Starting June 2025, Finland will enforce a three-month deadline for foreign workers to find new employment or risk losing their residence permits.

Aimed at tightening immigration oversight, the policy disproportionately affects thousands of non-European Union (EU) professionals, even as the country faces persistent labor shortages in key sectors like healthcare and IT.

Government tightens link between jobs, residency

Finland’s Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment announced that the rule will apply to all non-citizens holding work-based residence permits.

Under the new law, if these workers lose their jobs, they must find new employment within 90 days or their permits may be revoked.

The only exceptions are for high-skilled professionals, including:

• Those with monthly earnings above €3,827
• EU Blue Card holders
• Intra-company transferees
• Top executives
• Those with over two years of Finnish work-residency

These individuals will have six months to seek new employment.

Senior Ministerial Adviser Jarmo Tiukkanen clarified the reason behind the policy: “The matter is political,” he said, adding that public hearings did not alter the law’s language.

Employers must report job losses promptly

The reform introduces new obligations for employers. Companies must notify the Finnish Immigration Service (Migri) within 14 days if a foreign worker’s employment ends.

This step aims to improve monitoring and enforce the new deadline more efficiently.

However, this rule applies only to jobs tied directly to the residence permit. Side jobs or short-term gigs don’t require employer reporting.

Impact hits thousands amid rising joblessness

Roughly 50,000 foreign workers currently live in Finland on work-based permits. Many of them will be affected by this policy change.

The law aligns with an existing EU directive, which states that unemployment alone isn’t grounds for deportation if the job-seeking period doesn’t exceed three months (or six months for select groups).

Yet, timing couldn’t be worse. Unemployment in Finland rose by 38,000 in April 2025 compared to the same month in 2024.

Simultaneously, job vacancies fell by 14,300. Critics warn that the new rules add pressure to a job market already under strain.

Foreign talent feels squeezed

A February 2025 survey by OP Financial Group revealed that 13% of foreign workers in Finland would consider leaving if the three-month rule took effect.

Many said that the deadline feels unrealistic due to language barriers, lengthy hiring processes, and issues with credential recognition.

Healthcare workers may feel the pinch most. While Finland’s IT sector continues to draw global talent, healthcare industries—already short-staffed—face further challenges.

Officials admit that fewer foreigners are even applying to work in Finland. In 2024, only 11,000 new work-based residence permits were issued, down from 15,000 the year before.

Sector switches now made easier

In a small concession, the government will soon release a decree listing labor-shortage sectors. Foreign workers can then switch to these areas without applying for a new residence permit, provided their existing permit remains valid.

Before this reform, changing fields required starting from scratch with a new application.

This change aims to keep skilled workers in the country, especially in fields with chronic labor shortages.

Public backlash and political divide

During an open consultation period in 2024, most public feedback opposed the proposal. Respondents feared that the stricter timeline would punish hard-working foreigners and deter future applicants. 

Despite this, the government proceeded with the law without changing its core content.

Officials argued that the law will improve consistency across the EU and help enforce immigration policies more efficiently. However, critics countered that the reform could make Finland less attractive to skilled workers at a time when global competition for talent is fierce.

Short-term plans collide with new deadlines

The three-month job-seeking cap will significantly tighten the conditions for non-EU foreign workers in Finland. Migrants, especially those in lower-skilled roles, now face increased pressure to quickly secure new employment or risk deportation.

Although high-skilled professionals and EU Blue Card holders have a six-month buffer, the shift weakens the flexibility that many migrants rely on.As the EU prepares to launch the European Travel Information and Authorization System (ETIAS) and continue streamlining Schengen policies, Finland’s move signals a broader regional trend toward prioritizing control and surveillance over mobility.

From open arms to guarded gates

Finland’s new policy marks a clear pivot in EU-aligned immigration strategy, from attracting labor to regulating it more stringently. By requiring employers to report job terminations within 14 days and limiting foreign workers’ job-seeking periods, the State reinforces administrative control over migration.

Despite protests and dwindling permit applications, officials argued that the changes ensure alignment with EU directives. Yet, critics warned that it could discourage skilled migration at a time when EU nations face aging populations and sectoral labor shortages.

Tightened deadlines, tense futures

As Finland enforces a three-month deadline for unemployed foreign workers, the policy emphasizes a growing tension between immigration control and the labor market.

While officials claim alignment with EU norms and improved oversight, critics warn the law may drive away much-needed global talent, especially in sectors already facing shortages.

In a country grappling with demographic challenges, the actual cost of this reform may only emerge in the years ahead.