Finland’s parliament has approved revisions to the Foreigners Act, tightening eligibility requirements for permanent residence permits. The changes to the Foreigners Act have been agreed by Finland’s parliament and have come into force from January 8, 2026. The requirements for permanent residency permits will be more stringent as a result of the legislative changes.
New Rules for Permanent Residence Permits
The biggest change is that, for the issuance of a permanent residence permit, with certain exceptions, six years of continuous residence in Finland will be required.
Applicants for a permanent residence permit will need to have sufficient knowledge of Finnish or Swedish and a two-year work history, although some exceptions will apply.
It will be possible to obtain a permanent residence permit after four years of uninterrupted residence if the applicant also meets one of the following conditions:
Annual income of EUR 40,000 or
A master’s degree or postgraduate degree recognised in Finland and at least two years of work history, or
Particularly good knowledge of Finnish or Swedish and at least three years of work history.
Permanent Residence Permit
A permanent residence permit can be obtained without the required period of residence if the applicant has completed a master’s degree, a postgraduate degree or a bachelor’s degree in Finland.
If the applicant has completed a bachelor’s degree at a university of applied sciences, the period of residence requirement must be met.
A child under the age of 18 can receive a permanent residence permit without the required period of residence if their guardian has a permanent residence permit, a P-EU residence permit or Finnish citizenship.
Granting an EU residence permit (P-EU) to a long-term resident who is a third-country citizen requires good knowledge of Finnish or Swedish.
In addition, you must also meet the other requirements for obtaining a residence permit.
In some situations, the conditions concerning language skills and work history are not required or can be deviated from.
The new rules apply to applications submitted on or after 8 January 2026. If one has applied for a permanent residence permit or a P-EU residence permit before the entry into force of the Act on 8 January 2026, the amendments to the Aliens Act will not affect their application.
If one is applying for a permanent residence permit, they can submit their application approximately three months before the required period of residence is completed.
Enter Finland’s form renewal applies to the following residence permits:
Permanent residence permit and EU residence permit for a long-term resident who is a third-country citizen (P-EU permit)
Permanent residence permit for a child and EU residence permit for a child of a long-term resident who is a third-country citizen (P-EU permit)
The paper application forms for permanent residence permits and P-EU residence permits will also be renewed.