Themes 10 September 2026
File photo of students at Metropolia University of Applied Sciences. Photo: LehtikuvaEducation
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Finland’s government has proposed making international students wait one year before their family members apply for residence permits, as part of changes to student immigration rules aimed at addressing financial problems among people studying in the country.
The government submitted the proposal to Parliament on 10 September. The package also sets out changes to financial requirements and introduces a language proficiency condition for residence permits issued for studies.
Under current rules, family members are able to apply for residence permits at the same time as the student. The proposed legislation would require the student to spend one year in Finland before the family submits an application for family reunification.
The Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment said the waiting period would give students time to understand the amount of money required to support a family in Finland.
The government also wants to define the financial resources required from international students in legislation. The required amount in euros would be set by decree and reviewed every three years.
The ministry said authorities have identified cases in which international students struggled to support themselves after arriving in Finland, though government data shows most students progress with their studies and live in the country without significant financial problems.
Minister of Employment Matias Marttinen said students entering Finland should have the resources required to complete their education and support themselves.
“Students coming to Finland must have a genuine ability to pursue their studies, to get by with their own financial resources and to build their future here,” Marttinen said in the ministry’s statement.
The proposal follows a ministry report that examined financial difficulties among international students. According to the report, some foreign education agents have given students misleading information about employment prospects in Finland.
The ministry also found cases in which students accumulated debt after paying agency fees before moving to Finland.
Language skills to become part of student permit rules
Language proficiency forms another part of the proposed changes. Applicants for study residence permits would need to demonstrate sufficient ability in the language used for their studies.
Authorities would have grounds to refuse a permit when an applicant lacks the required language skills. The ministry said the system was designed to avoid additional requirements for applicants who have already demonstrated sufficient proficiency.
The government report identified cases in which students lacked the English or other language skills required for their courses, creating problems with completing their studies.
Authorities have also identified cases in which applicants primarily used study-based residence permits to enter the Finnish or wider EU labour market, according to the ministry.
The government also proposes extending refusal criteria under Finland’s Aliens Act to upper secondary students and their family members. The ministry said the change would give immigration authorities more grounds to address suspected circumvention of immigration rules during the residence permit process.
The family reunification waiting period is scheduled to take effect on 5 April 2027 if Parliament approves the legislation. Other changes in the package are scheduled to apply from October 2027.
Wider changes targeting international student rules
The government submitted separate legislation to Parliament on 30 April aimed at increasing oversight of foreign students who receive social assistance. Under those proposals, authorities would have greater scope to cancel a student’s residence permit when the person lacks sufficient resources and relies on social assistance in Finland.
Those changes are also scheduled to enter into force in autumn 2027.
DATE . 11/Sep/2026