Finland has officially tightened the pathway to a permanent residence permit, after Parliament’s revisions to the Aliens Act entered into force on 8 January 2026. The Ministry of the Interior confirmed the details in a briefing reported by the Financial Express on 11 January. From now on, most applicants must live in Finland continuously for six years—up from four—before they can file for a P-permit. In addition, they must demonstrate at least level B1 Finnish or Swedish and show two years of gainful employment.
The law creates a fast-track option that preserves the four-year threshold for highly integrated residents who meet one of three criteria: an annual salary of €40,000, a Finnish-recognised master’s or PhD plus two years’ work history, or advanced language skills (B2) plus three years’ employment. Children under 18 can still ‘ride’ on a parent’s permit, and recognised refugees retain existing exemptions.
The Finnish Immigration Service (Migri) has updated its Enter Finland e-forms and paper applications; processing fees also rise to €380 for online and €600 for paper submissions, aligning with a separate decree on cost recovery.
![Finland’s new permanent-residence rules raise bar to six-year stay and stricter language tests]()
For companies and individuals who now find the longer residence horizon daunting, VisaHQ can help streamline each step—from initial entry visas to interpreting the new P-permit rules. Their Finland-specific portal (https://www.visahq.com/finland/) provides up-to-date checklists, fee calculators and optional concierge support, letting HR teams and assignees track requirements in one place instead of piecing together official PDFs.
Employers that rely on long-term expatriate staff—especially in ICT, cleantech and shipbuilding clusters—must now budget for a longer localisation period and invest earlier in language training to keep talent on track for retention.
Policy-makers argue the stricter regime will deepen integration and reduce ‘permit hopping’. Interior Minister Mari Rantanen said the change ‘encourages immigrants to learn the language and participate fully in the labour market’. Critics, including the Finnish Startup Entrepreneurs Association, warn it could deter mid-career professionals evaluating Finland against other Nordic destinations.
Practical take-aways for mobility managers: (1) audit assignment lengths scheduled to end before the six-year mark; (2) accelerate permanent-residence filings if eligibility existed prior to 8 January; (3) enhance Finnish-language benefits in relocation packages; and (4) brief affected employees that biometric appointments may surge in Q2 as back-logs form.
The law creates a fast-track option that preserves the four-year threshold for highly integrated residents who meet one of three criteria: an annual salary of €40,000, a Finnish-recognised master’s or PhD plus two years’ work history, or advanced language skills (B2) plus three years’ employment. Children under 18 can still ‘ride’ on a parent’s permit, and recognised refugees retain existing exemptions.
The Finnish Immigration Service (Migri) has updated its Enter Finland e-forms and paper applications; processing fees also rise to €380 for online and €600 for paper submissions, aligning with a separate decree on cost recovery.
For companies and individuals who now find the longer residence horizon daunting, VisaHQ can help streamline each step—from initial entry visas to interpreting the new P-permit rules. Their Finland-specific portal (https://www.visahq.com/finland/) provides up-to-date checklists, fee calculators and optional concierge support, letting HR teams and assignees track requirements in one place instead of piecing together official PDFs.
Employers that rely on long-term expatriate staff—especially in ICT, cleantech and shipbuilding clusters—must now budget for a longer localisation period and invest earlier in language training to keep talent on track for retention.
Policy-makers argue the stricter regime will deepen integration and reduce ‘permit hopping’. Interior Minister Mari Rantanen said the change ‘encourages immigrants to learn the language and participate fully in the labour market’. Critics, including the Finnish Startup Entrepreneurs Association, warn it could deter mid-career professionals evaluating Finland against other Nordic destinations.
Practical take-aways for mobility managers: (1) audit assignment lengths scheduled to end before the six-year mark; (2) accelerate permanent-residence filings if eligibility existed prior to 8 January; (3) enhance Finnish-language benefits in relocation packages; and (4) brief affected employees that biometric appointments may surge in Q2 as back-logs form.
