Finland · Work
Finland After a Finnish degree
Income needed: €1,210+ a month ≈ $1,350
Residence permit for a person with a degree completed in Finland
First checked against official sources on Change log
Key facts
After a Finnish degree is a work route for Finland. Applicants need income of €1,210+ a month ≈ $1,350. Checked 2026-10-11 against the official source.
- Money needed
- €1,210+ a month ≈ $1,350
- Government fees
- €530 ≈ $590
Cost, time and long term
To apply: government fee €530 ≈ $590; income to show €1,210+/mo ≈ $1,350. No lawyer or agent fee is included.
Government fees€530 ≈ $590
- EUR 530 (≈ $590)Online first permit (paper EUR 630 (≈ $700)); extended EUR 230 (≈ $260) online (paper EUR 430 (≈ $480)).
Shown, not spent€1,210+/mo ≈ $1,350
- EUR 1,210 a month (≈ $1,350)Net per month, Helsinki metropolitan area (Espoo, Helsinki, Kauniainen, Vantaa); EUR 1,090 (≈ $1,220) in other large municipalities and EUR 1,030 (≈ $1,150) elsewhere, for the whole permit. Employment, trade, business income and savings can be combined.
Permanent residenceAfter 6 years of residence
Only time on a continuous (A) permit counts. Permanent residence takes 6 years with 2 years of work history and satisfactory Finnish or Swedish, or 4 years on the faster paths (income over EUR 40,000, (≈ $44,700) or a master's degree plus work history, or very good language skills).
CitizenshipAfter 8 years of residence
Citizenship needs 8 years of residence in Finland (applications from 1 October 2024); half of any time on a temporary B permit before an A permit counts.
Why this route may not fit
Check this before you apply.
- Needs earlier residence or an existing status in Finland
- Not open to EU, EEA or Swiss passports
What you'll need
Who can apply3
- Applicant completed a degree or qualification in Finland, including a matriculation examination or vocational qualification.
- Applicant has a job or pursues a trade or business in Finland.
- The degree does not have to be recent.
What you must show3
- Net income is at least EUR 1,210 (≈ $1,350) per month in the Helsinki metropolitan area.
- The amount is EUR 1,090 (≈ $1,220) in other large municipalities and EUR 1,030 (≈ $1,150) elsewhere.
- Income can come from employment, a trade, a business, or savings combined.
Documents2
- The degree certificate is attached unless the degree was completed more than a month ago.
- Contracts with clients or an income plan are submitted for a trade or business.
Steps1
- The employer submits the terms of employment; the first permit is applied for abroad.
When you become tax resident
How Finland decides tax residence and treats foreign-source income, from its tax records.
- Tax residence
A person is resident with a main abode and home in Finland, or after a continuous stay of more than six months (exactly six months is not enough); temporary absences do not interrupt the stay.
- Foreign-source income
Progressive state tax plus municipal tax on worldwide income of residents; example effective rate on pay of EUR 30,000 (≈ $33,500) is 8.5% and on EUR 70,000 (≈ $78,200) is 25.0% (Helsinki resident, Lutheran church member).
All tax rules for Finland Tax records checked
Full official text
For graduates of a Finnish degree who have a job, a trade or a business in Finland; no separate employed-person or entrepreneur permit is needed, and the degree can be old. 1 2 3 4 5
What you must show and pay
- Income of at least EUR 1,210 a month (≈ $1,350) · Net per month, Helsinki metropolitan area (Espoo, Helsinki, Kauniainen, Vantaa); EUR 1,090 (≈ $1,220) in other large municipalities and EUR 1,030 (≈ $1,150) elsewhere, for the whole permit. Employment, trade, business income and savings can be combined. 1 2
- A fee of EUR 530 (≈ $590) · Online first permit (paper EUR 630 (≈ $700)); extended EUR 230 (≈ $260) online (paper EUR 430 (≈ $480)). 1
Requirements
- Applicant completed a degree or qualification in Finland, including a matriculation examination or vocational qualification. 1
- Applicant has a job or pursues a trade or business in Finland. 1
- The degree does not have to be recent. 1
- Net income is at least EUR 1,210 (≈ $1,350) per month in the Helsinki metropolitan area. 1 2
- The amount is EUR 1,090 (≈ $1,220) in other large municipalities and EUR 1,030 (≈ $1,150) elsewhere. 1 2
- Income can come from employment, a trade, a business, or savings combined. 1
- The degree certificate is attached unless the degree was completed more than a month ago. 1
- Contracts with clients or an income plan are submitted for a trade or business. 1
- The employer submits the terms of employment; the first permit is applied for abroad. 1
Stay
- The first fixed-term residence permit is granted for one year unless a shorter period is applied for. An extended permit can be granted for up to four years if the conditions for the permit are still met.
- Renewable, subject to the conditions in force at renewal.
Nationality
Third-country nationals; EU/EEA citizens do not need the permit. Not open to: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Switzerland, Cyprus, Czechia, Germany, Denmark, Estonia, Spain, Finland, France, Greece, Croatia, Hungary, Ireland, Iceland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Latvia, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Sweden, Slovenia, Slovakia.
Work
Work without restrictions once the permit is granted.
Family
Spouse and children can apply for a D visa while applying on family ties.
Official sources
- Residence permit for a person with a degree completed in Finland · Finnish Immigration Service (Migri) · checked 2026-10-11
- Income requirement (threshold groups) · Finnish Immigration Service (Migri) · checked 2026-10-11
- Aliens Act 301/2004 (consolidated text, Finlex) · Finlex, Ministry of Justice of Finland · checked 2026-10-11
- Extended permit on the basis of employment · Finnish Immigration Service (Migri) · checked 2026-10-11
- Extended permit · Finnish Immigration Service (Migri) · checked 2026-10-11
- Permanent residence rules effective 8 January 2026 · Finnish Immigration Service · checked 2026-10-11
- Citizenship for adults (residence period 8 years from 1 October 2024) · Finnish Immigration Service (Migri) · checked 2026-10-11
- Period of residence for Finnish citizenship · Finnish Immigration Service (Migri) · checked 2026-10-11
After a Finnish degree and its alternatives
| Route | Money needed | Stay | Work |
|---|---|---|---|
| After a Finnish degree | Needs income of €1,210+ a month ≈ $1,350 | – | – |
| Blue Card | Needs income of €3,937+ a month ≈ $4,400 | 2 yr, renewable | Limited |
| Intra-company transfer | – | 3 yr, renewable | Limited |
| Consultant permit | Needs income of €1,463+ a month ≈ $1,630 | 1 yr, renewable | – |
| Researcher permit | Needs income of €1,463+ a month ≈ $1,630 | 2 yr, renewable | Yes |
Questions people ask
How much money do I need for the After a Finnish degree?
Income of at least EUR 1,210 a month (≈ $1,350). Net per month, Helsinki metropolitan area (Espoo, Helsinki, Kauniainen, Vantaa); EUR 1,090 (≈ $1,220) in other large municipalities and EUR 1,030 (≈ $1,150) elsewhere, for the whole permit. A fee of EUR 530 (≈ $590). Online first permit (paper EUR 630 (≈ $700)); extended EUR 230 (≈ $260) online (paper EUR 430 (≈ $480)).
How long can I stay on the After a Finnish degree?
The first fixed-term residence permit is granted for one year unless a shorter period is applied for.
Can I work on the After a Finnish degree?
Work without restrictions once the permit is granted.
Can I bring my family on the After a Finnish degree?
Spouse and children can apply for a D visa while applying on family ties.
Who can apply for the After a Finnish degree?
Third-country nationals; EU/EEA citizens do not need the permit. Not open to: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Switzerland, Cyprus, Czechia, Germany, Denmark, Estonia, Spain, Finland, France, Greece, Croatia, Hungary, Ireland, Iceland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Latvia, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Sweden, Slovenia, Slovakia.
Does the After a Finnish degree lead to permanent residence in Finland?
Time on the After a Finnish degree counts toward permanent residence in Finland, which the rules allow after 6 years of residence. Time on the After a Finnish degree counts toward citizenship, which the rules allow after 8 years of residence.
More in Finland
Work visas elsewhere
≈ USD figures are approximate: daily reference rates from ExchangeRate-API, dated 12 Oct 2026, refreshed when the site is updated.
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How this was checked
Checked on 2026-10-11 against 8 official sources. Status: verified against the official sources.
Every figure on this page comes from the official source it links to. The record was researched against these sources, then reviewed separately, with special attention to effective dates and amendments. Where a source does not state something, the page leaves it out.
- Residence permit for a person with a degree completed in Finland · Finnish Immigration Service (Migri) · checked 2026-10-11
- Income requirement (threshold groups) · Finnish Immigration Service (Migri) · checked 2026-10-11
- Aliens Act 301/2004 (consolidated text, Finlex) · Finlex, Ministry of Justice of Finland · checked 2026-10-11
- Extended permit on the basis of employment · Finnish Immigration Service (Migri) · checked 2026-10-11
- Extended permit · Finnish Immigration Service (Migri) · checked 2026-10-11
- Permanent residence rules effective 8 January 2026 · Finnish Immigration Service · checked 2026-10-11
- Citizenship for adults (residence period 8 years from 1 October 2024) · Finnish Immigration Service (Migri) · checked 2026-10-11
- Period of residence for Finnish citizenship · Finnish Immigration Service (Migri) · checked 2026-10-11
Tracked since 2026-10-11. Rule changes and corrections are listed on the changes page, and the methodology page explains how facts are checked. Found something out of date? Email contact@stayglobe.app with a link to the official source.