Income requirement for persons who apply for a residence permit on the basis of work

Your salary must at least correspond to the salary specified in the collective agreement that applies to your employment relationship. 

If there is no collective agreement in your sector or if you work part-time, your gross salary must be at least EUR 1,399 per month in 2024.

Read more on the page Residence permit for an employed person.

If you apply for a residence permit as a specialist, you are required to earn a salary that is higher than average. Your gross salary must be at least EUR 3,638 per month in 2024. When we assess your level of income, the part of your salary that consists of fringe benefits or daily allowances will not be counted towards the required sum.

If you apply for an EU Blue Card, your gross salary must be at least EUR 3,638 per month in 2024. The required sum is reviewed annually. Possible fringe benefits and daily allowances do not count as salary.

If you apply for a residence permit on the basis of having completed a degree or qualification or research in Finland and apply for the permit in order to work, to pursue a business or to pursue a trade, you must have a sufficient level of income in Finland during the entire time your residence permit is valid.

• In 2024, your net income must be at least EUR 1,210 / 1,090 /1,030 per month, depending on where you live. See the table at the end of the page for further details.
• Your income can be earned through employment in the service of an employer, through your company's business activities or by pursuing a trade, or through a combination of these. A part of the financial resources available to you may also come from other sources, such as savings.

If you apply for a residence permit for an entrepreneur, your business must be profitable and you must be able to secure sufficient financial resources for yourself from your business. The Centre for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment (ELY Centre) will assess whether you meet these requirements.

When you apply for a residence permit for a startup entrepreneur, you must have at least EUR 1,210 / 1,090 / 1,030 net per month, depending on where you live. See the table at the end of the page for further details.

It needs to be money which you can use to support yourself in Finland.

You must have enough money for at least one year. However, you may be granted a first residence permit for 2 years if you have enough money to cover your living costs for 2 years.

Your salary must at least correspond to the salary specified in the collective agreement that applies to your employment relationship. 

If there is no collective agreement in your sector or if you work part-time, your gross salary must be at least EUR 1,399 per month in 2024.

Read more on the page Seasonal work.

If you apply for a residence permit as an athlete, coach or referee, your salary for full-time sporting in Finland must be at least EUR 13,180 per year or per season (if the season in your sport is shorter than one year) in 2024.

The minimum salary required for a residence permit may change because the Finnish Immigration Service reviews it every year. In addition to salary, your employer must provide you with accident insurance and old-age insurance until you turn 43.

If an accommodation benefit or some other benefit is considered to form a part of your salary, attach a document on the taxable value of the benefit to your residence permit application. 

It is not possible to replace a salary in money with: 

• other fringe benefits (such as game or training outfits); 
• health care or reimbursement of expenses for the athlete; 
• bonuses based on future wins or other achievements in sports, because such income is uncertain;
• money from the parents of young athletes.

All fringe benefits included in the player contract must be shown on your payslip as taxable income.

Paid internship

You have to get paid for your internship. Your salary must at least correspond to the salary specified in the collective agreement that applies to your employment relationship.
If there is no collective agreement in your sector, your gross salary must be at least EUR 1,399 per month in 2024. This sum meets the condition regarding previous employment (in Finnish: ‘työssäoloehto’) under the Unemployment Security Act.
Grants or scholarships granted by your home country university (Erasmus+ grants, for example) or pocket money paid by an organisation are not taken into account when assessing whether you will have sufficient financial resources during your internship. Food and housing allowances can be accepted, according to their taxable value, in the assessment of your financial resources. The allowances must be mentioned in the internship agreement.

Unpaid training programme

The training agreement signed by you and the organisation responsible for the training programme must state how you intend to finance your stay in Finland during the traineeship. You can, for example, attach a decision stating that you have been granted a scholarship or some other benefit for the traineeship. Attach proof of the scholarship or other benefit to your application.

Read more on the page Internship.

If you apply for a residence permit for au pair status, your host family must provide you with room and board, insurance and pocket money.

In addition to your room and board, your host family must give you at least EUR 340 (net) per month in pocket money in 2024. The host family must also present documentation of your insurance.

If you apply for a residence permit for a Working holiday, you must have sufficient funds to be able to live in Finland. In 2024, you must have EUR 2,450 in your bank account for the first 3 months.

If you apply for a residence permit for volunteering, you must be able to secure sufficient financial resources for yourself through the volunteer programme.

In this section, you will find the income requirements for the following permits:

• Work in the service of a religious community
• Work in the field of culture or the arts
• Work in the field of mass media
• International organisations and cooperation between states
• Delivery of a machine or a system
• Preparation of a company’s arrival in Finland and supervision of orders
• Consultant
• Top or middle management of a company
• Teacher, lecturer or instructor
• Intergovernmental agreement

You may work in paid employment or pursue a trade or business without establishing a company. Your main source of income must be the work for which you are applying for a residence permit. 

• If your main source of income is paid employment, your salary must be at least the minimum specified in the relevant collective agreement. 
• If there is no collective agreement or if you will be working part-time, your salary must be at least EUR 1,399 per month in 2024.
• If your main source of income is pursuing a trade or business, or if you are combining paid employment and pursuing a trade or business, you must make at least EUR 1,399 per month in 2024.

Some of your salary may consist of fringe benefits, such as company car or employer-provided accommodation. Fringe benefits will be taken into account according to their taxable values. For more information about the taxable values of fringe benefits, see the website of the Finnish Tax Administration (vero.fi).

• If you are in an employment relationship with the research organisation, you must be able to earn your living in Finland through gainful employment throughout the time you stay in Finland. 
  • Your salary must at least correspond to the salary specified in the collective agreement that applies to your employment relationship. If there is no general collective agreement in your sector, your gross salary must be at least EUR 1,399 per month in 2024. 
• If you do not have an employment relationship with the research organisation, you must have at least EUR 1,210 / 1,090 / 1,030 (net) per month for your living costs, depending on where you live. See the table at the end of the page for further details.
• You can secure your income with funds, earnings from work or even other types of income, such as a research scholarship. Before you arrive in Finland, make sure that you have enough funds for the entire time you are carrying out your research:
  • If you are coming to Finland to do research for less than a year, you must have sufficient financial resources for the entire time you spend here doing research.