Government decides on methods to address difficulties with foreign student permits and livelihoods

The Government will address the difficulties of foreign students and their families. On 18 December 2025, the ministerial working group on internal security and administration of justice outlined legislative changes regarding requirements for student livelihood and language skills.

In recent years, the number of foreign students and their families has grown in Finland. Statistics and data from ex-post supervision show that most international students in Finland are progressing in their studies and can live here without significant difficulty. However, the public authorities have discovered that some are having difficulty maintaining their livelihoods.  
 
“We want international students to come to Finland. To achieve this, our permit processes must be smooth, as well as capable of preventing students falling into a vulnerable position while preventing abuse. The legislative amendments we have outlined today aim to ensure that students and their families maintain their livelihoods in Finland,” says Minister of Employment Matias Marttinen. 

These amendments are based on the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment report on the necessary legislative amendments regarding students from third countries, i.e. non-EU states, and their families.

Students must have a realistic image of what is necessary for a livelihood in Finland

According to the report, underlying the difficulties students face is often misleading advertising by foreign educational agents regarding opportunities for employment, for example. These agents often charge significant fees, which have also led some students to accrue debt that has further exposed them to labour exploitation in Finland. 
 
The Government has outlined that a student’s family can only move to Finland one year after the student. This would give the student a realistic image of the livelihood that they and their family might require in Finland. Currently, members of a student’s family can apply for a residence permit with the student. 
 
Furthermore, the Government has outlined a clarification to the livelihood requirement, which must be determined as a monetary value in the law. Currently, this monetary value is determined through a Finnish Immigration Service guideline. The purpose of this amendment is to clarify the determination of livelihood in the permit process and to ensure that students have a more realistic image of the cost of living in Finland. 

The Government aims to reduce the use of unofficial educational agents to safeguard the rights of the students. The Government will investigate a ban of these agents and only allowing the use of agents contracted with higher education institutions. This would mean compiling a list of the agents used by the education institutions and creating common rules for their recruitment.

Ensuring sufficient language ability before arrival

Some students have been found to have insufficient ability in English or another language of study, which makes it difficult to complete the studies and internships. Some students have also used the student’s residence permit intending to gain access to Finland’s labour market. 
 
The Government has outlined the addition of a language skill requirement to the student’s residence permit. This amendment would be carried out in a way that facilitates a denial of the residence permit for applicants with insufficient language skills without burdening the permit process for either skilled applicants or the educational institutions. 
 
Furthermore, the Government has outlined that the denial criteria of the Aliens Act would apply to upper secondary students and all their family members. This will allow Finland to prevent the risk of students falling into a vulnerable position and circumventing immigration regulations.

The Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment will begin to work on the legislative amendments in early 2026.

Enquiries:  
Ariann Grandell, Senior Specialist, Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment, tel. 0295 047 236 (report) 
Teresa Salminen, Special Adviser to the Minister of Employment, tel. 0295 047 318 (questions for the minister)