By Anna Ellis •
Updated: 30 Nov 2024 • 15:32 • 1 minute read
The Finnish Immigration Service is considering revoking a significant number of residence permits issued to foreign students in the country.
Hundreds of permits are under review due to concerns that some students no longer meet the eligibility requirements.
How many Student Residence Permits have been cancelled?
By the end of September 2024, a total of 264 student permits had already been cancelled, with another 216 cases still under review. These cancellations were based on findings from automated permit checks introduced in September 2023. Over 12 months, 5,795 residence permits were reviewed through this process, revealing that some students no longer fulfilled the necessary conditions.
Under Finland s current rules, permits issued for longer than six months are subject to periodic reviews. The first review happens three months after the permit is granted, followed by annual checks thereafter.
While reviewing and cancelling permits, the Finnish Immigration Service has also made progress in speeding up the processing of new and extended permits for students.
How long does it take to process a Student Resident Permit?
In September 2024, the average processing time for a first residence permit for studies was reduced to just eight days, compared to 36 days in 2023. Extensions of student permits now take around 20 days on average, a significant improvement from 63 days in the previous year.
Despite the stricter monitoring of student permits, Finland is working on policies to attract and retain skilled foreign talent. The government is considering granting permanent residence to individuals who complete a master’s degree in Finland and pass a Finnish or Swedish language test. However, no final decision has been made on this proposal yet.
These developments highlight Finland s efforts to balance stricter immigration controls with initiatives to retain qualified professionals.
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Originally from Derbyshire, UK, Anna has lived in the middle of nowhere on the Costa Blanca for 20 years.
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