Finland Wants to Make It More Difficult for Foreigners to Obtain Permanent Residence Permits

The Finnish government has submitted a proposal that aims to make rules for permanent residence permits more stringent, including additional requirements for candidates. This proposal intends to encourage the integration of foreigners into Finnish society.

According to a press release by the Finnish Interior Ministry, the requirements for permanent residence permits will be tightened to include more criteria regarding education, work experience, and language proficiency, Schengen.News reports.

The government’s proposal to make changes to the Aliens Act was submitted on January 27th and is open for comments until March 7th. 

These Are All The Changes About Permanent Residency That Finnish Government Wants to Make 
According to the proposal, it will be mandatory for candidates to have six years of continuous residence in Finland to be eligible for permanent residency. 

Prior to this proposal, the residency period required for permanent residency candidates was four years if there were no other special circumstances, which could change this situation and shorten or prolong the period of residency requirements. 

So, you are eligible for a permanent residence permit if you spend six years of uninterrupted residence in Finland, you have two years of work experience in the country, and your Finnish or Swedish language skills are considered sufficient.

But, even if you have only four years of residence in Finland, you could still be eligible for a permanent residence permit, provided you meet one of the following conditions: 

• You generate €40,000 annual income. 
• You have a master’s or postgraduate degree that is recognised by Finnish authorities, in addition to two years of work experience. 
• You can speak Finnish or Swedish well, and you have three years of work experience. 

Meeting One of These Conditions Could Grant You a Permanent Residence Permit Earlier, Government Proposal Suggests 
As the proposal suggests, in some cases, the residence period could be shorter, with education obtained and language skills being taken into account for this exemption. 

Good Finnish or Swedish language proficiency would be required to qualify for this benefit. The general conditions under the Aliens Act would still be required to be met. 

In addition, candidates for permanent residence permits from other EU countries would still have to prove proficiency in Finnish or Swedish language. A third-country national who has resided in the EU for a longer period of time can apply for an EU residence permit in a Member State, which is a permanent permit that is valid indefinitely, similar to national permanent permits.

Source: https://schengen.news/finland-wants-to-make-it-more-difficult-for-foreigners-to-obtain-permanent-residence-permits/