Immigration statistics 2025: Immigration to Finland decreasing

Application volumes are decreasing in many permit types. Fewer applications have been submitted by employees, students and applicants for international protection. However, there has been a slight increase in the number of applications from family members.

A changing operating environment has a wide-ranging impact on the Finnish Immigration Service and on phenomena seen in the field of immigration.

“Some of the factors that are partially reflected in migration to Finland and have had a significant impact on our work include changes in the security environment, the economic situation, and the implementation of the Government Programme with the amendments made to legislation. We have significantly developed our residence permit procedures to respond to these changes,” says Ilkka Haahtela, Director General of the Finnish Immigration Service.

In total, the Finnish Immigration Service received 180,521 applications and issued 177,890 decisions in 2025. The number of positive decisions decreased compared with the year 2024. Out of all decisions issued in 2025, 80% were positive and 9% negative. The rest were decisions on the expiry of a matter or on considering an application inadmissible, for example. In comparison, 84% of the decisions made in 2024 were positive and 7% negative.

In 2025, the Finnish Immigration Service issued 109,694 residence permit decisions, 5,280 asylum decisions and 10,898 decisions on temporary protection. 

The number of applications for an extended permit, which are issued for the purpose of extending the permit holder's stay in Finland, was 9% lower than in 2024. In total, the Finnish Immigration Service received 50,852 applications for an extended permit (2024: 55,766), and a total of 44,071 extended permits were issued (2024: 50,631). Extended permits were most commonly applied for and issued on the basis of family ties.

In 2025, the Finnish Immigration Service focused on ensuring that immigration to Finland is seamless and controlled. The year 2026 entails major changes as the European Union’s Pact on Migration and Asylum becomes applicable in June. At the same time, the Finnish Immigration Service is required to implement many other significant changes, such as a citizenship test, with reducing resources. 

Drop in the number of applications for work-based permits continues

Although work-based immigration remained relatively steady in 2025, the total number of applications submitted was approximately 25% lower than in 2024. In 2025, a total of 11,324 applications for a first work-based residence permit were submitted.

“The decrease of work-based immigration is primarily due to the weak development of the Finnish economy in recent years. There is less demand for foreign labour because the economic outlook for companies and organisations is uncertain and Finland's unemployment rate is high,” says Johannes Hirvelä, Director of Information Services, from the Finnish Immigration Service.

In 2025, the largest applicant groups in work-based residence permits were citizens of India, the Philippines, China, Vietnam and Thailand. The most common work-based residence permit is the residence permit for an employed person, and the Finnish Immigration Service received 5,609 of such applications in 2025.

The number of applications for specialists’ permits, including the EU Blue Card, remained at the same level as in 2024. The total number of applications for a first residence permit was 1,150. Citizens of India were again the largest applicant group. 

In 2025, the Finnish Immigration Service issued a total of 8,384 positive decisions on applications for a first work-based residence permit (2024: 11,103). The number of negative decisions issued was 3,150 (2024: 3,494).

No additional growth seen in students’ application figures

A total of 13,565 applications for a first residence permit for studies were submitted in 2025, which was 4% less than in 2024. The number of international students has been growing clearly since 2022 and declined for the first time in 2025. The earlier growth was due, among other things, to changes made to the Researcher and Student Act in 2022. The number of applications submitted is still exceptionally high despite the slight drop from the previous year.

Especially citizens of Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka, India and Pakistan are applying for permits for studying in Finland. Students were granted a total of 10,486 first residence permits (2024: 12,192). The share of negative decisions was 9%. 

After graduation, students can apply for a residence permit on the basis of a degree completed in Finland if they have a job or pursue a business. 

“Last year, students who have graduated submitted a total of 3,454 applications for an extended permit on the basis of a degree or research completed in Finland, which is 33% more than in the corresponding period in 2024. This growth can be partly explained by the increase in the number of international students in Finland in recent years," says Hirvelä.

Continued high numbers of residence permit applications from family members

In 2025, family members submitted a record number of applications for a first residence permit: 23,831 applications (2024: 23,701). The number of applications remained almost unchanged from the previous year. In family members’ applications, the largest applicant groups were citizens of Sri Lanka, the Philippines, 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 in recent years. Before 2022, it was rare for students' family members to apply for a permit for Finland, but now they have become one of the largest groups in family-based applications,” says Hirvelä.

In 2025, a total of 22,324 decisions were made on applications for a first residence permit on the basis of family ties, and 89% of the decisions were positive.

The number of asylum applications remains low

The number of first asylum applications submitted in 2025 was 15% lower than in 2024. The number of subsequent applications also decreased by 8% compared with 2024. A total of 2,047 first asylum applications and 497 subsequent applications were submitted. The largest number of asylum applications (including subsequent applications) were submitted by citizens of Afghanistan, Iraq, Somalia, Russia and Türkiye. 

"Despite several conflicts and crises also during the past year, the number of asylum applications continued to decline. However, the number of asylum applications is prone to change rapidly if there are major changes in the political or security situation of key areas of origin," says Hirvelä.

A total of 2,284 positive decisions were made on asylum applications (2024: 1,581).

The number of Ukrainians arriving in Finland remained at the 2024 level

Temporary protection is intended for people who have fled Ukraine due to Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine. Temporary protection may be granted to a specific category of people without an individual consideration of the applicant’s need for protection, in contrast to asylum seekers.

In 2025, Finland received a total of 12,018 applications for temporary protection (2024: 12,617). Ukrainians arriving in Finland continue to account for a significant proportion of immigration to Finland.

“According to a government decision that entered into force in Ukraine at the end of August 2025, men aged 18–22 are allowed to exit the country despite the country being in a state of war. After this, the number of applications submitted by young men also increased in Finland. However, the growth slowed towards the end of the year,” says Hirvelä. 

In 2025, a total of 10,521 positive decisions on applications for temporary protection were issued (2024: 12,210). Temporary protection continues until 4 March 2027. 

Record number of Finnish citizenships granted

Citizenship applications reached high numbers in 2023–2024 before the first set of amendments to the Citizenship Act entered into force. The increase in the number of applications caused a backlog in their processing. In 2025, after the record years, the number of applications returned to its previous level, with a total of 11,237 applications submitted, which is 34% less than in the previous year. In addition to citizenship applications, 1,163 citizenship declarations were submitted.

Foreign nationals at least 18 years of age who reside in Finland, and their minor children, can apply for Finnish citizenship by submitting a citizenship application. Obtaining Finnish citizenship by declaration is possible based on, for instance, the Finnish citizenship of the applicant’s parent, the former Finnish citizenship of the applicant himself or herself or the applicant having lived in Finland or another Nordic country for a long time.

The highest number of citizenship applications were submitted by citizens of Iraq, Russia, Syria, Afghanistan and Somalia. The highest number of citizenship declarations were submitted by citizens of Sweden, Estonia, the United States, the United Kingdom and Canada.

Finland gained a total of 14,689 new citizens in 2025, which is more than ever before. Of these new citizens, 13,483 obtained Finnish citizenship on application (2024: 12,417) and 1,206 by declaration (2024: 1,532). The increase in the number of Finnish citizenships granted is based on the temporary increase in the number of applicants in 2023–2024 which was due to changes in legislation.

Increase in permit withdrawals based on automated post-decision monitoring

Each residence permit has requirements that the permit holder must meet throughout the permit's period of validity. The Finnish Immigration Service checks that the requirements are met when the permit is granted and monitors that they continue to be met after the permit has been granted. The Finnish Immigration Service conducts post-decision monitoring of residence permits to allow intervening in any abuse of the permit system and withdrawing permits that are no longer justified. The insight gathered through post-decision monitoring of permits is applied in the improvement and development of permit processes. 

Automated post-decision monitoring means that the Finnish Immigration Service's system regularly checks various official registers to see whether the customer still meets certain key permit requirements, such as whether the person is actually residing in Finland or has sufficient financial resources.

“Post-decision monitoring also helps prevent labour exploitation, the risk of which is regrettably high in Finland at present. When we consider withdrawing a permit, we always assess each situation individually. The customer is always heard in such cases. It is good to remember that hearing the customer is not yet a decision to withdraw the permit but an important part of investigating the customer's situation,” says Hirvelä.

In 2025, approximately 47,000 residence permits were inspected using automated post-decision monitoring. As a result, withdrawal was considered for 3,645 residence permits and a total of 1,913 residence permits were withdrawn.

Significant increase in the number of decisions on removal from the country

Removing someone from the country involves deportation if the person has been residing in Finland with a residence permit. Removing someone from the country involves denial of admittance or stay if the person has been residing in the country without a residence permit. Most of the decisions on deportation or on denial of admittance or stay that are issued by the Finnish Immigration Service are issued in connection with a negative residence permit or asylum decision or in connection with a permit withdrawal decision when the permit requirements are no longer met.

In 2025, a total of 3,128 decisions on removal from the country leading to denial of admittance or stay were made (2024: 2,884). A total of 2,774 decisions on removal from the country leading to deportation were made by the Finnish Immigration Service, which is 41% more than in 2024 (2024: 1,965). In 2025, the highest number of decisions on removal from the country were made for citizens of Russia, Iraq and Türkiye.

"Behind the increase in decisions on removal from the country are changes in legislation, the more effective post-decision monitoring of permits, and an increase in deportation proposals made by the police. The police and the Finnish Border Guard submit proposals for deportation or denial of admittance or stay to the Finnish Immigration Service when a foreign national has committed or is suspected of having committed crimes in Finland," says Hirvelä.

More statistics available on the Migri.fi website

The statistics for 2025 are available in the Finnish Immigration Service’s statistical service at statistics.migri.fi. Instructions for using the statistical service, reports on immigration to Finland (the 'Maahanmuutto Suomeen' reports), and statistics until 2015 as PDF files are available on the Statistics page at Migri.fi. There you will also find statistics on quota refugees and estimates of the number of applications for 2026.

When comparing statistics compiled by Statistics Finland and the Finnish Immigration Service, it is worth noting that Statistics Finland's population statistics refer to immigration in terms of actual instances of immigration to Finland. In these statistics, a person is considered to have immigrated if their personal identity code and municipality of residence have been registered in the Population Information System. 

The statistics by the Finnish Immigration Service on first residence permits granted show the number of permits entitling the holder to enter the country. The Finnish Immigration Service's statistics also include permits entitling the holder to a short-term stay. Changes in the number of residence permits granted will be seen later, with a delay, in the immigration figures of the Statistics Finland's population statistics. Therefore, the statistics of the Finnish Immigration Service and of Statistics Finland describe partly different things and cannot be directly compared with each other.

Statistics Finland's immigration statistics also include persons who do not need a permit to move to Finland, such as citizens of the Nordic countries. Further, the Finnish Immigration Service's statistics on persons who have been granted a permit include persons who are not granted a municipality of residence and will therefore not be represented in the population statistics as part of the immigrated population.

Media enquiries

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