The move is in response to financial hardship faced by foreign students, the government said.
The government is moving ahead with two legislative packages aimed at addressing financial challenges faced by international students in Finland.
One of the reforms would lead to closer monitoring of students’ use of social assistance, making it easier for Finnish authorities to revoke residence permits if a student relies on such benefits.
“The majority of international students in Finland are doing well and able to make ends meet, as required by their residence permit. However, we must ensure that students do not end up in a vulnerable position and that they meet the conditions of their residence permit,” Minister of Employment Matias Marttinen (NCP) said in a press release.
The proposed change would apply to students in higher education and upper secondary education who have come to Finland from outside the EU and EEA areas.
Currently, decisions to cancel a residence permit are based on an overall assessment. Under the proposed changes, the threshold for intervention would be lower.
Between 2023 and 2025, the authorities reviewed around 40,000 residence permits issued to foreign students, and found that about 300 individuals had applied for basic social assistance.
The changes build on earlier reforms introduced in December 2025, when Prime Minister Petteri Orpo’s (NCP) government announced plans to set minimum income requirements for non-EU students in law, as well as tightening rules on family reunification.
More changes in the works
A second reform focuses more broadly on ensuring that international students have sufficient financial resources during their studies.
It also proposes the introduction of a “language proficiency requirement”, which would be added to the residence permit for studies to “prevent abuse in cases where the student’s language skills are not sufficient for studying in Finland”, the press release stated.
The proposals form part of a wider effort by Orpo’s government to tighten migration rules and reduce public spending on social benefits.
Following the consultation round, the government is expected to finalise the second proposal before submitting it to Parliament.
Yle News’ All Points North on Video podcast recently explored whether the expectations foreign students have of life in Finland match the reality. You can watch the episode on Yle Areena, YouTube or from the player below.
