A new Finnish immigration law will come into effect on 11 June 2025, imposing strict job-seeking deadlines on foreign residents with work-based residence permits. Under the legislation, non-Finnish workers who lose their jobs will have only three months to secure new employment—or face possible deportation.
New rule tightens link between employment and residence permits
According to the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment (Työ- ja elinkeinoministeriö), the reform aims to “strengthen the link between work and work-based residence permits” and to improve the systematic monitoring of residence statuses. The government insists the measure aligns with EU directives, which allow residence permit holders up to three months of unemployment without risk of revocation—extended to six months for those employed for over two years.
The rule will mostly impact the approximately 50,000 foreign workers currently in Finland under work-based permits.
Specialists and long-term residents to benefit from six-month grace period
Some exceptions will apply: specialists, defined as highly skilled professionals earning at least 3,827 EUR/month, will be granted a six-month period to find new employment. This extended timeframe will also apply to:
- holders of an EU Blue Card,
- those who have lived in Finland for more than two years on a work permit,
- middle and top-level managers, and
- seconded specialists and executives transferring within companies.
These categories reflect a government strategy to retain high-skilled labour despite broader immigration tightening.
Public opposition and criticism of limited consultation
The reform has sparked significant backlash from civil society and migrant advocacy groups. During a public consultation in August 2024, the vast majority of responses opposed the three- and six-month limits. Still, no major changes were made following the hearings.
Jarmo Tiukkanen, a senior adviser at the ministry, stated: “The hearings were on a general level and didn’t particularly impact the wording of the law. The matter is a political one, and the politicians take the final decision.”
Demonstrations against stricter immigration rules—such as the one outside Helsinki’s Oodi Library last year—underscore public concern over how the policy could create insecurity for foreign workers and their families.
Employer notification and labour shortage sectors
A new reporting obligation will be introduced for employers, who must now inform the Finnish Immigration Service (Migri) within 14 days if the employment of a foreign worker ends prematurely. This requirement will not apply to casual or secondary jobs.
Simultaneously, the government will issue a decree in June 2025 identifying labour shortage sectors in Finland. Foreign workers with valid permits may, under the new rules, switch not only employers but also sectors—provided the new role falls within one of these designated areas. Previously, changing sectors required a new permit.
Soaring unemployment and fewer vacancies raise concerns
The timing of the reform coincides with a rising number of unemployed jobseekers, up by 37,900 compared to April 2024. Meanwhile, the number of new vacancies has dropped significantly—by 14,300, down to 41,800 openings.
This trend raises questions about the feasibility of the three-month job-seeking window, particularly for those working in sectors without active recruitment. Critics warn that the law could unfairly penalise foreign workers navigating an already difficult job market.
As Finland prepares to enforce the new rule, observers will be watching closely to see how it impacts the country’s international labour force and its image as a destination for skilled global talent.
