Global Mobility News from VisaHQ

Finland’s amended Aliens Act took effect on 8 January 2026, raising the standard residence requirement for a permanent residence permit from four to six years and adding compulsory language and employment criteria. A limited four-year fast-track remains for high-earners, Finnish-educated graduates or applicants with advanced language skills. Employers must adjust mobility strategies, and foreign residents should prepare early to meet the stricter evidence standards. The reform is a cornerstone of the government’s plan to link long-term immigration more tightly to integration and labour-market participation.