Finland has increased the income requirement for foreign workers with residence permits. The minimum income limit for a residence permit for an employed person has been increased from January 1, 2025.
A foreign employee who arrives in Finland with a residence permit for an employed person will have to earn at least 1,600 euros per month for his or her work in Finland. The new income requirement rule for foreign workers will ensure that employees who move to Finland for work are paid a sufficient salary to cover their living costs.
Currently, a residence permit for an employed person can be issued if the applicant’s salary complies with the applicable collective agreement or meets the minimum income requirement of 1,399 euros per month.
The new minimum income limit concerns all applications for a first residence permit for an employed person as of 1 January 2025 and extended permits as of 1 April 2025.
When the amendments have entered into force, international employees who are working in Finland with a residence permit for an employed person must still have a salary that complies with the applicable collective agreement, but the 1,600 euros will be the minimum salary level that is required. If an applicant’s salary is lower than that, the applicant will not be eligible for the permit.
A person who applies for a residence permit is considered to have sufficient financial resources if he or she cannot be expected to become dependent on social assistance.
In 2025, Finland will expand automated post-decision monitoring of residence permits for employed individuals, focusing on salary assessments and ensuring sufficient income for applicants.
The residence permit for an employed person is the most common work-based residence permit issued in Finland. The number of applications for a first residence permit for an employed person submitted in January–November 2024 was 9,104. The most common citizenships among applicants who have applied for a work-based residence permit this year are Thailand, Philippines, India, China and Vietnam.
Finland has also raised fees for foreigners’ permanent residence permit applications, effective 1 January 2025. The processing fee for an online application for a permanent residence permit has been increased to EUR 240. The previous fee was EUR 220. The price of a paper application for a permanent residence permit has been increased to EUR 350. The previous price was EUR 270.
Source: https://www.financialexpress.com/business/investing-abroad-finland-implements-higher-income-limits-for-foreign-workers-residence-permits-in-2025-3721121/
