Starting June 11, 2025, Finland will implement a new policy allowing individuals with work-based residence permits to transition into roles classified as labour shortage occupations without needing to obtain a new permit. The Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment announced the reform as part of efforts to address growing workforce gaps in key sectors.
Previously, residence permit holders were legally bound to remain in the specific roles for which their permits were issued. Under the new regulation, they may now move freely into any job listed on the government’s official shortage occupation list.
This change targets persistent labour shortages in critical areas such as healthcare, social services, and public safety.
What This Means
The updated framework offers greater flexibility and security for residence permit holders:
- Career Mobility: Workers are no longer restricted to their initial job roles, enabling them to pursue opportunities in sectors with urgent labour demand.
- Reduced Bureaucracy: By eliminating the need to apply for a new permit when changing jobs within shortage-listed occupations, the reform minimizes administrative delays and financial costs.
- Support for Public Services: “By stepping into critical roles in healthcare, social services, and public safety, residence permit holders can actively support essential public services and help alleviate staff shortages.”
- Job Security Pathways: “Moreover, if a worker loses their current job, they will now have a clearer pathway to securing new employment within the shortage occupation categories, which reduces the risk of their residence permit being withdrawn.”
- Grace Periods Introduced: “The new rules also introduce a job-search grace period for most permit holders will have three months to find new employment after job loss, while specialists will have up to six months before the permit may be revoked.”
Eligible workers transitioning into a listed shortage occupation after June 11, 2025, will not need to file for a new residence permit, as long as their new employment is within the updated shortage categories.
What You Should Know
This policy also opens more opportunities for skilled foreign professionals seeking work-based residence in Finland, while maintaining strict professional criteria for entry into high-demand fields.
- Qualifications Still Required: “To qualify for positions on the new shortage list, applicants must meet strict professional and educational requirements.”
- Healthcare Professions: “For example, general practitioners and medical specialists must possess a medical degree and hold a valid license to practice.”
- Therapy and Technical Roles: “Audiologists and speech therapists need relevant academic degrees and certifications. In more technical fields, metal processing operators are required to have specific training and demonstrated technical proficiency.”
- Nursing and Hygiene Professions: “Similarly, nurses, nursing assistants, and dental hygienists must present certified health or dental qualifications.”
- Specialized Roles: “Other occupations on the list, such as funeral directors and firefighters, also come with unique prerequisites. Funeral directors must complete vocational training tailored to their profession, while firefighters are expected to pass rigorous physical fitness tests and specialized training programs.”
The reform is seen as a proactive response to Finland’s demographic challenges and aims to attract, retain, and fully integrate skilled foreign professionals into the nation’s workforce.
