Hot on the heels of the citizenship overhaul, Finland has stiffened its criteria for the P-EU permanent-residence permit. As of 17 December, foreign nationals must show six uninterrupted years of lawful residence—up from four—and demonstrate Finnish or Swedish proficiency at CEFR level A2. Study-permit years now count only if followed by two years of full-time employment, closing a popular shortcut used by international graduates.
The government argues that harmonising permanent-residence and citizenship thresholds creates a clearer “integration ladder” and nudges migrants to invest in language skills earlier. Critics—including the Technology Industries of Finland—fear the higher bar will deter mid-career specialists who can still gain permanent residence in Sweden after four years without a language exam.
For applicants unsure how the revised rules affect their own path, VisaHQ can streamline the process. The firm’s Finland desk (https://www.visahq.com/finland/) reviews residence histories for compliance with the new six-year requirement, schedules CEFR A2 language tests, and keeps customers ahead of critical deadlines such as the 17 June 2026 grace period—providing a single dashboard for documents, reminders and status updates.
![Permanent-residence track in Finland lengthened to six years and adds language test]()
Assignees who were approaching the old four-year milestone must rethink timelines. They now face two extra years of national health-insurance contributions, extended rental leases and the cost of language courses. Migri has granted a six-month grace window: anyone who hit four years before 17 December may still file under the former rules, provided the application is complete by 17 June 2026.
Employers are urged to audit assignment calendars, subsidise intensive language training and start gathering watertight evidence of continuous residence—utility bills, tax records and tenancy agreements—to avoid gaps that could reset the six-year clock.
Migri plans to launch an online eligibility calculator in January 2026 and will publish early impact statistics next autumn to determine whether further tweaks are necessary.
The government argues that harmonising permanent-residence and citizenship thresholds creates a clearer “integration ladder” and nudges migrants to invest in language skills earlier. Critics—including the Technology Industries of Finland—fear the higher bar will deter mid-career specialists who can still gain permanent residence in Sweden after four years without a language exam.
For applicants unsure how the revised rules affect their own path, VisaHQ can streamline the process. The firm’s Finland desk (https://www.visahq.com/finland/) reviews residence histories for compliance with the new six-year requirement, schedules CEFR A2 language tests, and keeps customers ahead of critical deadlines such as the 17 June 2026 grace period—providing a single dashboard for documents, reminders and status updates.
Assignees who were approaching the old four-year milestone must rethink timelines. They now face two extra years of national health-insurance contributions, extended rental leases and the cost of language courses. Migri has granted a six-month grace window: anyone who hit four years before 17 December may still file under the former rules, provided the application is complete by 17 June 2026.
Employers are urged to audit assignment calendars, subsidise intensive language training and start gathering watertight evidence of continuous residence—utility bills, tax records and tenancy agreements—to avoid gaps that could reset the six-year clock.
Migri plans to launch an online eligibility calculator in January 2026 and will publish early impact statistics next autumn to determine whether further tweaks are necessary.
