Hi everyone.
I would like to discuss this news. The information provided in the news column was not enough for me, so I went further, to the website of the Ministry of the Interior and opened a document (in Finnish), in which you can read about the new restrictions in detail. As you know, now permanent residence can be obtained after 6 years with an A type visa, sufficient skills (B1) in the Finnish or Swedish language and a two-year work history.
Now about the exceptions. Obtaining a permanent residence permit based on a four-year period of residence would still be possible, but the applicant would have to meet one of the three additional requirements. These would be 1) a minimum annual income of EUR 40,000, 2) a Master’s degree or a postgraduate degree recognised in Finland and a two-year work history, and 3) particularly good skills in the Finnish or Swedish language and a three-year work history.
What interested me most was the 3. requirement, because theoretically my husband matches him. I spent a long time looking for information about language requirements in this case and finally found. "Pykälän 5 momentin mukaan kielitestillä todennetulla erityisen hyvällä suullisella ja kirjallisella suomen tai ruotsin kielen taidolla tarkoitettaisiin sitä, että ulkomaalainen olisi suorittanut yleisen kielitutkinnon taitotasolla viisi (C1) tai valtionhallinnon kielitutkinnon erinomaisella suullisella ja kirjallisella taidolla. Kielitaitovaatimuksesta ei tässä kohdin voitaisi tehdä poikkeuksia, koska kyse olisi edellytyksestä sille, että hakija voi saada pysyvän oleskeluluvan normaalitilannetta nopeammin".
So, they demand C1 level and no exceptions? I don't know, maybe they will change this requirement, but it's unlikely. My husband has more than 3 years of work experience, he studies at AMK in Finnish, but he only has B2 level in Finnish. And yeah, according to this, he won't be able to get type P visa faster, didn't deserve I guess. I am also at a loss because despite my good knowledge of Finnish, I do not have 2 years of work experience, because I only had small part-time jobs and unpaid long-term internships, without which I would not have been able to complete my education. I always wanted to work and was not idle, but everywhere I received refusals or was offered short-term part-time jobs.
Yes, we can apply after 6 years, but I don't see much point in it. My husband will probably do it, but I'm not going to. I'm very angry at the Finnish government and all I want is to get a higher education and flee. I feel crushed and humiliated because my husband and I, like many immigrants here, have worked very hard to integrate, learn the language and get into university. And all this seems to go unnoticed by the government. They don't give a shit about it.
This racist populism has gone too far. Do you consider this an adequate immigration measure? If so, why? My position, I think, is clear to everyone.
Thank you for your time. I wish all immigrants here resilience and good luck.
P.S. The law is intended to enter into force on January 8, 2026.
by Head-Protection-9519
19 comments
C1 level if you don’t meet either requirement of 1) or 2).
Requirements sounds reasonable to me.
Tbh your anger towards 2 years of longer wait makes you look like a toddler with tantrum.
I’m eu so couldn’t care less about it. But its really ridiculous what they doing. On one hand they trying to get more cheap labor in from asian countries and on the other side they pushing people out and making it difficult to stay here lol
Complete disorganization of everything and economy burning to pieces while they arguing about this ridiculous stuff.
They should focus on getting economy better, nothing else matters. No cut’s will help. No changes in the resident permit or whatever. Economy is going to shit and that’s the biggest problem. Maybe they saw they can’t do anything with economy so they trying to shift the focus on everything else that doesn’t matter.
“Pysyvän oleskeluluvan voisi saada myös suorittamalla Suomessa ylemmän korkeakoulututkin-
non, jatkotutkinnon tai yliopistossa alemman korkeakoulututkinnon. Tällöin oleskelulupaan ei
liittyisi vaatimusta tietyn pituisesta oleskelusta, vaan se riippuisi siitä, kuinka nopeasti ulkomaa-
lainen olisi suorittanut sanotun tutkinnon. Lisäksi vaadittaisiin vähintään kehittyvää suomen tai ruotsin kielen taitoa”
This seems pretty easy, if he is already studying, and if you’ve graduated.
C1 language level requirement is extreme. B2 is a full working language level and is/was a requirement for being a medical doctor. B2 was also enough to be admitted to Helsinki University to Finnish programs.
I feel you and I’m angry too… The Finns are just following the long path of implosion of their own society by doing irresponsible measures that will have a horrible impact on the long term (for the Finns too.) But it seems that they are not capable of seeing it. It’s very sad and it makes me very annoyed about this. I guess that’s their point to make their country so shit that everyone will leave and they will die of despair because their economy will be completely off. Horrible 90’s crisis incoming.
Oh and f*** the downvoting if you’re not capable of facing the truth of all migrants hating this.
Finland needs to look at the UK. We just suffered from a conservative government for over a decade and the place is in ruins.
I love Finland, and it was a beacon of hope for the world.
Don’t do this to yourselves.
They strip the government sector and make the country a more hostile less wholesome more divided more crime and poverty ridden place complete with an underclass, that grows and grows
As a foreigner married to her husband here these requirements make me feel even more unwelcomed than I already do, honestly.
Like it seems at every opportunity they are making societies problems worse, with worker deficit everywhere. Not enough nurses, but at the same time, lets fire them and do nothing to raise their living standards.
We need specialists, but hey lets make it 2-3 harder than neighboring countries for them to gain citizenship (and to be honest the current situation with lack of integration of existing communities makes it hard to believe for most of them being able to fulfill these aforementioned requirements). They need to concentrate on specialist retention, since immigration is not their main goal.
Finnish government: we will need thousands of nurses in the following years
Also Finnish government: let’s make sure foreigners feel unwelcome so that no one wants to come
You can get Finnish citizenship after 5 years of continuous residency on an A-type permit and B1-level Finnish. But you need 6 years of residency and C1 for permanent residency? How does this figure? If you can get citizenship before a PR permit, what’s even the point of the PR permit?
I still find the Swedish language being an option as a strange one too. Only ~5% of the Finnish population speak Swedish fluently (according to a quick Google).
Why is English not more equal to Swedish when it’s way more widely spoken (~70% of Finn’s speak it).
To me it seems useless learning Swedish in Finland, it makes way more sense to learn Finnish here.
While everyone will obviously complain, I as a foreigner agree with government. People don’t want changes that will do good things in the long run, they want populist and quick actions. And they will blame current government for the consequences of what previous one did because logic is hard, apparently. I will rather have to wait longer and live in a society of people who really care and love this country than in a easy to dip in and out of place that will be infested with freeloaders.
Damn this
>As you know, now permanent residence can be obtained after 6 years with an A type visa, sufficient skills (B1) in the Finnish or Swedish language and a two-year work history.
This is incorrect. Currently, permanent residency can be obtained by having an A permit based on working for 4 years and being still employed at the time of application submission. No language skills required. Permanent EU residency can be obtained by 5 years on an A permit (or combined time of A permit and permanent residency). Also with no language skills required.
Hi.
I have a question about the 4 year PR period, the 3 conditions you have mentioned is that either-or case, what I mean to ask, the applicant would be required to fulfil only one from these 3? For instance, an applicant applying on 1 or 2 wouldn’t need Finnish/Swedish language skills ?
And what are “particularly good skills”? Is there a band that measures language competency or something?
If I remember correctly, this is still a proposal in discussion this spring and so far the rules are still the same right? I am approaching the time needed to apply for P visa but the rule change will delay it by about 2 years because I was unemployed for a full year (even though I have a master degree).
OP I just want to say that I see you and I get you. Remember that there are municipal elections and if you have lived here long enough you can vote.
💜
I did the language test and it was ridiculous. I was A1 at best. Anyone can pass it. Setting it to “C1” is only correct. Unfortunately, people who work full time at highly skilled jobs often do not learn the language because they don’t have time + everyone speaks English with them. It is the unemployable immigrants who are paid free intensive courses and so can learn in no time.
If your husband has a job and you are studying then that’s great! You get the knowledge you acquire here in Finland and apply them elsewhere. Just because one has lived and worked in Finland doesn’t mean it is their birthright to become citizen of the country. keep your options open and don’t get emotional with such matters. I know it is easier said than done. I wish you all the very best.
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