Finland admits workers, entrepreneurs, family members, and people with Finnish roots. It does not admit retirees on passive income — no permit category exists for that. We'd rather tell you now than after you've sold the house.
Figures verified 9 July 2026| Permit | Who it's for | Money requirement (2026) | Leads to |
|---|---|---|---|
| Employed person (TTOL) | Anyone with a Finnish job offer — age is not a bar | Gross salary ≥ €1,600/month (€1,463/month if no collective agreement applies or the work is part-time) | A permit → permanent residency at 4 yrs (with 2026 conditions) → citizenship at 8 yrs |
| Specialist | Higher-education professionals in expert roles (IT, engineering, health) | Gross salary ≥ €3,937/month — faster processing than the standard work permit | Same track; also qualifies for the 25% expert tax regime at €5,800/month+ |
| Entrepreneur | People starting or buying a genuinely viable business in Finland | No fixed investment — a two-stage viability assessment (ELY Centre, then Migri) plus secure personal means | Same track |
| Family ties | Spouses/partners of Finnish citizens or residents | Income requirement scale applies to most family permits — check Migri's current table for your household | Same track; spouses of Finnish citizens reach citizenship at 5 yrs, not 8 |
| Former Finnish citizen / remigration | Former Finnish citizens and some descendants — worth checking if you have Finnish roots | Secure means of support (roughly €1,030–1,210/month depending on municipality) | Same track |
| "Other grounds" (OLE_MUU) | Established dating relationship, intent to marry a Finn, trafficking victims — not retirees | €1,030–1,210/month in your own account (no sponsors); paper fee €800 first permit (2026) | Depends on the ground granted |
Apply in Migri's Enter Finland e-service, prove identity at a Finnish mission (VFS in the US/Canada), then travel once approved — a long-stay D visa can speed arrival.
Notify DVV to get your personal identity code and — crucially — a municipality of residence (kotikunta). Then claim Kela coverage. Two separate registrations.
4 years on a continuous (A) permit — plus, since 8 January 2026, income above €40,000/year or one of the language/degree alternatives. Otherwise: 6 years with B1 language and 2 years' work history (language waived at 65+).
8 years' residence (was 5; changed 1 October 2024), YKI level 3 (≈B1) Finnish or Swedish, and the stricter financial and integrity tests in force since 17 December 2025.
The plain truth, the "other grounds" myth debunked, and the four routes that genuinely work — with 2026 numbers.
Read the guide →Enter Finland e-service, the €1,600 threshold, documents, fees, and realistic timelines from the US and Canada.
Married to a Finn? The income table, the process, and the 5-year citizenship track for spouses.
Former citizens and descendants — who qualifies and what to gather from the parish records.
The €40,000 income condition and its three alternatives, explained with cases.
How Schengen counting works, the EES biometric border system, and ETIAS (expected late 2026).
Permit applications fail on paperwork details. We'll introduce you to an English-speaking immigration lawyer we've independently vetted — licensed, and experienced with expat cases in Finland.