Hot on the heels of the citizenship overhaul, the Finnish Parliament has toughened the criteria for the coveted P-EU permanent-residence permit. As of 17 December, foreign nationals must show six uninterrupted years of lawful residence—two more than under the old rules—and pass a Finnish or Swedish exam at CEFR A2 level. Years spent on a study permit only count if followed by at least two years of full-time employment, closing a shortcut popular among international graduates.
Government officials say aligning permanent-residence and citizenship thresholds will create a clearer “integration ladder” that nudges migrants to invest in language skills earlier. Critics—including the Technology Industries of Finland—argue the higher bar will deter mid-career specialists who can still gain permanent residence in Sweden after four years with no compulsory language test.
If you’re uncertain how the six-year continuity rule or the new language requirement affects your specific case, VisaHQ’s Finland specialists can walk you through every step—from scheduling the CEFR A2 exam to assembling the residence evidence Migri demands. Their digital platform (https://www.visahq.com/finland/) gives both employers and applicants a single dashboard for tracking eligibility, deadlines and supporting documents, helping you stay compliant without the paperwork headaches.
![Permanent-residence track lengthened to six years and now requires language exam]()
Applicants approaching the old four-year milestone have a six-month grace period: those who reached four years before 17 December may still file under the former rules provided their applications are complete by 17 June 2026. Employers are urged to audit assignment calendars, subsidise intensive language training and begin gathering watertight evidence of continuous residence—utility bills, tax returns 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 impact statistics next autumn. Early modelling suggests the change could reduce annual PR approvals by 15 % unless language-test capacity is expanded.
For mobility managers, the immediate action item is to update policy documents and communicate the new timeline to assignees already in Finland on work permits or EU ICT cards.
Government officials say aligning permanent-residence and citizenship thresholds will create a clearer “integration ladder” that nudges migrants to invest in language skills earlier. Critics—including the Technology Industries of Finland—argue the higher bar will deter mid-career specialists who can still gain permanent residence in Sweden after four years with no compulsory language test.
If you’re uncertain how the six-year continuity rule or the new language requirement affects your specific case, VisaHQ’s Finland specialists can walk you through every step—from scheduling the CEFR A2 exam to assembling the residence evidence Migri demands. Their digital platform (https://www.visahq.com/finland/) gives both employers and applicants a single dashboard for tracking eligibility, deadlines and supporting documents, helping you stay compliant without the paperwork headaches.
Applicants approaching the old four-year milestone have a six-month grace period: those who reached four years before 17 December may still file under the former rules provided their applications are complete by 17 June 2026. Employers are urged to audit assignment calendars, subsidise intensive language training and begin gathering watertight evidence of continuous residence—utility bills, tax returns 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 impact statistics next autumn. Early modelling suggests the change could reduce annual PR approvals by 15 % unless language-test capacity is expanded.
For mobility managers, the immediate action item is to update policy documents and communicate the new timeline to assignees already in Finland on work permits or EU ICT cards.
