The Ministry of Education and Culture has circulated draft legislation that would tighten residence-permit rules for degree students from outside the EU. The proposal raises the monthly subsistence requirement to €850—up from the current €560—and indexes it to inflation. Students would have to show funding for a full 12-month period via bank statements or scholarship letters before a permit is granted.
Family reunification is also on hold: dependants could join only after the first academic year, giving authorities time to verify that the principal applicant understands Finland’s cost of living. In addition, permit renewal would hinge on passing a basic Finnish or Swedish exam (A1.2) within the first year. Universities fear the language clause could dent enrolment from Asia, where Finnish courses are scarce.
![Government Plans Higher Living-Cost Proof and Language Test for Non-EU Students]()
For applicants worried about these new hurdles, VisaHQ offers end-to-end support through its Finland services hub (https://www.visahq.com/finland/). The platform keeps track of the latest rule changes, provides tailored document checklists, and lets users pre-validate bank statements or scholarship letters before submission. Its experts can also coordinate courier deliveries and monitor renewal timelines, giving students, families and sponsoring employers greater confidence as the regulations tighten.
Business implications are significant. Corporate graduate schemes and employer-sponsored MBAs often rely on swift family reunification and modest cash-flow requirements; HR may now need to front-load allowances or tuition advances. Scholarship foundations are already revisiting grant structures, and mobility teams must update pre-arrival checklists well ahead of the 2026 intake.
Stakeholders have six weeks to comment, and the ministry hopes to implement the measures for permits filed on or after 1 August 2026. The move follows similar hikes in the Netherlands and Germany, signalling a broader European trend to link student migration more closely to self-sufficiency and integration. Whether the tougher stance will improve retention of graduates or push them elsewhere remains hotly debated.
Family reunification is also on hold: dependants could join only after the first academic year, giving authorities time to verify that the principal applicant understands Finland’s cost of living. In addition, permit renewal would hinge on passing a basic Finnish or Swedish exam (A1.2) within the first year. Universities fear the language clause could dent enrolment from Asia, where Finnish courses are scarce.
For applicants worried about these new hurdles, VisaHQ offers end-to-end support through its Finland services hub (https://www.visahq.com/finland/). The platform keeps track of the latest rule changes, provides tailored document checklists, and lets users pre-validate bank statements or scholarship letters before submission. Its experts can also coordinate courier deliveries and monitor renewal timelines, giving students, families and sponsoring employers greater confidence as the regulations tighten.
Business implications are significant. Corporate graduate schemes and employer-sponsored MBAs often rely on swift family reunification and modest cash-flow requirements; HR may now need to front-load allowances or tuition advances. Scholarship foundations are already revisiting grant structures, and mobility teams must update pre-arrival checklists well ahead of the 2026 intake.
Stakeholders have six weeks to comment, and the ministry hopes to implement the measures for permits filed on or after 1 August 2026. The move follows similar hikes in the Netherlands and Germany, signalling a broader European trend to link student migration more closely to self-sufficiency and integration. Whether the tougher stance will improve retention of graduates or push them elsewhere remains hotly debated.
