Amendment of the Aliens Act (the so-called 3-month rule and extension of the right to work)
TEM086:00/2023 Statute drafting
The working group will prepare a government proposal for a situation where a foreign employee must leave Finland if the TCN’s employment relationship has ended and TCN has not concluded a new employment relationship within 3 months. In addition, employers will be obligated to report unemployment to the Finnish Immigration Service, and the right to work under work-based permits will be extended to sectors suffering from a labour shortage.
Current events
Statute
11.6.2025
Entry into force
Entry into force
11.6.2025 Statute
The acts will enter into force on 11.6.2025.
Basic information Completed
Project number TEM086:00/2023
Case numbers VN/24207/2023
Set by Ministry of Employment and the Economy
Task class Preparation of a government proposal
Term/schedule 8.9.2023 – 31.5.2025
Date of appointment
Law drafting
Government proposal for an act amending the Aliens Act
- 1
Under preparation
Adopted in the plan for the session period on 4.9.2024 - 2
Estimated week of presentation
Original estimated week of presentation 39/2024Estimated new week of presentation 42/2024 - 3
Submitted to Parliament
17.10.2024HE 179/2024 Information on parliamentary proceedings - 4
Current stage: Statute adopted
Parliamentary reply EV 33/2025
The Government proposes legislative amendments to a situation where a third-country national employee must leave Finland if the TCN's employment relationship ends and TCN has not concluded a new employment relationship within three months, also taking into account possible EU regulation. At the same time, it is proposed that the right to work for work-based residence permits be extended not only to the original sector but also to sectors that can be genuinely identified as suffering from a labour shortage. In addition, an obligation to notify the Finnish Immigration Service of the termination of an employee's employment relationship is laid down for the employer under threat of a sanction.
Minister in chargeMinister of Employment Satonen
Contact person
Jarmo Tiukkanen, Hallitusneuvos
tel. +358 295 047 355
[email protected]
Goals and results
In accordance with the Government Programme, work-based residence permits will be more strongly tied to work.
Starting points
According to the Government Programme of Prime Minister Petteri Orpo's Government, work-based immigration is very important for Finland's economic growth and for securing services. A work-based residence permit in Finland is based on the right and obligation to work. The Government will maintain the current system of labour market tests and strive to ensure, as a matter of priority, that unemployed jobseekers already in Finland become employed.
In February 2024, the Government has outlined that this legislative proposal proposes a period longer than three months for holders of residence permits for EU Blue card, national specialists, startup entrepreneurs, and managers and experts referred to in the ICT Directive.
During the legislative drafting project, the impacts of the legislative amendments on third-country nationals and their family members, in particular, as well as on employers will be examined, especially because they are obligated to notify the authorities of the termination of their employment relationship under threat of a sanction.
The legislative drafting project was set up on 8.9.2023. The proposal is to be submitted to Parliament in the early part of the autumn session 2024. The legislative amendments are scheduled to enter into force on 11 June 2025.
Consultation rounds and hearings
Foreign Specialists in Finland ry; Lausunto PDF
16.8.2024 Foreign Specialists in Finland ry
Foreign Specialists in Finland ry; Korjattu lausunto PDF
16.8.2024 Foreign Specialists in Finland ry
Ungrouped
Person
Role, Term
Tiukkanen, Jarmo
Hallitusneuvos
Ministry of Employment and the Economy
Role: Project contact person
8.9.2023 –
Read more
Government sends proposal on the three-month/six-month unemployment rule to Parliament
Consultation round on three-month unemployment rule begins: proposal deviates from Government Programme for specialists and permit holders who have worked in Finland for longer than two years
Preparations begin to strengthen the tie between work-based residence permits and work
Developing and statute drafting in the Government
The ministries implement the Government Programme, draft acts and other statutes, and promote reforms through different kinds of projects, working groups and bodies. Information on all this is available on the Government website.
All ministries' projects are available on the Government website valtioneuvosto.fi/en/projects
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