Immigration statistics 2024: Sharp drop in applications for international protection, record number of students applied for residence permit

High numbers of employees, students and family members of employees and students continue to show interest in Finland. Despite the high application numbers, the number of permits granted by the Finnish Immigration Service was lower in 2024 than in 2023. Labour migration to Finland has decreased because of the economic downturn in Finland, but the number of applications received is still at a historically high level. A record number of residence permit applications were submitted by students and family members of employees and students in 2024. Meanwhile, there has been a significant decrease in the number of incoming applications for international protection.

“The number of asylum applications has remained moderate despite conflicts and crises and has nearly halved compared with the year before. The situation in the Middle East is not reflected in the number of asylum applications in Finland,” says Ilkka Haahtela, Director General of the Finnish Immigration Service.

In total, the Finnish Immigration Service received 196,003 applications in 2024. The agency issued 188,454 decisions in 2024. The number of positive decisions decreased: of all decisions issued in 2024, 84% were positive and 7% were negative. The Finnish Immigration Service issued 119,298 residence permit decisions, 4,176 asylum decisions and 13,373 decisions on temporary protection. Many residence permit holders wanted to stay in Finland. The number of applications for an extended permit was over 20% higher than the year before. In total, the Finnish Immigration Service received 55,766 applications for an extended permit (2023: 43,961). A total of 50,631 extended permits were granted (2023: 42,621). Extended permits were most commonly applied for and issued on the basis of family ties.

The processing times of the Finnish Immigration Service continue to be among the best in Europe. Students and specialists, for example, receive a positive decision within 9 days on average. Permit control and monitoring has been improved and its scope has been increased. The Finnish Immigration Service is using automated post-decision monitoring of permits to intervene in residence permit infringements more efficiently and to help withdraw permits that are no longer justified.

“Immigration processes in Finland must be seamless and maintain national security. While we promote ethical and sustainable work-based migration to Finland, we will also ensure that people who do not meet the requirements for staying in Finland will leave the country,” says Haahtela.

Growth of work-based migration to Finland slowed down

Although work-based immigration was fairly steady in 2024, the total number of applications submitted was approximately 12% lower than in 2023. In 2024, the Finnish Immigration Service received 15,024 applications for a first work-based residence permit. The number is still clearly higher than before the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Work-based migration to Finland has stabilised, primarily because of the economic downturn and the challenging employment situation in Finland. The total volume of work-based immigration is affected not only by the economy but also by the collapse in the number of applications from Russian citizens, which has likely been affected by the closing of the border between Finland and Russia,” says Johannes Hirvelä, Director of Development. 

In work-based residence permits, the largest applicant groups in 2024 were citizens of Thailand, the Philippines, India, China and Vietnam. Citizens of Thailand were the largest applicant group because pickers of wild berries were exceptionally required to apply for a residence permit for an employed person in 2024. Approximately 1,300 citizens of Thailand arrived in Finland for short-term employment under this permit.

The residence permit for an employed person is the most common work-based residence permit issued in Finland. A positive decision on a residence permit for an employed person was issued within 29 days on average in 2024. The processing times will temporarily be longer in the beginning of 2025 because the work permit services of the TE Offices were transferred to the Finnish Immigration Service on 1 January 2025. There was approximately a week-long pause in the decision-making regarding these applications in January, causing a backlog in the processing.

The number of applications submitted by specialists was exceptionally low in 2024 (2022: 2,995, 2023: 1,604, 2024: 1,224). Like the year before, citizens of India were the largest applicant group in 2024. The total number of applications submitted by specialists was 1,224. 

In total, the Finnish Immigration Service issued 11,103 positive decisions on applications for a first work-based residence permit (2023: 15,081).

The Finnish Immigration Service estimates that the number of work-based residence permit applications submitted in 2025 will be 15,000 but the unpredictable economy makes it difficult to produce accurate estimates. The development of work-based immigration depends primarily on how Finland’s economy will develop.

Record-high number of international students

A record number of applications for a first residence permit for studies were submitted in 2024, totalling 14,163 applications (2023: 12,867).

The number of international students in Finland has been increasing considerably since 2021. One of the reasons for the increase are the amendments that were made in 2022 to the legislation governing students’ and researchers’ residence permits, contributing to Finland’s attractiveness as a country to study and live in.

Especially citizens of South Asian countries, such as Bangladesh and Nepal, are currently applying for residence permits to study in Finland.

Last year, students were granted a total of 12,192 first residence permits (2023: 12,795).

The number of applications from students is estimated to continue increasing in 2025 since international students are showing a great interest in Finland. The Finnish Immigration Service estimates that the number of applications for a first residence permit for studies submitted in 2025 will be 15,000.

“The primary factor affecting the total number of international students in Finland is the number of new students that educational institutions can admit each year. At the same time, migration, especially from South Asian countries, is maintained by economic push factors, such as standard of living, economic conditions and employment opportunities,” says Hirvelä.

Record number of residence permit applications from family members

A record number of applications for a residence permit on the basis of family ties were submitted in 2024, totalling 23,701 applications. The number of applications increased by 10% compared with 2023. In 2023, the number of these applications was 21,583.

In family members’ applications, the largest applicant groups were citizens of the Philippines, Sri Lanka, India, Bangladesh and Nepal.

The number of residence permit applications from family members has been increasing since 2021. Most family members apply for a residence permit because a family member of theirs is working or studying in Finland. Especially the number of applications from students’ family members has been increasing considerably in recent years. The number of applications submitted by family members follows the development of immigration for work and studies.

In contrast, applications from family members of beneficiaries of international protection amount to approximately 8% of all applications for a first residence permit on the basis of family ties.

Last year, family members were granted a total of 18,018 first residence permits (2023: 20,278).

Number of asylum applications nearly halved 

The number of asylum applications submitted in Finland was 45% lower than the year before. Last year, a total of 2,948 asylum applications were submitted in Finland (2023: 5,372). Asylum seekers were most often citizens of Somalia, Iraq, Afghanistan, Syria or Nigeria.

The high number of asylum applications submitted in 2023 was partly due to an instrumentalised migration operation at Finland’s eastern border, which led to approximately 1,300 people seeking asylum Finland in 2023 and 2024. 

For asylum seekers arriving via the eastern border, 744 decisions have been made by 26 January 2025, most of them concerning expired applications (422). Additionally, 176 positive decisions and 138 negative decisions have been issued. The highest number of positive decisions were issued to citizens of Syria and Somalia. The number of clients missing from reception centres was nearly 500. These are clients who have left the reception centre at some point and who have not been reached thereafter.

The conflicts in the Middle East, including the conflicts in Palestine, Lebanon and Syria, are not reflected in the number of asylum seekers arriving in Finland to any significant degree. The processing of asylum applications from Syrians is currently on hold because the Finnish Immigration Service is updating its country of origin information.

In total, 1,581 positive decisions were issued on asylum applications in 2024 (2023: 1,571).

Prolonged conflicts will affect the number of asylum seekers in the future. Sudden and unexpected changes in the number of incoming asylum applications are possible. The Finnish Immigration Service estimates that approximately 3,000–4,000 new asylum applications will be submitted in Finland this year. 

Fewer Ukrainians arriving in Finland

Finland is granting temporary protection to those fleeing Ukraine because of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine. Seeking temporary protection is a different process than seeking asylum. Temporary protection may be granted to a specific category of people without the individual consideration of the applicant’s need for protection.

In 2024, Finland received a total of 12,617 applications for temporary protection. The number of Ukrainians arriving in Finland has decreased but still amounts to a significant share of Finland’s immigration volumes.

Finland’s reception system has remained cost-effective by having accommodation capacity adjusted in accordance with current needs. Capacity will be adjusted by, for instance, not continuing the contracts for additional capacity in reception centres that were put out to tender in 2023–2024. In addition, the regular capacity will be reduced when the need for accommodation capacity drops.

When deciding to reduce accommodation capacity, the Finnish Immigration Service has taken into account that approximately 29,000 clients have already become residents of municipalities in 2023–2024, and that most clients who occupy the additional capacity could apply for a municipality of residence immediately and move to a municipality.

Temporary protection was granted to 12,210 people fleeing the war in Ukraine (2023: 18,969; 2022: 45,358). Temporary protection for Ukrainians fleeing the war has been extended until 4 March 2026. 

Fewer citizenship applications after changed legislation

The number of incoming citizenship applications increased considerably in 2023–2024. The increase was partly due to the changes proposed in the Government Programme to the requirements for obtaining Finnish citizenship. In 2024, the number of incoming citizenship applications remained high until the legislative amendments entered into force on 1 October 2024. After that, the application numbers dropped significantly.

Finland gained 13,973 new citizens in 2024: 12,417 of them were granted Finnish citizenship on application (2023: 11,594) and 1,532 by declaration (2023: 1,483). Foreign nationals over 18 years of age living in Finland and underage children in their custody can apply for Finnish citizenship. Citizenship by declaration can be based on the Finnish citizenship of the applicant’s parent, on the applicant’s former Finnish citizenship or on the applicant having lived in Finland or another Nordic country for a long time.

The total number of citizenship applications submitted last year was 17,063 (2023: 18,296), and the total number of citizenship declarations was 1,324 (2023: 1,513).  

The highest number of citizenship applications came from citizens of Russia, Iraq, Afghanistan, Syria and Somalia. Approximately 25% of those who applied for citizenship had been granted international protection. The highest number of citizenship declarations came from citizens of Sweden, Estonia and Russia.

More than 500 residence permits withdrawn as a result of automated post-decision monitoring of permits 

Each residence permit has specific requirements that must be met by permit holders during the entire time their permits are valid. The Finnish Immigration Service conducts post-decision monitoring of residence permits so that it can intervene in permit infringements and withdraw permits that are no longer justified. The insight gathered through post-decision monitoring of permits will be applied in the improvement and development of permit processes. 

Automated post-decision monitoring of residence permits means that the Finnish Immigration Service’s system makes regular register checks to see if a customer still meets the permit requirements. Post-decision monitoring helps the Finnish Immigration Service monitor labour exploitation more efficiently and helps prevent human trafficking.

“The Control and Monitoring Department was established at the Finnish Immigration Service in 2024. The new department is responsible for post-decision monitoring of permits. If there is a need to consider the withdrawal of a permit, an individual assessment of the situation will always be made by a Finnish Immigration Service official. The customer will always be heard in such a situation,” says Tirsa Forssell, Director of Control and Monitoring Department.

The Finnish Immigration Service has carried out post-decision monitoring of different permits since 2017. In the autumn of 2023, automated post-decision monitoring was introduced first to monitor students’ residence permits and later, in 2024, for startup entrepreneurs’ and specialists’ permits. Post-decision monitoring was expanded to cover the residence permit for an employed person on 20 January 2025. As a result of automated post-decision monitoring, 549 residence permits were withdrawn in 2024. The development of post-decision monitoring will continue.

Number of voluntary returns increased significantly

“The principle behind returns is to have the customer leave the country voluntarily and to encourage voluntary return. If a person does not leave voluntarily or can be considered a danger to public order and security, the authorities may remove him or her from the country. The police are responsible for enforcing decisions on removal from the country,” says Forssell.

Deportation is the procedure for when someone who has been residing in Finland with a residence permit must be removed from the country. When someone who has resided in Finland without a residence permit must be removed from the country, the procedure is called denial of admittance or stay.

In 2024, the number of persons returning voluntarily increased by almost 73%. In total, 313 persons returned voluntarily to 48 different countries. The most common countries of return were Russia, Iraq and Georgia. 

Most of the decisions issued by the Finnish Immigration Service on deportation or on denial of admittance or stay are made when the agency issues a negative decision on a residence permit or asylum application or when a permit is withdrawn because the permit requirements are no longer met. 

The police and the border authorities may make a deportation proposal or a proposal on denial of admittance or stay to the Finnish Immigration Service when a foreign national is suspected of or has committed crimes in Finland. Approximately 10% of deportation decisions and 20% of decisions on denial of admittance or stay are made on the grounds of crimes. 

The number of decisions on denial of admittance or stay made in 2024 was 2,884, which is approximately the same as in 2023. The Finnish Immigration Service made 1,965 deportation decisions this year, which is 64% more than in 2023. Those who received a decision on removal from the country in 2024 were most often Russian, Iraqi or Turkish citizens.

More statistics available on the Migri.fi website

The statistics for 2024 are available in the Finnish Immigration Service’s statistical service. See the Statistics page at Migri.fi to find instructions on how to use the statistical service. The Statistics page also contains reports on immigration to Finland as well as the statistics for 2015 and earlier years in PDF format. Further, the page contains quota refugee statistics and application volume forecasts for 2025 and 2026.

Media enquiries

• Contact requests: Press and Communications Services, Finnish Immigration Service, tel. +358 295 433 037, email: media@migri.fi
• Statistics page at Migri.fi
• Finnish Immigration Service’s statistical service