Finland to cancel international student permits over social welfare

Finland is set to implement stricter immigration regulations that may result in the cancellation of residence permits for non-EU students who receive basic social assistance from the government.

On January 16, the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment initiated a public consultation regarding the proposed legislation, which suggests a system enabling authorities to automatically track whether foreign students are obtaining welfare benefits from Kela, Finland’s social insurance agency.

This new regulation would pertain to students from outside the European Union and the European Economic Area who hold study-based residence permits in Finland. Currently, these students are required to demonstrate their financial self-sufficiency for the duration of their stay.

The proposed law seeks to enhance the enforcement of this requirement by implementing automated checks following the issuance of permits. Should a student be discovered to have received basic social assistance — a benefit intended as a last resort for individuals unable to meet fundamental needs such as food and housing — their residence permit may be revoked.

The ministry indicated, "Automated post-decision monitoring would be utilized regularly to assess whether a student is receiving social assistance."

This proposal is a continuation of the government's previous measures to tighten regulations for international students, which include increasing income thresholds and enforcing stricter conditions for family reunification. It aligns with the commitments outlined in Prime Minister Petteri Orpo’s government programme to restrict education-based immigration.

Official statistics reveal that from September 2023 to December 2025, the Finnish Immigration Service (Migri) evaluated over 37,000 residence permits. In 333 instances, students had received basic social assistance; however, none of the permits were revoked as one-time payments did not previously warrant cancellation.

If the new legislation is enacted, this approach will change. Even a single occurrence of receiving social assistance could suffice to initiate the cancellation of a student’s residence permit.

Finland had about 76,000 international students last year, but the proposed rule would only apply to those from non-EU and non-EEA countries.

Public feedback on the draft amendment is open until February 27. The government plans to submit the bill to parliament during the spring session and hopes to implement the changes soon after.