The Parliament of Finland has voted to introduce stricter rules for granting residence permits based on family ties.
The new changes were approved on May 14, and they are aimed at limiting chain migration and ensuring that new residents are financially supported or have strong ties to Finland, Schengen.News reports.
One of the main changes under the new tightened immigration rules is that residence permits based on marriage or family ties can now only be granted if both spouses are at least 21 years old.
However, the Finnish authorities have clarified that this rule will not apply if the residence permit applicant is married to a Finnish citizen. This suggests that while Finland is tightening the immigration rules, it still wants to keep more favourable conditions in place for Finnish passport holders.
In addition, Finland has also given the green light to tighten the residence permit criteria for family members of minors. In line with the new rules, family members of an individual under 18 who has international protection or temporary protection in Finland can be granted Finnish residence permits only if their livelihood is secure.
Residence permit criteria have also been tightened for other relatives of persons enjoying international protection in Finland. A residence permit can now only be granted to family members and other relatives of a person granted international protection if the sponsor has lived in Finland for at least two years.
Finland Expects to See Drop in Work Permit Applications & Increase in Study Permit Applications This Year
The Finnish authorities just recently issued estimates of migrants and refugees expected to arrive in Finland in 2025.
According to the Finnish Immigration Service, the country expects to see a drop in residence permit applications for work purposes. The Director of Development, Johannes Hirvelä, said that Finland is set to see around 11,000 work permit applications.
“We anticipate that next year, the number of employees’ applications will reach roughly the same level as in 2021 if the Finnish economy recovers as has been forecast. According to the latest estimate, employees will submit 11,000 applications this year.” Director of Development Johannes Hirvelä
On the other hand, the number of international students applying for residence permits for study purposes is expected to remain high. The number of study permit applications is anticipated to reach 15,000 this year.
Commenting on this forecast, Hirvelä said that despite Finland having imposed stringent rules on international students, the country continues to remain an attractive destination for students from different parts of the world.