Responding to a surge of Ukrainian nationals relocating from other EU countries, the Interior Ministry issued guidance on 18 December instructing border guards and Migri to reject temporary-protection applications from anyone who already enjoys such status elsewhere in the EU. Officers will now run real-time EU-wide database checks before accepting a filing, fully implementing Article 11 of the Temporary Protection Directive.
Roughly 1,200 persons attempted to obtain a ‘second’ permit in 2025, drawn by Finland’s comparatively generous housing allowance and fast labour-market access. Migri expects that volume to fall by 80 percent under the new protocol.
For employers and individuals navigating Finland’s evolving immigration landscape, VisaHQ offers up-to-date guidance and application support for work-based permits, EU Blue Cards and a range of other Finnish visas. Their online platform (https://www.visahq.com/finland/) streamlines paperwork, tracks requirements in real time and can help ensure that any change of status is filed correctly from the outset.
![Finland closes loophole on ‘second’ temporary-protection permits]()
Employers must therefore verify an applicant’s existing status early in the hiring process; staff moving under temporary protection in another member state will need to switch to a work-based permit such as the EU Blue Card before transfer.
NGOs warn that the guidance may complicate family reunification for displaced persons, but officials stress that asylum or standard work permits remain available if criteria are met. The policy aligns Finland with other Nordic states that tightened rules this year to curb perceived ‘benefit shopping’.
Mobility teams should update recruitment FAQs, add screening questions to HR portals and prepare template letters explaining alternative permit routes for affected candidates. Failure to flag duplicate protection status could lead to on-arrival refusals or sudden revocation of work contracts.
Roughly 1,200 persons attempted to obtain a ‘second’ permit in 2025, drawn by Finland’s comparatively generous housing allowance and fast labour-market access. Migri expects that volume to fall by 80 percent under the new protocol.
For employers and individuals navigating Finland’s evolving immigration landscape, VisaHQ offers up-to-date guidance and application support for work-based permits, EU Blue Cards and a range of other Finnish visas. Their online platform (https://www.visahq.com/finland/) streamlines paperwork, tracks requirements in real time and can help ensure that any change of status is filed correctly from the outset.
Employers must therefore verify an applicant’s existing status early in the hiring process; staff moving under temporary protection in another member state will need to switch to a work-based permit such as the EU Blue Card before transfer.
NGOs warn that the guidance may complicate family reunification for displaced persons, but officials stress that asylum or standard work permits remain available if criteria are met. The policy aligns Finland with other Nordic states that tightened rules this year to curb perceived ‘benefit shopping’.
Mobility teams should update recruitment FAQs, add screening questions to HR portals and prepare template letters explaining alternative permit routes for affected candidates. Failure to flag duplicate protection status could lead to on-arrival refusals or sudden revocation of work contracts.
