Country-wide policy
Every Threshold Points Somewhere Else: a Statute About Unemployment Benefit, a Government Decree, a Pension Index and an Average Nobody Publishes in Law
A reader who opens the Finnish Aliens Act looking for the money will not find it. The general salary floor for a work-based permit is a cross-reference into chapter 5, section 4(2) of the Unemployment Security Act, a provision about how much a month of work must pay before it counts towards unemployment benefit; the amount there is 1,134 euros and the indexation clause two hundred sections later adjusts the subsection above it and not that one. The employee permit's extra floor is set by government decree and the decree, 860/2024, is two sections long and says 1,600 euros. The specialist permit asks for the average gross wage of a wage earner and names no figure and no publisher. The new four-year route to permanent residence asks for 40,000 euros of income in the last completed taxation, adjusted each January by the wage coefficient in section 96 of the Employees Pensions Act and expressed at 2026 level. Four thresholds, four mechanisms, and the only one a reader can look up inside the immigration statute is the one with no number in it.
Topics it changes
- Residency through work
- Residency on passive income
- Residency through investment
- When you become a tax resident
At a glance
- General work permit floor
- 1,134 euros a month, from the Unemployment Security Act
Section 71(1)(3) of the Aliens Act points at chapter 5, section 4(2) of Act 1290/2002.
- Is it indexed
- No
Chapter 14, section 1 b of the Unemployment Security Act indexes the amounts in chapter 5, section 4(1) and records them as 2023 level. Subsection 2 is not mentioned.
- Employee permit floor
- 1,600 euros a month, from a government decree
Section 1 of Decree 860/2024, in force 1 January 2025, made under section 72(4) of the Aliens Act.
- Specialist permit floor
- The average gross wage of a wage earner, with no figure anywhere in law
Section 73(1) of the Aliens Act.
- Four-year permanent residence income
- 40,000 euros in the last completed taxation, at 2026 level
Section 56 a(3)(1) of the Aliens Act, as substituted by Act 1408/2025.
- How that one is indexed
- Annually each January by the wage coefficient in section 96(1) of the Employees Pensions Act (395/2006)
Section 56 a(6), which also says the income must match the adjusted amount for the year the taxation relates to.
- Key-employee tax threshold
- 5,800 euros a month, fixed in the statute and not indexed at all
Section 2(1)(2) of Act 1551/1995, which has carried that figure since Act 903/2001.
Why it matters which instrument holds the number
A figure in a statute changes when Parliament amends it. A figure in a government decree changes when the government decides, and 860/2024 shows how little that takes - two sections and a signature. A figure tied to an index changes every January without anyone deciding anything. And a figure that exists only as "the average gross wage of a wage earner" changes whenever the body that calculates it recalculates it, with no instrument to read at all. Finland currently runs all four kinds at once, and the practical effect is that two applicants in the same month can be measured against thresholds that were last set by Parliament in 2023, by the government in 2024, by an index in January, and by a statistical office on a date nobody published.
Luxembourg's version of the same problem
Luxembourg's record carries a policy about income tests pegged to a benchmark, one of which names a law repealed in 2018. Finland's is the same genus - a condition that lives somewhere other than where you would look for it - with a different pathology: nothing here is repealed, everything is current, and the thresholds are simply spread across four instruments that move at four different speeds.
What the law says
«ulkomaalaisen toimeentulo on turvattu ansiotyöstä saatavalla tulolla oleskeluluvan voimassaolon ajan siten, että palkka on vähintään työttömyysturvalain (1290/2002) 5 luvun 4 §:n 2 momentissa säädetyn euromäärän suuruinen ja työehtosopimuksen mukainen tai, jos alalla ei ole työehtosopimusta, palkka vastaa vähintään mainitussa momentissa säädettyä euromäärää ja samankaltaisista tehtävistä maksettavaa palkkaa;»Our translation - not official
the foreigner's livelihood is secured by income from employment for the period of validity of the residence permit, so that the pay is at least equal to the euro amount laid down in chapter 5, section 4(2) of the Unemployment Security Act (1290/2002) and in accordance with the collective agreement or, if the sector has no collective agreement, the pay corresponds at least to the euro amount laid down in that subsection and to the pay paid for similar duties;
About this source
Finland's state legal information service, run by the Ministry of Justice. It publishes the Suomen säädöskokoelma - the statute series, where an Act takes effect on publication - and, separately, the ajantasainen consolidated text of each Act with later amendments worked into it. Every statute carries an ELI identifier that states the date of the consolidated version, so the cut-off is on the page rather than inferred: the Aliens Act 301/2004 was read at http://data.finlex.fi/eli/sd/2004/301/ajantasa/2026-06-26/fin. The site is bilingual by law and serves Finnish and Swedish texts of the same statute at the same address; Finnish is the language quoted here. It also carries unofficial English translations under /lainsaadanto/saadoskaannokset/.
Standing: Maintains the text in force
Cannot be cited for: The English translations are not the instrument and must never be quoted as one - they are produced by ministries, carry their own amendment cut-offs separate from the Finnish text's, and several are years behind it. The consolidated text is the right thing to quote for what the law is now, but it prints provisions that are not yet in force alongside those that are, each marked with its own commencement date: the Nationality Act consolidation of 16 June 2026 carries the 2027 citizenship-exam wording of section 13 directly beneath the wording in force. A reader who takes the first paragraph they see has a one-in-two chance of reading next year's law. The consolidation also lags the statute series, and each statute's page lists the government bills pending on it; those bills are not law and must not be cited as if they were. The original statute as enacted is a different document at a different address under /lainsaadanto/saadoskokoelma/ and does not carry amendments.
We re-read it every 60 days. More about this source
«Palkan on oltava työehtosopimuksen mukainen. Jos alalla ei ole työehtosopimusta, kokoaikatyön palkan on oltava vähintään 1 134 euroa kuukaudessa.»Our translation - not official
The pay must be in accordance with the collective agreement. If the sector has no collective agreement, the pay for full-time work must be at least 1,134 euros a month.
About this source
Finland's state legal information service, run by the Ministry of Justice. It publishes the Suomen säädöskokoelma - the statute series, where an Act takes effect on publication - and, separately, the ajantasainen consolidated text of each Act with later amendments worked into it. Every statute carries an ELI identifier that states the date of the consolidated version, so the cut-off is on the page rather than inferred: the Aliens Act 301/2004 was read at http://data.finlex.fi/eli/sd/2004/301/ajantasa/2026-06-26/fin. The site is bilingual by law and serves Finnish and Swedish texts of the same statute at the same address; Finnish is the language quoted here. It also carries unofficial English translations under /lainsaadanto/saadoskaannokset/.
Standing: Maintains the text in force
Cannot be cited for: The English translations are not the instrument and must never be quoted as one - they are produced by ministries, carry their own amendment cut-offs separate from the Finnish text's, and several are years behind it. The consolidated text is the right thing to quote for what the law is now, but it prints provisions that are not yet in force alongside those that are, each marked with its own commencement date: the Nationality Act consolidation of 16 June 2026 carries the 2027 citizenship-exam wording of section 13 directly beneath the wording in force. A reader who takes the first paragraph they see has a one-in-two chance of reading next year's law. The consolidation also lags the statute series, and each statute's page lists the government bills pending on it; those bills are not law and must not be cited as if they were. The original statute as enacted is a different document at a different address under /lainsaadanto/saadoskokoelma/ and does not carry amendments.
We re-read it every 60 days. More about this source
«Edellä 5 luvun 4 §:n 1 momentissa mainittuja määriä tarkistetaan vuosittain tammikuun alusta lukien kansaneläkeindeksistä annetussa laissa tarkoitetulla kansaneläkeindeksillä. Edellä 1 momentissa tarkoitetut määrät ovat vuoden 2023 tasossa. Määriä tarkistettaessa ne pyöristetään lähimpään euroon.»Our translation - not official
The amounts referred to in chapter 5, section 4(1) are adjusted annually from the beginning of January by the national pensions index referred to in the Act on the National Pensions Index. The amounts referred to in subsection 1 are at 2023 level. When adjusted they are rounded to the nearest euro.
About this source
Finland's state legal information service, run by the Ministry of Justice. It publishes the Suomen säädöskokoelma - the statute series, where an Act takes effect on publication - and, separately, the ajantasainen consolidated text of each Act with later amendments worked into it. Every statute carries an ELI identifier that states the date of the consolidated version, so the cut-off is on the page rather than inferred: the Aliens Act 301/2004 was read at http://data.finlex.fi/eli/sd/2004/301/ajantasa/2026-06-26/fin. The site is bilingual by law and serves Finnish and Swedish texts of the same statute at the same address; Finnish is the language quoted here. It also carries unofficial English translations under /lainsaadanto/saadoskaannokset/.
Standing: Maintains the text in force
Cannot be cited for: The English translations are not the instrument and must never be quoted as one - they are produced by ministries, carry their own amendment cut-offs separate from the Finnish text's, and several are years behind it. The consolidated text is the right thing to quote for what the law is now, but it prints provisions that are not yet in force alongside those that are, each marked with its own commencement date: the Nationality Act consolidation of 16 June 2026 carries the 2027 citizenship-exam wording of section 13 directly beneath the wording in force. A reader who takes the first paragraph they see has a one-in-two chance of reading next year's law. The consolidation also lags the statute series, and each statute's page lists the government bills pending on it; those bills are not law and must not be cited as if they were. The original statute as enacted is a different document at a different address under /lainsaadanto/saadoskokoelma/ and does not carry amendments.
We re-read it every 60 days. More about this source
«Edellä 1 momentin 3 kohdassa tarkoitettu palkkaraja on euromääräinen. Palkkaraja tulee asettaa sellaiselle tasolle, että työvoiman maahanmuutto vahvistaa julkista taloutta eikä työvoiman saatavuus vaarannu tarpeettomasti. Huomioon on otettava myös työehtosopimusten mukaiset kokoaikaisen työn vähimmäispalkat. Palkkarajan suuruudesta säädetään valtioneuvoston asetuksella.»Our translation - not official
The salary threshold referred to in subsection 1, point 3 is expressed in euros. The salary threshold must be set at a level at which labour immigration strengthens the public finances and the availability of labour is not unnecessarily jeopardised. The minimum wages for full-time work under collective agreements must also be taken into account. The amount of the salary threshold is laid down by government decree.
About this source
Finland's state legal information service, run by the Ministry of Justice. It publishes the Suomen säädöskokoelma - the statute series, where an Act takes effect on publication - and, separately, the ajantasainen consolidated text of each Act with later amendments worked into it. Every statute carries an ELI identifier that states the date of the consolidated version, so the cut-off is on the page rather than inferred: the Aliens Act 301/2004 was read at http://data.finlex.fi/eli/sd/2004/301/ajantasa/2026-06-26/fin. The site is bilingual by law and serves Finnish and Swedish texts of the same statute at the same address; Finnish is the language quoted here. It also carries unofficial English translations under /lainsaadanto/saadoskaannokset/.
Standing: Maintains the text in force
Cannot be cited for: The English translations are not the instrument and must never be quoted as one - they are produced by ministries, carry their own amendment cut-offs separate from the Finnish text's, and several are years behind it. The consolidated text is the right thing to quote for what the law is now, but it prints provisions that are not yet in force alongside those that are, each marked with its own commencement date: the Nationality Act consolidation of 16 June 2026 carries the 2027 citizenship-exam wording of section 13 directly beneath the wording in force. A reader who takes the first paragraph they see has a one-in-two chance of reading next year's law. The consolidation also lags the statute series, and each statute's page lists the government bills pending on it; those bills are not law and must not be cited as if they were. The original statute as enacted is a different document at a different address under /lainsaadanto/saadoskokoelma/ and does not carry amendments.
We re-read it every 60 days. More about this source
«Työntekijän oleskeluluvan myöntämisen edellytyksenä olevan bruttopalkkarajan suuruus on 1 600 euroa kuukaudessa.»Our translation - not official
The amount of the gross salary threshold that is a condition for granting a residence permit for an employed person is 1,600 euros a month.
About this source
Finland's state legal information service, run by the Ministry of Justice. It publishes the Suomen säädöskokoelma - the statute series, where an Act takes effect on publication - and, separately, the ajantasainen consolidated text of each Act with later amendments worked into it. Every statute carries an ELI identifier that states the date of the consolidated version, so the cut-off is on the page rather than inferred: the Aliens Act 301/2004 was read at http://data.finlex.fi/eli/sd/2004/301/ajantasa/2026-06-26/fin. The site is bilingual by law and serves Finnish and Swedish texts of the same statute at the same address; Finnish is the language quoted here. It also carries unofficial English translations under /lainsaadanto/saadoskaannokset/.
Standing: Maintains the text in force
Cannot be cited for: The English translations are not the instrument and must never be quoted as one - they are produced by ministries, carry their own amendment cut-offs separate from the Finnish text's, and several are years behind it. The consolidated text is the right thing to quote for what the law is now, but it prints provisions that are not yet in force alongside those that are, each marked with its own commencement date: the Nationality Act consolidation of 16 June 2026 carries the 2027 citizenship-exam wording of section 13 directly beneath the wording in force. A reader who takes the first paragraph they see has a one-in-two chance of reading next year's law. The consolidation also lags the statute series, and each statute's page lists the government bills pending on it; those bills are not law and must not be cited as if they were. The original statute as enacted is a different document at a different address under /lainsaadanto/saadoskokoelma/ and does not carry amendments.
We re-read it every 60 days. More about this source
«Ulkomaalaiselle myönnetään hakemuksesta erityisasiantuntijan oleskelulupa, jos hän toimii erityisosaamista vaativissa asiantuntijatehtävissä, josta hänelle maksettava palkka on vähintään keskimääräinen palkansaajan bruttopalkka.»Our translation - not official
On application, a residence permit for a specialist is granted to a foreigner if he or she works in expert duties requiring special expertise for which the pay paid to him or her is at least the average gross wage of a wage earner. Sections 72 and 72 b do not apply to a residence permit for a specialist.
About this source
Finland's state legal information service, run by the Ministry of Justice. It publishes the Suomen säädöskokoelma - the statute series, where an Act takes effect on publication - and, separately, the ajantasainen consolidated text of each Act with later amendments worked into it. Every statute carries an ELI identifier that states the date of the consolidated version, so the cut-off is on the page rather than inferred: the Aliens Act 301/2004 was read at http://data.finlex.fi/eli/sd/2004/301/ajantasa/2026-06-26/fin. The site is bilingual by law and serves Finnish and Swedish texts of the same statute at the same address; Finnish is the language quoted here. It also carries unofficial English translations under /lainsaadanto/saadoskaannokset/.
Standing: Maintains the text in force
Cannot be cited for: The English translations are not the instrument and must never be quoted as one - they are produced by ministries, carry their own amendment cut-offs separate from the Finnish text's, and several are years behind it. The consolidated text is the right thing to quote for what the law is now, but it prints provisions that are not yet in force alongside those that are, each marked with its own commencement date: the Nationality Act consolidation of 16 June 2026 carries the 2027 citizenship-exam wording of section 13 directly beneath the wording in force. A reader who takes the first paragraph they see has a one-in-two chance of reading next year's law. The consolidation also lags the statute series, and each statute's page lists the government bills pending on it; those bills are not law and must not be cited as if they were. The original statute as enacted is a different document at a different address under /lainsaadanto/saadoskokoelma/ and does not carry amendments.
We re-read it every 60 days. More about this source
«Pysyvä oleskelulupa myönnetään neljän vuoden määräajan jälkeen, jos: 1) ulkomaalaisella on ollut ennen hakemuksen vireilletuloa viimeksi päättyneessä verotuksessa yhteensä vähintään 40 000 euron suuruiset tulot; 2) ulkomaalainen on suorittanut ulkomailla tutkinnon, joka on suomalaisen toimivaltaisen viranomaisen päätöksellä tunnustettu antamaan kelpoisuus tai oikeus työskennellä 56 c §:n 1 momentissa tarkoitettua ylempää korkeakoulututkintoa tai jatkotutkintoa edellyttävässä tehtävässä tai jonka perusteella suomalainen yliopisto on myöntänyt opiskeluoikeuden jatko-opintoihin tai palkannut ulkomaalaisen opetus- tai tutkimustehtäviin ja hänellä on kahden vuoden työhistoria; tai 3) ulkomaalaisella on kielitestillä todennettu 56 f §:n 5 momentissa tarkoitettu erityisen hyvä suullinen ja kirjallinen suomen tai ruotsin kielen taito ja kolmen vuoden työhistoria.»Our translation - not official
A permanent residence permit is granted after a period of four years if: 1) the foreigner had, in the taxation last completed before the application became pending, income of at least 40,000 euros in total; 2) the foreigner has completed abroad a degree that has by a decision of the competent Finnish authority been recognised as conferring the qualification or right to work in a post requiring a higher university degree or postgraduate degree referred to in section 56 c(1), or on the basis of which a Finnish university has granted the right to pursue postgraduate studies or has hired the foreigner for teaching or research duties, and he or she has a work history of two years; or 3) the foreigner has an especially good oral and written command of Finnish or Swedish within the meaning of section 56 f(5), verified by a language test, and a work history of three years.
About this source
Finland's state legal information service, run by the Ministry of Justice. It publishes the Suomen säädöskokoelma - the statute series, where an Act takes effect on publication - and, separately, the ajantasainen consolidated text of each Act with later amendments worked into it. Every statute carries an ELI identifier that states the date of the consolidated version, so the cut-off is on the page rather than inferred: the Aliens Act 301/2004 was read at http://data.finlex.fi/eli/sd/2004/301/ajantasa/2026-06-26/fin. The site is bilingual by law and serves Finnish and Swedish texts of the same statute at the same address; Finnish is the language quoted here. It also carries unofficial English translations under /lainsaadanto/saadoskaannokset/.
Standing: Maintains the text in force
Cannot be cited for: The English translations are not the instrument and must never be quoted as one - they are produced by ministries, carry their own amendment cut-offs separate from the Finnish text's, and several are years behind it. The consolidated text is the right thing to quote for what the law is now, but it prints provisions that are not yet in force alongside those that are, each marked with its own commencement date: the Nationality Act consolidation of 16 June 2026 carries the 2027 citizenship-exam wording of section 13 directly beneath the wording in force. A reader who takes the first paragraph they see has a one-in-two chance of reading next year's law. The consolidation also lags the statute series, and each statute's page lists the government bills pending on it; those bills are not law and must not be cited as if they were. The original statute as enacted is a different document at a different address under /lainsaadanto/saadoskokoelma/ and does not carry amendments.
We re-read it every 60 days. More about this source
«Edellä 3 momentin 1 kohdassa mainittua määrää tarkistetaan vuosittain tammikuun alusta lukien työntekijän eläkelain (395/2006) 96 §:n 1 momentissa tarkoitetulla palkkakertoimella. Määrä on vuoden 2026 tasossa. Määrää tarkistettaessa se pyöristetään lähimpään euroon. Tulojen on vastattava sen vuoden tarkistettua määrää, jota päätöksen perusteena oleva viimeisin verotus koskee.»Our translation - not official
The amount referred to in subsection 3, point 1 is adjusted annually from the beginning of January by the wage coefficient referred to in section 96(1) of the Employees Pensions Act (395/2006). The amount is at 2026 level. When adjusted it is rounded to the nearest euro. The income must correspond to the adjusted amount for the year to which the last taxation forming the basis of the decision relates.
About this source
Finland's state legal information service, run by the Ministry of Justice. It publishes the Suomen säädöskokoelma - the statute series, where an Act takes effect on publication - and, separately, the ajantasainen consolidated text of each Act with later amendments worked into it. Every statute carries an ELI identifier that states the date of the consolidated version, so the cut-off is on the page rather than inferred: the Aliens Act 301/2004 was read at http://data.finlex.fi/eli/sd/2004/301/ajantasa/2026-06-26/fin. The site is bilingual by law and serves Finnish and Swedish texts of the same statute at the same address; Finnish is the language quoted here. It also carries unofficial English translations under /lainsaadanto/saadoskaannokset/.
Standing: Maintains the text in force
Cannot be cited for: The English translations are not the instrument and must never be quoted as one - they are produced by ministries, carry their own amendment cut-offs separate from the Finnish text's, and several are years behind it. The consolidated text is the right thing to quote for what the law is now, but it prints provisions that are not yet in force alongside those that are, each marked with its own commencement date: the Nationality Act consolidation of 16 June 2026 carries the 2027 citizenship-exam wording of section 13 directly beneath the wording in force. A reader who takes the first paragraph they see has a one-in-two chance of reading next year's law. The consolidation also lags the statute series, and each statute's page lists the government bills pending on it; those bills are not law and must not be cited as if they were. The original statute as enacted is a different document at a different address under /lainsaadanto/saadoskokoelma/ and does not carry amendments.
We re-read it every 60 days. More about this source
«Ulkomailta tulevana palkansaajana pidetään tätä lakia sovellettaessa luonnollista henkilöä, jos 1) hän tulee tuloverolain mukaan Suomessa yleisesti verovelvolliseksi tässä laissa tarkoitetun työskentelyn alkaessa; 2) hänelle tästä työstä maksettava rahapalkka on vähintään 5 800 euroa kuukaudessa koko tässä laissa tarkoitetun työskentelyn ajan; (26.10.2001/903) 3) hän työskentelee erityisasiantuntemusta edellyttävissä tehtävissä ja 4) hän ei ole ollut Suomessa yleisesti verovelvollinen tässä laissa tarkoitetun työskentelyn alkamisvuotta edeltäneiden viiden kalenterivuoden aikana.»Our translation - not official
A wage earner arriving from abroad means, for the purposes of this Act, a natural person if: 1) he or she becomes generally liable to tax in Finland under the Income Tax Act when the work referred to in this Act begins; 2) the cash salary payable to him or her for this work is at least 5,800 euros a month for the whole period of the work referred to in this Act; 3) he or she works in duties requiring special expertise and 4) he or she has not been generally liable to tax in Finland during the five calendar years preceding the year in which the work referred to in this Act begins.
About this source
Finland's state legal information service, run by the Ministry of Justice. It publishes the Suomen säädöskokoelma - the statute series, where an Act takes effect on publication - and, separately, the ajantasainen consolidated text of each Act with later amendments worked into it. Every statute carries an ELI identifier that states the date of the consolidated version, so the cut-off is on the page rather than inferred: the Aliens Act 301/2004 was read at http://data.finlex.fi/eli/sd/2004/301/ajantasa/2026-06-26/fin. The site is bilingual by law and serves Finnish and Swedish texts of the same statute at the same address; Finnish is the language quoted here. It also carries unofficial English translations under /lainsaadanto/saadoskaannokset/.
Standing: Maintains the text in force
Cannot be cited for: The English translations are not the instrument and must never be quoted as one - they are produced by ministries, carry their own amendment cut-offs separate from the Finnish text's, and several are years behind it. The consolidated text is the right thing to quote for what the law is now, but it prints provisions that are not yet in force alongside those that are, each marked with its own commencement date: the Nationality Act consolidation of 16 June 2026 carries the 2027 citizenship-exam wording of section 13 directly beneath the wording in force. A reader who takes the first paragraph they see has a one-in-two chance of reading next year's law. The consolidation also lags the statute series, and each statute's page lists the government bills pending on it; those bills are not law and must not be cited as if they were. The original statute as enacted is a different document at a different address under /lainsaadanto/saadoskokoelma/ and does not carry amendments.
We re-read it every 60 days. More about this source
Practical notes
The figure for the average gross wage of a wage earner is deliberately not stated on any record here. No instrument publishes it, and the published statistics were not read.
The wage coefficient under section 96 of the Employees Pensions Act, and the national pensions index, were not read; the value of either in any given year is not stated.
The government decree listing nationwide shortage occupations under section 72 c of the Aliens Act was not located and not read.