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Frequently asked questions: Permanent residence permits, amendments to Aliens Act 2026

Transitional provisions

If I have submitted my application before 8 January 2026, will the legislative amendments affect my application? 

No, they will not. If you have submitted your application for a permanent residence permit or a P-EU residence permit before the amendments to the Aliens Act entered into force on 8 January 2026, the amendments will not affect your application. Submitting your application refers to the day when you sent your application in the Enter Finland online service or handed in your application at a service point.

If you have submitted your application before 8 January 2026 and get an appointment at a service point for identification after that date, the earlier Act (in force until 7 January 2026) is applied to your application. 

If you have submitted your application on or after 8 January 2026, we will decide your application in accordance with the amended Aliens Act. 

I hold a permanent residence permit and have custody of my child. I have applied for a continuous residence permit for my child before the amendments of the Aliens Act entered into force. Will you establish whether my child can obtain a permanent residence permit instead of a fixed-term residence permit?

No, we will not. If you have submitted the application before the amendments to the Aliens Act entered into force, the previous provisions, which were valid until 7 January 2026, will be applied to it. If you want to apply for a permanent residence permit for the child, you must apply for it with the permanent residence permit application and pay the processing fee.

Application conditions

Do I have to have grounds for an extended permit (A permit) if I apply for a permanent residence permit after the amendments to the Aliens Act entered into force? 

Yes. The legislative amendments do not cause any changes to this.  

Do the new integration requirements that entered into force on 8 January 2026 also apply to the family members of Finnish citizens?

The new integration requirements regarding period of residence, language skills and work history also apply to the family members of Finnish citizens. The required period of residence, level of language skills and work history depend on the application path on which you apply for a permanent residence permit. The P-EU permit does not have a work history requirement. 

As before, sufficient financial resources will not be required of the family members of a Finnish citizen. For more information, see the page Income requirement.

If you are a family member of a Finnish citizen and apply for a P-EU permit, you are required to have sufficient financial resources. 

Do the new integration requirements that entered into force on 8 January 2026 also apply to beneficiaries of international protection?

The new integration requirements regarding period of residence, language skills and work history also apply to beneficiaries of international protection. The required period of residence, level of language skills and work history depend on the application path on which you apply for a permanent residence permit. 

If you have been granted a residence permit on the basis of refugee status or subsidiary protection status, your period of residence has started on the day on which you arrived in Finland. 

As before, a family member of a beneficiary of international protection does not need to meet the income requirement in some cases. For more information, see the page Income requirement. 

If you are a family member of a person who has been granted international protection and you apply for a P-EU permit, you are required to have sufficient financial resources. 

If I am not granted a permanent residence permit, will you also in future consider whether I could be issued a new extended permit? 

Yes. If you cannot be issued a permanent residence permit, we will consider, if necessary, whether you could be issued a new continuous residence permit (A permit). We will consider this, for example, if your current permit expires during the processing of your application. We will examine the grounds for a continuous residence permit that you have stated in your application.

Application paths

I want to apply for a permanent residence permit on the application path ‘Higher education degree completed in Finland’. Can I apply on this path if I have completed a bachelor’s degree at a university of applied sciences? 

No, you cannot. You can apply on this application path only if you have completed one of the following in Finland:

  • a master’s degree (at a university or a university of applied sciences)
  • a bachelor’s degree (at a university) or
  • a licentiate or doctoral degree. 

I want to apply for a permanent residence permit on the application path ‘Higher education degree completed outside Finland’. What is meant by recognition of a degree? 

You can apply on this application path if you have completed a master’s degree or a licentiate or doctoral degree outside Finland. 

Recognition of a degree refers to a decision by the Finnish National Agency for Education or other authority that the degree you have completed outside Finland entitles you to work in certain occupations in Finland or to study in Finland.  

The degree may also have been recognised in such a way that a Finnish university has granted you the right to study for a licentiate or doctoral degree or employed you to perform teaching or research duties. 

For more information about the recognition of degrees, see the website of the Finnish National Agency for Education (oph.fi). 

I want to apply on the application path ‘Annual income of EUR 40,000’. How do I prove that I have an annual income of at least EUR 40,000?

Your gross income must be at least EUR 40,000 in your most recent tax decision before you submit your application. Gross income means income before taxes. We only take into account your personal income subject to income tax. See your tax decision in the MyTax online service (vero.fi). You do not need to submit your tax decision because we get the information directly from the Finnish Tax Administration. 

Income subject to income tax includes earned income and capital income, for example, income from employment, pensions, dividend income, rental income and capital gains. 

Language skills requirement 

I have completed a qualification unit to work as a care assistant. Can I prove my language skills with this qualification?

No, you cannot. Only certificates showing that you have completed the qualification in full in Finland are accepted as proof of your language skills. Certificates of preparatory education for a qualification or completion of a qualification unit are not accepted as sufficient proof of language skills. See the page Language skills requirement for more information.

Which application paths do not have any language skills requirements?

The following application paths do not require proof of language skills:

  • Application path: Annual income of EUR 40,000. You have lived in Finland for at least 4 years under a continuous residence permit (A permit) or a Brexit permit and your annual income is more than EUR 40,000
  • Application path: Higher education degree completed outside Finland. You have lived in Finland for at least 4 years under a continuous residence permit (A permit) or a Brexit permit, you have a master’s degree or a licentiate or doctoral degree recognised in Finland and at least 2 years of work history in Finland.

Work history requirement

Is part-time work or working on a zero-hours contract accepted as part of work history?

Yes, if the work is full-time. This means that your work is regular and you receive at least the minimum wage under the Unemployment Security Act (for example, in 2025 this was EUR 1,430 per month). 

Can a period during which I have worked remotely outside Finland for a Finnish company and paid my taxes to Finland be considered as part of my work history?

To be granted a permanent residence permit, you must be residing in Finland legally and continuously with a continuous residence permit (A permit) or a Brexit permit. Your residence is considered continuous if you have resided in Finland for at least half of the period of validity of your residence permit. 

Continuous residence is not interrupted if you work at a work site abroad on secondment by a Finnish employer. This period can, therefore, be included in your work history. If you are working abroad for a reason other than a secondment by a Finnish company, it is possible that your period of residence has been interrupted. 

I am an entrepreneur in Finland. Is a four-week unpaid leave I took counted as part of my work history if the company has been active during my leave?

Yes. We will assess the total number of absences. You may be absent from work for a maximum of 3 months for a reason other than an annual holiday, parental leave or illness during your employment relationship or business activities.

In the case of an entrepreneur, we will assess the work history as a whole. We will assess, for example, whether the business activities have been continuous and full-time despite your unpaid annual leave and whether you intend to live in Finland as an entrepreneur and with that secure your financial resources in Finland. Therefore, even an unpaid annual leave may be acceptable if we assess that your activities as an entrepreneur are full-time. 

I have been on unpaid leave for over 3 months during my 2-year work history. However, I have not applied for social benefits from Kela or a wellbeing services county during that time. Can this period be counted as part of my work history?

No, it cannot. During your work history, you may be absent from work for a maximum of 3 months for a reason other than an annual holiday, parental leave or illness during your employment relationship or business activities.

We will take into account how long the periods of absence have been and when they have taken place during the required work history. 

  • If you have been absent for more than 3 consecutive months, the calculation of your work history period will start from the beginning when you return to work and are paid a salary. 
  • If you have been absent for a total of more than 3 months in several different periods, your work history requirement will be met at the earliest when you have been absent from work for a maximum of 3 months, or 90 days, during the 2 years preceding the submission of the application. 

Will my absence from work due to parental leave be taken into account in my work history?

Yes, if your employment relationship has been valid during your parental leave and you have returned to work by the time you apply for a permanent residence permit. 

If your employment relationship has ended during your pregnancy leave or parental leave and you have not had an employment relationship for over 3 months, this period cannot be counted towards your work history. A continuous absence of over 3 months in the work history interrupts the work history. 

If you have been on childcare leave after the parental leave, the childcare leave period is not counted towards your work history. 

I am on old-age pension. How can I prove that I have the required work history?

If you are on old-age pension, the work history requirement in Finland must have been met before you retired on old-age pension.  

If you are on early old-age pension, the work history requirement must be met when you apply for a permanent residence permit. 

For more information, see the page Work history requirement.

What subsidies and benefits do social assistance and unemployment benefit include?

Unemployment benefit refers to labour market subsidy, basic unemployment allowance and earnings-related unemployment allowance.  

Social assistance refers to basic social assistance that has been paid to you or your spouse or partner by Kela and supplementary and preventive social assistance paid by a wellbeing services county, the City of Helsinki or Åland.  

Is a study grant the type of benefit which I may not rely on for over 3 months during my work history?

No, it is not. In terms of benefits and subsidies, we will only look at social assistance and unemployment benefit.  

  • Unemployment benefit refers to labour market subsidy, basic unemployment allowance and earnings-related unemployment allowance.  
  • Social assistance refers to basic social assistance that has been paid to you or your spouse or partner by Kela and supplementary and preventive social assistance paid by a wellbeing services county, the City of Helsinki or Åland.  

I work part-time. In addition to my salary, I have received earnings-related unemployment allowance from an unemployment fund for over 3 months during the required work history period of 2 years. Does this prevent me from getting a permanent residence permit? 

Yes. Earnings-related unemployment allowance is an unemployment benefit on which you may rely for a maximum of 3 months during the required work history period. This means that you do not meet the work history requirement. 

I have received unemployment benefit from 1 April 2025 to 30 June 2025 and social assistance from 1 July 2025 to 31 July 2025. Do I meet the required 2-year work history requirement if I apply for a permanent residence permit in January 2026?

To meet the work history requirement, you may rely on unemployment benefit or social assistance for a maximum of 3 months during the required work history period. Since you have relied on unemployment benefit and social assistance for 4 months, you do not meet the work history requirement. 

Does the social assistance paid to my spouse living in the same household with me have any effect on meeting the work history requirement?

Yes. You may rely on unemployment benefit or social assistance for a maximum of 3 months during the required work history period. The social assistance paid to your spouse is also taken into account if you have lived together with your spouse when your spouse has received social assistance. ‘Spouse’ refers to a married spouse, a cohabiting partner and a registered partner. 

Period of residence requirement

I heard that in some cases a permanent residence permit may be granted without a period of residence. Under what circumstances is this possible?

You can obtain a permanent residence permit without having to meet the period of residence requirement if you are living in Finland legally and applying for a permanent residence permit on the following application path:

  • Application path: Higher education degree completed in Finland. You have completed a master’s degree at a university or a university of applied sciences, a licentiate or doctoral degree or a bachelor’s degree at a university in Finland and your Finnish or Swedish language skills are at least at developing level (level A2 in the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages). 

A child under 18 years of age living in Finland may also be issued a permanent residence permit without having to meet the period of residence requirement if: 

  • the child’s parent or guardian already has a permanent residence permit, a P-EU permit or Finnish citizenship or
  • the child applies for a permanent residence permit together with his or her parent or guardian and the parent or guardian is granted a permanent residence permit or a P-EU permit. 

Is residence under a temporary residence permit (B permit) also accepted as part of the required period of residence as of 8 January 2026 if I apply for a permanent residence permit?

No, it is not accepted. Only a period of residence under a continuous residence permit (A permit) or a Brexit permit is accepted as part of the required period of residence. The length of the required period of residence depends on the application path on which you apply for a permanent residence permit or whether you apply for a P-EU permit. 

If you have been granted a residence permit on the basis of refugee status or subsidiary protection status, your period of residence has started on the day on which you arrived in Finland. 

For more information, see the page Period of residence requirement.

What is meant by continuous residence in Finland when I apply for a permanent residence permit?

Continuous residence means that you have resided in Finland for at least half of the length of the period of residence required of you. If you have been outside Finland for longer than half of the required period of residence, your period of residence has been interrupted. 

Ordinary holidays or other short trips abroad do not interrupt the period of residence. Unconditional imprisonment will also interrupt the period of residence if you have applied for a permanent residence permit on or after 8 January 2026. See the page Period of residence requirement for more information on the interruption of a continuous period of residence.

I have been granted asylum in Finland and want to apply for a permanent residence permit. When has my period of residence started now that I am applying for a permanent residence permit?

If you have been granted a residence permit on the basis of refugee status or subsidiary protection status, your period of residence has started on the day on which you arrived in Finland. For more information, see the page Period of residence requirement.

Minors

Is a certificate of language skills required of a child under the age of 18 if I apply for a permanent residence permit or P-EU permit for the child?

No, it is not required. The requirement for Finnish or Swedish language skills does not apply to children under the age of 18. Read about the requirements for a permanent residence permit for a child on the page Permanent residence permit for a child.

Do the legislative amendments also have an effect on how a child can obtain a P-EU permit? Can a child be granted a P-EU permit also without the period of residence?

A child can be granted a P-EU residence permit as before if he or she has lived in Finland for at least 5 years under one of the following: 

  • a continuous residence permit (A permit)
  • a permanent residence permit 
  • a residence card of a family member of an EU citizen
  • right of residence under the withdrawal agreement (Brexit permit).

For more information on the requirements for a P-EU permit see the page Long-term resident’s EU residence permit (P-EU).

What happens if I apply for a permanent residence permit for my child and the child reaches the age of 18 during the application process?

It is essential for the decision that the child was under 18 years of age on the day you applied for a permanent residence permit for him or her. Therefore, it does not have any effect on the processing of the application if your child has reached the age of 18 after the application was submitted. 

I have a permanent residence permit/Finnish citizenship/a P-EU permit. I have custody of my child who was born outside Finland. Can I apply directly for a permanent residence permit for my child at a Finnish embassy or consulate after 8 January 2026?

No, you cannot. You can apply for a permanent residence permit for the child only in Finland and if you intend to live together in Finland and you have custody of the child.
If you are a Finnish citizen, find out whether your child can obtain Finnish citizenship instead of a permanent residence permit. For more information, see the page Finnish citizenship for a child.

I hold a permanent residence permit/Finnish citizenship/a P-EU permit. I have custody of my child who was born outside Finland. Can my child enter Finland from a visa-free country? Can I apply directly for a permanent residence permit for my child in Finland (as of 8 January 2026)?

Yes. If your child is legally in Finland and you intend to live together permanently in Finland, you do not have to first apply for a fixed-term residence permit for the child but can apply directly for a permanent residence permit for the child in Finland. We may, however, ask you for information on entry when we process your child’s application.

If you are a Finnish citizen, find out whether your child can obtain Finnish citizenship instead of a permanent residence permit. For more information, see the page Finnish citizenship for a child.

I hold a permanent residence permit/Finnish citizenship/a P-EU permit. I have custody of my child who was born outside Finland. Can my child enter Finland with a visa without a residence permit? Can I apply directly for a permanent residence permit for my child in Finland?

Visas are issued for short and temporary visits and the issue of visas is subject to the decision of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland. For more information on visas, see the website of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs (um.fi). 

If your child is legally in Finland and you intend to live together permanently in Finland, you do not have to first apply for a fixed-term residence permit for the child but can apply directly for a permanent residence permit for the child in Finland. We may, however, ask you for information on entry when we process your child’s application.