The Ministry of Education and Culture has circulated draft legislation that would significantly tighten residence-permit conditions for degree students from outside the EU. Under the proposal, the monthly living-cost requirement would rise to €850—up from Migri’s current €560 guideline—and be indexed to inflation. Students would need to show funding for 12 months in advance through bank statements or scholarship letters.
Family reunification would also be delayed: immediate family members could join only after the first academic year, a cooling-off period intended to ensure that the principal applicant fully understands Finland’s cost of living before sponsoring dependants. In addition, applicants would need to pass a basic Finnish or Swedish test (A1.2) within the first year to renew their study permit. Universities warn the language clause could dent enrolment from Asia, where Finnish is rarely taught.
For businesses, the bill matters because graduate work-study programmes and corporate-sponsored MBAs feed talent pipelines. Employers may need to front-load allowances or tuition advances so candidates can meet the higher cash-flow requirement. Scholarship foundations are reviewing grant structures, and HR teams should flag the delayed family-reunion rule to avoid surprises.
![Government Proposes Higher Financial Proof and Language Tests for Non-EU Students]()
If you’re trying to make sense of these impending changes, VisaHQ can streamline the process. Through its Finland portal (https://www.visahq.com/finland/) the service offers real-time permit checklists, document pre-screening and expert consultation on everything from financial proofs to family-reunion timing, giving both individual applicants and HR departments a reliable way to stay compliant as the rules evolve.
Stakeholders have six weeks to comment. If enacted, the measures would take effect for permits filed on or after 1 August 2026. Mobility advisors should track the parliamentary timetable and refresh pre-arrival checklists well ahead of the 2026 intake.
Finland’s move follows similar hikes in the Netherlands and Germany, indicating a wider European trend to tie student migration more closely to self-sufficiency and early integration. Whether the tougher stance will help retain graduates in the local labour market—or simply push them elsewhere—remains hotly debated.
Family reunification would also be delayed: immediate family members could join only after the first academic year, a cooling-off period intended to ensure that the principal applicant fully understands Finland’s cost of living before sponsoring dependants. In addition, applicants would need to pass a basic Finnish or Swedish test (A1.2) within the first year to renew their study permit. Universities warn the language clause could dent enrolment from Asia, where Finnish is rarely taught.
For businesses, the bill matters because graduate work-study programmes and corporate-sponsored MBAs feed talent pipelines. Employers may need to front-load allowances or tuition advances so candidates can meet the higher cash-flow requirement. Scholarship foundations are reviewing grant structures, and HR teams should flag the delayed family-reunion rule to avoid surprises.
If you’re trying to make sense of these impending changes, VisaHQ can streamline the process. Through its Finland portal (https://www.visahq.com/finland/) the service offers real-time permit checklists, document pre-screening and expert consultation on everything from financial proofs to family-reunion timing, giving both individual applicants and HR departments a reliable way to stay compliant as the rules evolve.
Stakeholders have six weeks to comment. If enacted, the measures would take effect for permits filed on or after 1 August 2026. Mobility advisors should track the parliamentary timetable and refresh pre-arrival checklists well ahead of the 2026 intake.
Finland’s move follows similar hikes in the Netherlands and Germany, indicating a wider European trend to tie student migration more closely to self-sufficiency and early integration. Whether the tougher stance will help retain graduates in the local labour market—or simply push them elsewhere—remains hotly debated.
