.” Her remarks come only a week after she floated the idea of limiting basic social assistance (toimeentulotuki) exclusively to Finnish citizens—an idea that instantly sparked constitutional questions and vocal criticism from opposition parties and NGOs.
In her Saturday speech Purra claimed that the current government has already executed a “complete U-turn” in migration policy compared with the previous centre-left administration. She highlighted the higher income thresholds for work permits that entered into force in January, the three-year cap on most humanitarian residence permits, and the May amendments to the Aliens Act that tripled the maximum length of entry bans to 15 years. Purra told delegates that the Interior Ministry is “negotiating a new legislative package” that will further curb student migration and tighten family-reunification rules—areas long criticised by the Finns Party as “loopholes” for low-skill migration.
Amid these evolving regulations, individuals and businesses seeking to secure Finnish visas can turn to VisaHQ for practical, up-to-date guidance. The service’s Finland portal (https://www.visahq.com/finland/) tracks policy changes in real time and provides step-by-step assistance with work, study and business visa applications, helping applicants avoid delays and comply with the country’s stricter requirements.
The finance minister also linked migration to broader security concerns, pointing to Finland’s ongoing closure of its eastern border with Russia to deter what the government calls “instrumentalised migration.” According to Purra, the influx of asylum seekers via Russia in 2023–2024 “proved that a small country cannot afford lax rules.” She urged the EU to allow member states wider latitude to expel foreign nationals convicted of serious crimes, echoing language in the draft EU Return Regulation currently under negotiation in Brussels.
For employers that depend on foreign talent, Purra’s hardening rhetoric signals an environment of continued regulatory tightening. Companies may need to budget for higher salary floors, longer processing times and greater scrutiny of intra-company transfers. Immigration lawyers note that the government’s promised “track change ban”—which prevents asylum seekers from switching to work-based permits—could take effect as early as the second quarter of 2026, complicating recruitment pipelines in sectors such as care work, hospitality and ICT. Multinationals with Finnish operations are therefore advised to fast-track pending applications and monitor forthcoming bills from the Interior and Finance ministries.
