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Application for students and researchers: residence permit to look for work or to start a business

Apply for a residence permit with this application if you need a residence permit to look for work or to start a business and you do not yet have a job. The permit must be applied for within five years from the date when your residence permit for studies or research expired.

If you are abroad, apply for this permit as a first residence permit.

When you wish to apply for an extended permit, submit the application before your current permit expires. You can apply for this permit as an extended permit when you have graduated. You must attach your degree certificate to the application. However, you can submit an application already now if you will receive your degree certificate within three months. Attach the certificate to your application as soon as you receive it. Read more about extended permits.

  • Expected processing time for online application:

    First permit 12 months / Extended permit 2 months

  • Expected processing time for paper application:

    First permit 2 months / Extended permit 2–4 months

  • Online application fee:

    First permit 470 € / Extended permit 170 €

  • Paper application fee:

    First permit 520€ / Extended permit 430 €

You may get the permit for two years at the most

If you wish, you can take the permit in three parts. In that case, 

  • the duration of each part must be at least six months, and 
  • the last part must end within three years of the date when the first part started.  

You can apply for a residence permit with this application also if you already have a job but you do not earn enough to be issued with a residence permit on the basis of work.

This is what you should do

Prepare:

Fill in the application:

When can I start working?

If you have a residence permit to look for work, you can work without restrictions regardless of your field of study.

If you apply for an extended permit before your previous residence permit expires, you can start working immediately after you have found a job or started a business. If you submit your application too late, you cannot start working before you receive a decision to your application.

If you are applying for a first residence permit, you can start working as soon as you receive a positive decision. 

 

What should I do when I find a job?

Apply for a new residence permit on the basis of work before the expiry of your residence permit to look for work.

Your residence permit can be either an A permit or a B permit

Your residence permit to look for work will be an A permit, that is, a continuous residence permit, if your previous residence permit as a student or researcher was an A permit. Likewise, if your previous residence permit as a student or researcher was a B permit, that is, a temporary residence permit, your residence permit to look for work will also be a B permit.

First residence permit: Application for students and researchers: residence permit to look for work or to start a business, OLE_tyonhaku

Fill in an electronic application

Extended permit: Application for students and researchers: residence permit to look for work or to start a business, OLE_tyonhaku

Fill in an electronic application

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