Finland’s four-party coalition government has taken another step in its broad immigration and social-security reform programme. On 17 February 2026 the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health confirmed that it will introduce a three-year residence requirement for parents who wish to draw the home-care allowance (kotihoidontuki) while staying at home with a child under three. Under the draft bill only the parent who has lived in Finland for less than three years after the age of 16 will be excluded; the Finnish or permanently-resident partner will remain eligible. Time spent in another EU/EEA country or Switzerland will count towards the three-year threshold, meaning many mobile workers can still qualify sooner.
The reform, which the cabinet calls a “Norwegian-style model”, will be introduced to Parliament this spring and—if adopted—enter into force on 1 July 2026, applying only to families that arrive after that date. The government argues that tying household benefits to a minimum period of residence will improve labour-market integration and curb what Finance Minister Riikka Purra describes as “welfare migration”. Critics, including several MPs from the Swedish People’s Party and opposition Greens, say the measure risks creating unequal treatment inside the same family and could clash with constitutional provisions on the right to basic subsistence.
![Finland moves to limit home-care allowance eligibility for recent immigrants]()
Those unsure how the upcoming residence rules might affect visa or permit plans can turn to VisaHQ’s Finland portal (https://www.visahq.com/finland/) for fast, professional assistance. The service helps families and employers gather compliant documents, monitor application timelines and stay informed about new requirements—support that can prevent costly delays and compliance missteps.
For global-mobility managers the proposal is a reminder that family-related benefits in the Nordic countries, once automatically available to expatriate assignees, are becoming more conditional. Employers sending staff to Finland after mid-2026 should budget for a potential loss of up to €375 per month—the current maximum home-care allowance—and make sure assignees understand that only time actually resident in the European Economic Area contributes towards eligibility. Assignment policies that top up local family benefits may need revision.
The change also signals a broader trend in Finnish policy: differentiating social security entitlements for newcomers versus long-term residents while remaining inside EU free-movement rules. With further reforms to unemployment insurance and housing benefits under consideration, immigration advisers expect a more complex compliance landscape where counting days of physical presence will matter not just for tax and residence-permit purposes but for access to social programmes as well.
The reform, which the cabinet calls a “Norwegian-style model”, will be introduced to Parliament this spring and—if adopted—enter into force on 1 July 2026, applying only to families that arrive after that date. The government argues that tying household benefits to a minimum period of residence will improve labour-market integration and curb what Finance Minister Riikka Purra describes as “welfare migration”. Critics, including several MPs from the Swedish People’s Party and opposition Greens, say the measure risks creating unequal treatment inside the same family and could clash with constitutional provisions on the right to basic subsistence.
Those unsure how the upcoming residence rules might affect visa or permit plans can turn to VisaHQ’s Finland portal (https://www.visahq.com/finland/) for fast, professional assistance. The service helps families and employers gather compliant documents, monitor application timelines and stay informed about new requirements—support that can prevent costly delays and compliance missteps.
For global-mobility managers the proposal is a reminder that family-related benefits in the Nordic countries, once automatically available to expatriate assignees, are becoming more conditional. Employers sending staff to Finland after mid-2026 should budget for a potential loss of up to €375 per month—the current maximum home-care allowance—and make sure assignees understand that only time actually resident in the European Economic Area contributes towards eligibility. Assignment policies that top up local family benefits may need revision.
The change also signals a broader trend in Finnish policy: differentiating social security entitlements for newcomers versus long-term residents while remaining inside EU free-movement rules. With further reforms to unemployment insurance and housing benefits under consideration, immigration advisers expect a more complex compliance landscape where counting days of physical presence will matter not just for tax and residence-permit purposes but for access to social programmes as well.
