Finland has set a new record for naturalisations: according to data obtained by Uutissuomalainen and published by Verkkouutiset on 20 January 2026, the Finnish Immigration Service (Migri) approved 12,547 citizenship applications between January and November 2025—already surpassing the previous all-time high of 12,417 recorded in 2024.
Officials attribute the surge to two converging factors. First, Migri has been clearing a backlog that built up during the pandemic years; additional adjudicators and streamlined digital workflows have shortened processing times. Second, many long-term residents decided to file before the government’s planned tightening of nationality rules enters into force in mid-2026. The forthcoming reform, endorsed by Prime Minister Petteri Orpo’s four-party coalition, will introduce a formal citizenship test and raise language-skill thresholds, making the path to the Finnish passport more demanding.
If you’re navigating Finnish immigration paperwork—whether for residence permits, extensions or eventual citizenship—VisaHQ can simplify the process. Their Finland page (https://www.visahq.com/finland/) provides up-to-date checklists, fee calculators and expert support for document preparation, ensuring applicants stay ahead of regulation changes and avoid costly delays.
![Record 12,500 foreigners naturalised in Finland in 2025 as applicants rush before stricter rules]()
The largest groups granted citizenship last year were Iraqis, Russians, Syrians, Afghans, Somalis, Turks, Ukrainians and Estonians. Many arrived during the 2015 refugee influx and have now fulfilled residence-period requirements.
For multinational employers the trend has mixed implications. On the positive side, a larger pool of foreign-born citizens reduces work-permit administration for companies and eases intra-EU mobility. At the same time, future applicants—particularly key specialists and international students—will need more structured language training and integration support from their employers if they hope to naturalise under the tougher regime.
Practical tip: HR teams should advise foreign staff who already meet current eligibility criteria to submit applications quickly, while also budgeting for expanded Finnish- or Swedish-language tuition for those who plan to stay long-term.
Officials attribute the surge to two converging factors. First, Migri has been clearing a backlog that built up during the pandemic years; additional adjudicators and streamlined digital workflows have shortened processing times. Second, many long-term residents decided to file before the government’s planned tightening of nationality rules enters into force in mid-2026. The forthcoming reform, endorsed by Prime Minister Petteri Orpo’s four-party coalition, will introduce a formal citizenship test and raise language-skill thresholds, making the path to the Finnish passport more demanding.
If you’re navigating Finnish immigration paperwork—whether for residence permits, extensions or eventual citizenship—VisaHQ can simplify the process. Their Finland page (https://www.visahq.com/finland/) provides up-to-date checklists, fee calculators and expert support for document preparation, ensuring applicants stay ahead of regulation changes and avoid costly delays.
The largest groups granted citizenship last year were Iraqis, Russians, Syrians, Afghans, Somalis, Turks, Ukrainians and Estonians. Many arrived during the 2015 refugee influx and have now fulfilled residence-period requirements.
For multinational employers the trend has mixed implications. On the positive side, a larger pool of foreign-born citizens reduces work-permit administration for companies and eases intra-EU mobility. At the same time, future applicants—particularly key specialists and international students—will need more structured language training and integration support from their employers if they hope to naturalise under the tougher regime.
Practical tip: HR teams should advise foreign staff who already meet current eligibility criteria to submit applications quickly, while also budgeting for expanded Finnish- or Swedish-language tuition for those who plan to stay long-term.
