The conditions and practices for moving to Finland vary depending on whether a person moves to Finland from an EU or non-EU country and whether they move here to study or for short-term seasonal work, for example. This page includes examples of the most typical situations.
It is advisable to check the specific requirements for different residence permits and their application from the Finnish Immigration Service. More information on the conditions for moving to Finland and the different residence and work permits is available from the Finnish Immigration Service and on InfoFinland.fi in 12 languages.
A worker’s residence permit often involves a labour market test. This means that the employer must determine whether workers for the job in question can be found within a reasonable period in Finland, the EU or the EEA. Labour market testing is not applied to a person who has worked in Finland for at least nine months on a residence permit for an employed person and changes profession.
EU citizens can stay in Finland for a maximum of three months without registering their residence
EU citizens (incl. citizens of Liechtenstein and Switzerland) can arrive in Finland with a valid identity card or passport. EU citizens can stay in Finland for a maximum of three months without registering their residence. EU citizens have the right to work, act as entrepreneurs and study in Finland like Finnish citizens.
EU citizens do not need a residence permit in Finland but can start working as soon as they have arrived in the country.
If EU citizens continue to live or work in Finland for more than three months, they must apply for the registration of their right of residence through the Enter Finland service or at service point of the Finnish Immigration Service. EU citizens must also register with the Digital and Population Data Services Agency if they move permanently to Finland to live in the country for at least one year.
People arriving from outside the EU and Nordic countries need a residence permit
When citizens of a non-EU country or a Nordic country arrive in Finland to work or do business here, they need a residence permit. They must apply for a residence permit before arriving in Finland. They can apply for a residence permit after they have found a job in Finland. A person moving to Finland to work here usually needs a residence permit for an employed person. There are different kinds of permits depending on the type of work.
A start-up entrepreneur from outside the EU or the Nordic countries can apply for a residence permit for growth or start-up entrepreneurs. A concrete business plan is a condition for obtaining this kind of residence permit.
Seasonal work requires a seasonal work permit
Persons moving to Finland for seasonal work need a seasonal work permit. Seasonal work is available in agriculture and forestry, for example. If seasonal work lasts for less than 90 days, and the person moves to Finland from a country whose citizens are required to have a visa, they must apply for a visa for seasonal work at a Finnish mission. If the person moves to Finland from a visa-free country, they can apply for a certificate for seasonal work. If seasonal work lasts for more than 90 days, the person must apply for a residence permit for seasonal work from the Finnish Immigration Service. The maximum duration of seasonal work is nine months during a twelve-month period.
International students may apply for registration of a right of residence or a residence permit
A citizen of an EU country arriving to study in Finland must apply for the registration of their right of residence if their stay lasts for more than three consecutive months. Applications for the registration of a right of residence are submitted through the Enter Finland service or at a service point of the Finnish Immigration Service. A person moving to Finland permanently for at least one year must also register as a resident at the Digital and Population Data Services Agency.
A citizen of a non-EU or a non-Nordic country who arrives in Finland to study for more than 90 days, needs a residence permit. They must apply for a residence permit before arriving in Finland. Before a person can be granted a residence permit to study in Finland, they must have been accepted as a student by an educational institution in the country.
A person who has graduated from an educational institution in Finland can obtain a temporary residence permit to find work or start a business. The permit must be applied for within five years of the expiry of the residence permit for studies or research.
Researchers are required to have a master's degree
A person who moves to Finland to pursue academic and scientific research, undertake licentiate studies or prepare a doctoral thesis can apply for a residence permit for research. In order to be considered a researcher, the person:
- must hold a doctoral degree or a master's degree that enables the holder to attend a doctoral programme, and
- must have been selected by a research organisation, and
- must have been granted the right to enter the territory of an EU Member State to carry out research that usually requires at least a master's degree.
Researchers are always required to have at least a master's degree. A residence permit for research allows the holder to carry out other work in addition to research work. However, the holder of such a permit must be a full-time researcher and make progress in their research.
