The number of labor migration applications in Finland has reached historic levels, according to the Finnish Immigration Service. At the same time, the country has seen a record number of applications for citizenship.
By the end of October this year, the Finnish Immigration Service had received 14,710 applications for a first residence permit to work in the country. Although the total is expected to be lower than last year’s record of 20,000 applications, the figures for 2023 will still exceed those for 2018 to 2021.
In 2022, the law on residence permits for studies was amended, making Finland more attractive to international students. By the end of October, a total of 11,401 study applications had been submitted. Most of the applications came from Asia, with almost 70 percent from citizens of Bangladesh, India, China, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.
In addition, more applications have been filed by family members. The majority of applicants are children or spouses of people who have come to Finland to work or study.
Since June, the number of citizenship applications has increased significantly. The Finnish government’s plans to tighten the requirements for Finnish citizenship are seen as the driving force behind this increase. In the first ten months of the year, 14,853 people applied for Finnish citizenship, already surpassing last year’s record of 14,366 applications for the whole year.
