Work-based residence permits in Finland 101

Essential facts and official sources

1. 1
   What is a residence permit in Finland?

   A residence permit allows a non-citizen to live in Finland for longer than 90 days. It’s required for non-EU nationals coming for work, study, family reasons, or other long-term stays.

2. 2
   Work-based residence permits

   If you are moving to Finland to work, you usually need a residence permit based on employment. The type of permit depends on your job and background – for example, whether you're a specialist, employee, entrepreneur, or jobseeker. In most cases, you must have a job offer before applying.

3. 3
   Types of residence permits

   For work-based immigration, the most common residence permits are for employed person, specialists, startup entrepreneurs, and self-employed persons. These permits are issued either as temporary (B) or continuous (A), depending on how stable your employment and stay in Finland are.

4. 4
   Permanent residence permit (and continuous stay)

   There are several paths to obtaining a permanent residence permit in Finland. Eligibility may depend on factors like length of stay, income level, education, or language skills. Up-to-date requirements and options can be found on the Finnish Immigration Service website.

5. 5
   How to apply for a residence permit

   If you're coming to Finland for work, you can use the official application tool to check what kind of residence permit you need. The tool will guide you based on your job type and situation, and take you directly to the correct application in Enter Finland.