Finland streamlines immigration to meet… « Euro Weekly News

Finnish immigration services are reporting big improvements in their migration processing with a more streamlined service in order to plug a shortfall in workers.

As well, the Finns have increased monitoring of new immigrants to alleviate public concerns over letting in the wrong people. The updated system is all part of a scheme by the Finnish government to streamline and better control migration in general. As of 2024, work-based residence permit applications have been processed in an average of 23 days, a significant reduction from the 55-day wait in 2023.

Specialists with a high level of expertise and previous experience and a monthly income of at least €3,600 can now receive permits in as little as 9 days. Student residence permits are now issued within 8 days, down from the previous average of 36 days in 2023.

New system ‘doesn’t mean we have to compromise security’

‘Improving processing speed doesn’t mean we have to compromise on security. We have bolstered cooperation with other countries to ensure that risk factors are identified during the process,’ said Director General Ilkka Haahtela.

One year after beginning the new, more automated post-visa approval monitoring, the Finnish Immigration Service has withdrawn 1,200 residence permits in cases where conditions were not being met. The system now checks if immigrants, including students and professionals, continue to fulfil their permit requirements, such as study progress and income levels.

‘Automation has enabled a broader and more efficient monitoring system, particularly for profiles with a higher risk for labour exploitation,’ said Haahtela. This automated system, introduced in 2023, has since processed nearly 9,400 permits and selected 2,359 for closer scrutiny. The Finnish Immigration Service plans further expansions to automated monitoring next year, targeting work-based permits to ensure consistent compliance with permit requirements.