Work and study rights of UK citizens in Finland will be protected

Finland wishes to protect the opportunities for citizens of the United Kingdom to live, work and study in Finland in the future, too, even after the United Kingdom’s withdrawal from the European Union.

The Parliament of the United Kingdom is to vote on the Brexit withdrawal agreement on Tuesday 15 January. If there is a no-deal Brexit, where the UK withdraws from the EU without an agreement, UK citizens in Finland would become third-country nationals. If, however, the UK were to cancel its withdrawal decision, the situation would remain the same as it is at present.

It is estimated that in a no-deal Brexit, some 5,000 UK citizens would apply for a residence permit in Finland. The intention is that the permit procedure would be as quick and flexible as possible.

The Ministry of the Interior will publish further information in the coming weeks about the position regarding residence and work permits.

UK citizens living in Finland are in any event advised to register their right of residence with the Finnish Immigration Service as soon as possible. Information on this can be found on the website of the Finnish Immigration Service.

Inquiries:

Jarmo Tiukkanen, Chief Specialist, tel. +358 295 488 606, [email protected]