The 34th basic course for Finnish border guards officially began this week at the Border and Coast Guard Academy in Imatra, with 59 recruits embarking on 12 months of intensive instruction. The Border Guard announced the intake in a statement issued on 16 January, noting that graduates will be deployed to all regional border units and the air-patrol squadron. (raja.fi)
The curriculum combines EU entry-exit systems, document forensics, drone detection, and Arctic survival skills—reflecting Helsinki’s twin priorities of digital border management and harsh-weather readiness. Trainers will also pilot a new module on “instrumentalised migration”, aimed at recognising tactics that hostile states might use to channel asylum seekers toward the frontier.
For travellers and corporates trying to keep personnel moving smoothly amid Finland’s tightening border protocols, VisaHQ’s online portal (https://www.visahq.com/finland/) offers up-to-date guidance on visa categories, biometric passport compliance, and courier-assisted document filing. By flagging documentation gaps early and tracking submissions in real time, the service helps businesses align with the very procedures these new recruits are now mastering.
![Finland starts year-long training course for 59 new border officers]()
Why it matters for global mobility: Finland’s eastern border has become one of the EU’s most closely watched external frontiers, and staffing levels directly influence the speed of truck and passenger checks whenever crossings reopen. Corporates that rely on just-in-time logistics through Vaalimaa or want to send technicians to Russian-adjacent wind farms should benefit from shorter queues once the cohort graduates in December 2026.
The course underscores the government’s broader investment in border security: €380 million is earmarked for the new fence project and €70 million for advanced biometric kiosks compatible with the EU Entry/Exit System coming online in late 2025. Companies sending non-EU nationals to Finland will need to ensure passports meet the new chip standards to avoid delays.
Businesses interested in engaging with the Border Guard—for example to test drive their own authentication technology—can apply to join the Academy’s industry partnership programme, which opens its next call in March.
The curriculum combines EU entry-exit systems, document forensics, drone detection, and Arctic survival skills—reflecting Helsinki’s twin priorities of digital border management and harsh-weather readiness. Trainers will also pilot a new module on “instrumentalised migration”, aimed at recognising tactics that hostile states might use to channel asylum seekers toward the frontier.
For travellers and corporates trying to keep personnel moving smoothly amid Finland’s tightening border protocols, VisaHQ’s online portal (https://www.visahq.com/finland/) offers up-to-date guidance on visa categories, biometric passport compliance, and courier-assisted document filing. By flagging documentation gaps early and tracking submissions in real time, the service helps businesses align with the very procedures these new recruits are now mastering.
Why it matters for global mobility: Finland’s eastern border has become one of the EU’s most closely watched external frontiers, and staffing levels directly influence the speed of truck and passenger checks whenever crossings reopen. Corporates that rely on just-in-time logistics through Vaalimaa or want to send technicians to Russian-adjacent wind farms should benefit from shorter queues once the cohort graduates in December 2026.
The course underscores the government’s broader investment in border security: €380 million is earmarked for the new fence project and €70 million for advanced biometric kiosks compatible with the EU Entry/Exit System coming online in late 2025. Companies sending non-EU nationals to Finland will need to ensure passports meet the new chip standards to avoid delays.
Businesses interested in engaging with the Border Guard—for example to test drive their own authentication technology—can apply to join the Academy’s industry partnership programme, which opens its next call in March.
