Nearly 10,000 people apply for residence permit during the first half of 2013
In the period from January to June, a total of 9,635 non-EU and non-ETA residents applied for a residence permit in Finland. The total number of applicants was very close to the corresponding number for the previous year (1–6/2012: 9,639).
The most common motivation for applications was family ties. A total of 4,174 individuals (43 per cent of all applicants) wished to move to Finland to live with a family member. Some 3,036 individuals (32 per cent of all applicants) applied for a work-based residence permit, and 2,129 individuals (22 per cent of all applicants) applied for a student residence permit.
The majority of residence permit applications were submitted by Russian (1,832), Indian (951) and Chinese (687) citizens.
Residence permits were granted to 7,487 individuals
The number of residence permits granted remained largely the same as previous years. In January-June 2013, 7,487 individuals were granted a residence permit, which is 74 per cent of all processed applicants. A negative decision was given to 2,627 applicants.
The majority of residence permits were granted on the basis of family ties (3,142), which represents 42 per cent of all residence permits. In total, 2,584 work-based residence permits were granted (35 per cent), while 1,427 residence permits (19 per cent) were granted based on studying.
The nationality groups with the highest number of positive decisions to residence permit applications were Russian (1,467), Indian (940), Ukrainian (577), Chinese (568) and Somali (381) citizens.
The number of positive and negative decisions varies significantly, depending on the grounds of the application. For example, approximately 96 per cent of student applicants and 83 per cent of applicants for work-based residence permits were granted a residence permit, whereas the percentage of positive decisions for family members applying for residence permit was 62.
E-services shorten processing times for students
The processing times varied considerably depending on the grounds of the application, which affected how much investigation the application type required. In January-June 2013, the quickest decisions were made on student residence permit applications, which took 23 days on average. The family members of persons who have received international protection had to wait the longest for a decision, 481 days on average.
A partial explanation for the speedy processing times of student residence permit applications was that 65 per cent of student applicants submitted their residence permit application via e-services. The quickest decisions on student residence permit applications submitted online were made in just a few days.
The e-services for foreigner’s permit matters were opened for those applying for their first student’s residence permit at the beginning of 2012. In October 2012, e-services were expanded to cover work-based residence permit applications and citizenship applications, as well as applications for extensions to student and work-based residence permits and the registration of EU citizens, which are the responsibility of the police. In the future, it is expected that the service will also shorten the processing times of these applications.
More detailed statistics available online
A more detailed review of residence permit matters in January-June 2013 is available in Finnish on the Finnish Immigration Service website www.migri.fi > Quick links > Statistics > Statistics on recidence permit.
Further information for the media
Head of Section Pauliina Helminen, Immigration Unit, tel. +358 71 873 0431, e-mail: firstname.lastname@migri.fi
