Have you completed a degree in Finland? You can apply for a residence permit for a person with a degree from Finland

You can apply for a residence permit for a person with a degree from Finland if you have a signed employment contract or a binding job offer.

You will find the instructions for how to apply for a residence permit, application forms and information on the conditions for applying for a residence permit at migri.fi/degree-completed-in-finland.

Unrestricted right to work

Usually, work-based residence permits give a restricted right to work. If you are granted a residence permit for a person with a degree from Finland, you have an unrestricted right to work. This means that you can work in any sector.   

You can apply for a first residence permit or an extended permit for a person with a degree from Finland

Even if you have left Finland after you completed your degree and several years have passed, you can apply for a residence permit for a person with a degree from Finland. No time limit has been set between the completion of a degree and applying for a residence permit based on work. In such a case, apply for the first residence permit for a person with a degree from Finland. This is your first residence permit as you have left Finland between your graduation and starting work.

If you have been living continuously in Finland and, for example, have a valid residence permit for studies, apply for an extended permit for a person with a degree from Finland. An extended permit is granted for a maximum period of four years.

If you do not have a job yet, 

you can apply for a residence permit to look for work or to start a business. To apply for such a permit, your residence permit for studies must still be valid. A residence permit is issued once for a maximum of one year.

You will find the instructions for applying for a residence permit, application forms and information on the conditions for applying for a residence permit at migri.fi/extended-permit-to-look-for-work.

Apply for a permit in Enter Finland

It is advisable to submit your application in the Enter Finland online service. When you use Enter Finland, you pay less for your application. You usually get your decision faster than when using a paper application. 

If you are applying for an extended permit and use strong identification in Enter Finland, you may avoid making a visit to the service point. Read more about strong identification at migri.fi/identification. 

Your employer can also create a user account in the Enter Finland for employers service and supplement your application. This way, he or she can speed up the processing of your application. You must visit your application in Enter Finland to permit the employer to use the service in matters related to your application.