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Residence permit application for person with a degree completed in Finland

Use this application to apply for a residence permit on the basis of work if:

  • you have studied and completed a degree or qualification in Finland; and
  • you have a job, pursue a trade or engage in business activities in Finland.

You can apply for this permit regardless of which permit you had during your studies. Since you have completed a degree in Finland, you do not need to apply for a residence permit for an employed person or for a residence permit for an entrepreneur, for example. The degree you have completed in Finland does not need to be recent: you may apply for this permit even if time has passed since you completed your degree.

  • Expected processing time for an electronic application

    First permit 2 months / extended permit 2 months

  • Expected processing time for a paper application

    First permit 2 months / extended permit 2 months

  • Electronic application fee

    First permit  380 € / extended permit 170 €

  • Paper application fee

    First permit 480 € / extended permit 430 €

You can apply for this permit if you have completed all of your studies and you will receive a degree certificate within one month. Attach the degree certificate to your application as soon as you receive it. In that case, add to your application a document from your educational institution on your studies and mention when you will graduate. The permit can be granted after you have graduated.

If you will receive your certificate later and must already apply for a new residence permit, you can, for example, apply for a residence permit for studies for the duration of your remaining studies.

If you have graduated for over a month ago, you do not need to attach a degree certificate to your application. We can obtain your degree certificate from the study register.

If your employer has obtained employer certification, you can apply for a D visa at the same time as you apply for a residence permit. The D visa allows you to travel to Finland immediately after you have been issued with a residence permit and a D visa sticker has been attached to your passport. Read more about the D visa.

Your spouse and children can apply for a D visa if they are applying for a residence permit on the basis of family ties.

This is what you should do

Prepare:

Fill in the application:

When can I start working?

First residence permit

You cannot start working before you get a residence permit. Once you are granted a residence permit on the basis of a degree completed in Finland, you may work without restrictions.

Extended permit

If your current permit is a residence permit for studies and you apply for an extended permit on the basis of a degree before your current permit expires, you are allowed to continue working or start a new job already before the extended permit has been issued. You may work without restrictions. Read more on the page Right to work while your application for an extended permit is being processed.

Prepare for your life in Finland