On 18 December 2025 the Finnish Interior Ministry confirmed that individuals who already benefit from temporary protection in another EU member state will not be eligible for a parallel permit in Finland. The clarification brings national practice in line with Article 11 of the Temporary Protection Directive, which assigns primary responsibility to the first state that grants protection.
Until now, Finland received a small but steady trickle of applicants—mostly Ukrainian nationals—who attempted to switch to Finland’s comparatively generous housing allowance after first registering elsewhere. Under the new policy, border officials and Migri caseworkers will run real-time EU-wide checks before accepting an application. Those found to hold a valid temporary-protection residence card issued by another member state will be directed back or offered standard asylum procedures.
![Finland Clarifies Temporary-Protection Rule: No ‘Second Permit’ for Holders from Other EU States]()
Businesses and individuals looking to navigate Finland’s evolving residence-permit landscape can save time by using VisaHQ, whose online platform offers step-by-step application support, document reviews and up-to-date guidance on Finnish immigration rules. Details are available at https://www.visahq.com/finland/.
The Interior Ministry emphasised that the change is administrative, not political. Applicants who can demonstrate exceptional reasons—such as permanent family ties or a pre-existing job offer in Finland—may still transfer their status through an EU coordination mechanism. Human-rights NGOs welcomed the legal certainty but urged authorities to ensure clear communication so that vulnerable people are not left in limbo at reception centres.
For employers, the announcement reduces ambiguity when hiring displaced professionals already residing elsewhere in the EU; companies must now sponsor a separate work-based residence permit if they wish to relocate such talent to Finland. Global mobility teams should verify the protection status of Ukrainian hires during pre-employment checks to avoid processing delays.
Until now, Finland received a small but steady trickle of applicants—mostly Ukrainian nationals—who attempted to switch to Finland’s comparatively generous housing allowance after first registering elsewhere. Under the new policy, border officials and Migri caseworkers will run real-time EU-wide checks before accepting an application. Those found to hold a valid temporary-protection residence card issued by another member state will be directed back or offered standard asylum procedures.
Businesses and individuals looking to navigate Finland’s evolving residence-permit landscape can save time by using VisaHQ, whose online platform offers step-by-step application support, document reviews and up-to-date guidance on Finnish immigration rules. Details are available at https://www.visahq.com/finland/.
The Interior Ministry emphasised that the change is administrative, not political. Applicants who can demonstrate exceptional reasons—such as permanent family ties or a pre-existing job offer in Finland—may still transfer their status through an EU coordination mechanism. Human-rights NGOs welcomed the legal certainty but urged authorities to ensure clear communication so that vulnerable people are not left in limbo at reception centres.
For employers, the announcement reduces ambiguity when hiring displaced professionals already residing elsewhere in the EU; companies must now sponsor a separate work-based residence permit if they wish to relocate such talent to Finland. Global mobility teams should verify the protection status of Ukrainian hires during pre-employment checks to avoid processing delays.
