Finland Weighs Canada-Style Points System for Immigration Reform

(FINLAND) Finland is weighing a Canadian-inspired points-based system as part of a wide immigration reform push, with Parliament debating how to score age, education, Finnish or Swedish language skills, and sector needs to attract workers who can settle and fill shortages. The idea has been discussed through 2024 and 2025, and officials say it sits within a larger set of changes that have already tightened asylum and citizenship rules and added new protections for foreign employees. As of mid-September 2025, no points-based system has been put in place, but the government has kept the proposal on the table, and both supporters and critics expect movement in late 2025 or 2026.

Two parties inside the governing bloc have championed the model. The Swedish People’s Party backs a targeted, flexible system that updates often and sets clear goals by region, sector, and language group, a position put forward by MP Christoffer Ingo. The Finns Party, by contrast, wants a wider approach. Mauri Peltokangas, who chairs Parliament’s Administration Committee, argues for using points to assess all forms of immigration, including humanitarian, and for ranking applicants by their ability to adapt and contribute to the economy. The divide highlights the core question: should points cover only work-based residence permits or reach much further?

Why the Canadian model appeals

The Canadian template has clear appeal in Finland. In Canada 🇨🇦, points reward education, work history, language, and age, with extra credit for in-demand fields or regional needs. Advocates in Helsinki say a similar system could:

• Offer clear rules for applicants.
• Give employers better access to talent.
• Create a common yardstick that treats applicants fairly.

At the same time, labor groups and migrant advocates warn that strict cutoffs could screen out people who might succeed with the right support—especially those with lower formal education or weaker language skills at the start.

Labour market context and urgency

Finland’s recent labour market data gives the debate urgency:

• First residence permits for employment fell by 23% in 2024 compared to 2023, a decline linked to slower growth and higher unemployment.
• Policymakers fear that, without a sharper selection tool, shortages will persist in health care, tech, and parts of manufacturing, even as other sectors cool.
• Analysis by VisaVerge.com frames the points discussion as part of aligning migration with Finland’s aging population and long-term workforce needs.

In 2023, Ukraine and Russia together made up 36.8% of all immigration to Finland, shaping the mix of humanitarian and work-based arrivals.

Policy changes already enacted

While points remain under study, several rules have already shifted. Key changes include:

• On June 11, 2025, new protections for work-based residence permit holders took effect:
  • A three-month period to find new work after job loss; six months for specialists and residents of more than two years.
  • Employers must notify authorities within 14 days of early termination.
  • Unemployed permit holders can look for jobs in shortage sectors without applying for a new permit.
• Asylum and citizenship changes:
  • September 1, 2024: Border procedure and faster processing timeline began.
  • June 1, 2025: Reworked registration and examination process.
  • January 2, 2025: Validity of international protection permits cut to the EU minimum.
  • June 16, 2025: Family reunification rules tightened.
  • October 1, 2024: General residence time for citizenship extended to eight years.
  • June 2025 proposal: Raise residence period for permanent status to six years and add a language requirement.

Authorities expect roughly 3,000–4,000 asylum applications in 2025—almost half of last year’s figure.

These legal shifts are being debated as part of a package that reshapes both selection and protection routes. Backers say the changes strengthen the case for front-end selection for economic migration; critics warn of risks to access for vulnerable groups.

Impact on applicants and employers

If adopted, a points-based system could change planning and behavior for many actors:

• For applicants:
  • Skilled workers would gain a more transparent path, with published scoring for age, degrees, language levels (Finnish or Swedish), and job offers in shortage areas.
  • Prospective migrants could choose to invest in language training or credential evaluation to raise their scores before applying.
  • Those with less formal education or weaker language skills could face higher bars unless streams are created to value experience or include bridging programs.
• For humanitarian applicants:
  • Little change if Parliament limits points to work-based routes.
  • If points extend to humanitarian entries (as the Finns Party suggests), advocates fear extra filters for people fleeing conflict or persecution.
• For foreign workers already in Finland:
  • The job-search period after layoffs gives families time to stay and reduces stress from sudden departures.
  • Skilled staff can move to open roles without waiting for a new permit when switching to a shortage field.
  • Employers must notify authorities when a contract ends early, keeping the system transparent and deterring abuse.
• For employers and businesses:
  • Many want faster processing, clearer timelines, and simpler paths for graduates of Finnish universities to remain.
  • A points system could award extra points for local study or an offer from an employer in a high-need region.
  • The Swedish People’s Party’s call for frequent updates would let the government raise or lower points by sector to help small cities or rural areas.

Integration policy is critical: the new Integration Act (2025) aims to boost participation and contact between groups. A points system that rewards early language study only works if affordable classes and employer support exist. Regional councils and city services will need funding to match newcomers to jobs and housing.

Many stakeholders point to Canada’s practice of adjusting scores often and publishing draws; supporters hope Finland will adopt similar predictability and transparency.

Sector-specific considerations

• Health and social care:
  • Extra points for Finnish or Swedish could help hospitals and care homes fill shifts quickly.
• Tech firms:
  • Emphasize English-first teams and warn that high language thresholds could push candidates elsewhere.
• Workers from Ukraine and Russia:
  • Could benefit if experience in shortage trades and partial language skills earn solid scores.
  • Risk falling short if degrees and high-level language dominate scoring; employer-sponsored permits and the job-search safety net could offer alternatives.

Possible design options lawmakers are considering to balance needs:

1. Allow points for language study in progress or tie language milestones to later permit stages.
2. Reserve additional points for regional needs to address population loss.
3. Create streams that reward work experience over formal education for specific trades.

What comes next in Parliament

• The government states that no formal points-based system exists yet.
• Parliament continued studying the model in 2025, with possible proposals late 2025 or in 2026.
• The Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment leads labour migration policy work; the Finnish Immigration Service (Migri) manages permits and asylum processes.

A likely implementation process, if approved, could include:

1. An online application where applicants are scored against public criteria.
2. Either an invitation to apply or direct issuance of a work-based residence permit once a threshold score is reached.
3. Periodic updates to the score grid to reflect labour market shifts, and publication of selection rounds.

Supporters say this would speed job matching, favor candidates with local language skills for better settlement, and give applicants clarity before they invest in documents or travel. Critics worry about extra paperwork and the danger of excluding people who can contribute but don’t meet a narrow profile. The Administration Committee will likely weigh these trade-offs in coming months.

Practical guidance and where to follow updates

• Families, students, and employers should monitor official channels for updates.
• The Finnish Immigration Service provides current guidance on residence permits, asylum procedures, and rule changes, including the job-search period for laid-off workers.

For official information and service options, see the Finnish Immigration Service at Migri.

Main takeaways: Finland’s immigration reform drive is ongoing; a points-based system is seriously discussed but not law. Work-based permit holders enjoy stronger protections after layoffs, and asylum and citizenship rules are tighter than a year ago. The political split—whether points should apply only to economic routes or also to humanitarian entries—remains unresolved. The outcome will shape who comes, who stays, and how newcomers build a life in Finland in the years ahead.