As per a new act, international students, along with their family members arriving in Finland, are now eligible for residence permits for the entire duration of their studies. The new legislation is effective as of April 15, 2022.
This will also boost the chances of job opportunities for students after graduation and will be allowed to work an average of 30 hours per week, which is five hours up from 25 hours under the previous rules.
According to a statement released by the Finnish Immigration Service, the permit type for students studying for a higher degree will change from temporary (B) to continuous (A), making it easier to get a permanent residence permit. The same is applicable to family members of the students.
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The new legislation will further allow the international students and researchers to apply for a two-year permit to look for employment opportunities after completing their courses. However, the permit is not required to be used immediately, rather it can be submitted up to five years from graduation.
The release added that the international students must show financial proof with a total amount of EUR 560 monthly or EUR 6,720 per year in their bank.
Finland's Minister of Employment Tuula Haatainen, commenting on the development, said that the new law will allow students to look for work and will make Finland a "more attractive destination for international experts". However, the students will remain responsible for their livelihood throughout their studies and even cannot take the financial support offered to students by the Social Insurance Institution of Finland (Kela).
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This act will in no way affect the requirement to pay tuition fees and would continue to be charged to international students arriving in Finland from third countries.
Source: The Free Press Journal
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