Govt fixes income limit at €1600 for work-based residence permit

The four-party alliance government led by Kansallinen Kokoomus (National Coalition Party-NCP) on Thursday issued a decree increasing the income limit to EUR 1,600 from existing EUR 1,399 for a Finnish residence permit on basis of employment.

As per the decree, person arriving in Finland with a residence permit for an employed person should receive a monthly pay of at least EUR 1,600 for work carried out in Finland, said the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment in a press release.

The decree will enter into force on January 1, 2025.

The income limit refers to the pay that a person must receive for work that they arrive in Finland to do. Other income is not included in the income limit.

Earlier on November 13, 2024, the parliament passed the amendments to the Aliens Act hiking the income limit requirement to get a Finnish residence permit.

In September 2023, the four-party alliance government took the initiative to increase the income limit for work-based residence permit amid protest across the country as a part of its tightening immigration policy.

The right-wing government submitted the proposal to Parliament in June 2024.

On August 25, 2023 several hundreds of people went on demonstrations in Helsinki in protest at the move of the four-party alliance right wing government of tightening the immigration policy.

Separate demonstrations were also held in Helsinki on June 27, 2023 and June 18, 2023 protesting against the immigration policy taken by the government.

Earlier on June 16, 2023, leaders of the four parties announced the programme, which included tougher immigration, residence and citizenship laws.