Finland has proposed new rules to cancel student residence permits for non-EU students who receive basic social assistance during their stay. The Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment launched a public consultation on the draft legislation on January 16, aiming to ensure that international students can financially support themselves while studying in Finland.
Under the proposal, an automated system will monitor whether students receive benefits from Kela, Finland’s social insurance agency, and share the data directly with the Finnish Immigration Service (Migri). This will allow authorities to review cases efficiently and enforce the new rules. The measure targets students from outside the European Union and European Economic Area who hold residence permits for studies, closing a loophole that previously allowed some students to receive social assistance without affecting their visa status.
Currently, between September 2023 and December 2025, Migri reviewed over 37,000 residence permits, and 333 students received basic social assistance, but none had their permits revoked due to existing regulations that do not allow cancellation for one-time payments. If the new law is approved, even a single instance of receiving social assistance could result in withdrawal of a student residence permit.
Finland hosted around 76,000 international students last year, but the proposed changes will only impact non-EU and non-EEA students. The ministry is accepting public feedback on the draft until February 27 through the Lausuntopalvelu.fi portal. The government plans to present the bill in parliament during the spring session and implement the system soon after.
