The Permit Runs for the Whole Degree Rather Than a Year at a Time, and Work Is Capped as an Annual Average of Thirty Hours a Week
Answer
The general rule applies to you
No exception is recorded for citizens of Sweden on this topic. That is the answer, not a gap - everything below is the rule you get, unchanged.
147 exceptions recorded across 54 countries · none match Sweden to Finland · Residency as a student
Finland's student permit is not in the Aliens Act. It is in a separate statute, the Act on the conditions of entry and residence of third-country nationals on the basis of research, studies, traineeship and voluntary service (719/2018), and three things in it are unusual. The permit is a shall, not a may: admission to a degree programme at a Finnish higher education institution plus payment of the fees the institution requires produces a permit. It is granted as a continuous permit for the time it takes to complete the studies rather than renewed annually, and an extension covers the remaining right to study. And the work right is written as an annual average - the amount of work must even out to thirty hours a week over the calendar year - which lets a student work full-time in the summer without breaching it. Money is shown for the first year only, and sickness insurance is required, reduced to cover for medicines alone where the studies are expected to last two years or more. After the degree, a permit for job-seeking or business runs up to two years and may be applied for as late as five years after the study permit expired.
At a glance
- Permit length
- The time needed to complete the studies, granted as a continuous permit
Section 7(2) of Act 719/2018. An extension covers the remaining right to study.
- Work right while studying
- Work averaging 30 hours a week across the calendar year
Section 14(1)(3)(b) of Act 719/2018. Traineeship included in the degree, and paid work on the thesis, are outside the cap.
- Money shown
- For the first year only
Section 7(3). For a permit shorter than a year, for the whole of it.
- Insurance
- Medical costs; medicine costs alone if the studies are expected to last two years or more
Section 7(3), last sentence.
- After the degree
- A permit for job-seeking or business, up to two years
Sections 10(1) and 10(3) of Act 719/2018.
- Deadline to use the post-study permit
- Five years from the expiry of the study permit
Section 10(1), last sentence. The permit need not be taken up immediately after graduation.
- Study time towards permanent residence
- Counts only if the degree was completed
Section 56(5) of the Aliens Act, as substituted by Act 1408/2025.
Requirements
- Admission as a student to a programme leading to a polytechnic degree or a lower or higher university degree at an institution in Finland
- Payment of the fees the institution requires
- Proof of secure livelihood for the first year, or for the whole permit if shorter than a year
- Insurance covering medical costs, or covering medicine costs where the studies are expected to last at least two years
- Secure livelihood under section 39 of the Aliens Act throughout the permit
In detail
Where the three neighbours disagree about the student
Sweden's record has admission and paid fees making the student permit a shall, and one year of job-hunting after the degree. Denmark's has the Act saying may, with the job-hunting period left entirely to the minister. Finland is the most generous of the three on both axes and in a third place nobody else uses: the permit is a shall, the post-study permit runs to two years, and the right to take it up survives five years after the study permit ended. A person who graduates in Finland, leaves, and comes back four years later can still claim it.
A work cap measured over a year
Luxembourg caps student work at fifteen hours a week. Finland's section 14 does not cap the week at all: it requires the amount of work to even out to an average of thirty hours a week across the calendar year, and takes traineeship inside the degree and paid work on the thesis outside the calculation entirely. The difference is not in the headline number but in the unit, and the unit is what decides whether a summer of full-time work is a breach.
What applies to you
Nothing changes for a citizen of Sweden
We have no rule recorded that treats your citizenship differently here, so the general rule above is the one that applies to you. That is an answer, not a gap.
What the law says
«Muulle kuin 2 §:n 3 momentissa tarkoitetulle kolmannen maan kansalaiselle myönnetään oleskelulupa opiskelua varten, jos hänet on hyväksytty opiskelijaksi ammattikorkeakoulututkintoon tai alempaan tai ylempään korkeakoulututkintoon johtavaan koulutukseen Suomessa sijaitsevaan korkeakouluun ja hän on suorittanut korkeakoulun vaatimat maksut.»Our translation - not official
A residence permit for studies is granted to a third-country national other than one referred to in section 2(3) if he or she has been admitted as a student to education leading to a polytechnic degree or to a lower or higher university degree at a higher education institution situated in Finland and has paid the fees required by the institution.
A shall, not a may. Denmark's Aliens Act says may for the same situation.
Read it at the sourceAbout 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
«Oleskelulupa myönnetään jatkuvana opintojen suorittamisen ajaksi. Jatko-oleskelulupa myönnetään jäljellä olevan opinto-oikeuden ajaksi.»Our translation - not official
The residence permit is granted as a continuous permit for the time needed to complete the studies. An extended residence permit is granted for the time of the remaining right to study.
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
«Oleskeluluvan myöntämisen edellytyksenä on, että opiskelija esittää selvityksen turvatusta toimeentulosta ensimmäiseksi vuodeksi. Jos oleskelulupaa haetaan lyhyemmäksi ajaksi kuin vuodeksi, opiskelijan tulee esittää selvitys turvatusta toimeentulosta koko oleskeluluvan keston ajaksi. Oleskeluluvan myöntäminen edellyttää lisäksi, että kolmannen maan kansalaisella on vakuutus, joka kattaa sairaanhoidon kustannukset. Jos opintojen arvioitu kesto on vähintään kaksi vuotta, riittävää on, että vakuutus kattaa lääkekustannukset.»Our translation - not official
A condition for granting the residence permit is that the student presents an account of secure livelihood for the first year. If the residence permit is applied for for a period shorter than a year, the student must present an account of secure livelihood for the whole duration of the residence permit. Granting the residence permit further requires that the third-country national has insurance covering the costs of medical care. If the estimated duration of the studies is at least two years, it is sufficient that the insurance covers the costs of medicines.
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
«työn määrä tasoittuu kalenterivuoden aikana keskimäärin 30 tuntiin viikossa.»Our translation - not official
the amount of work evens out to an average of 30 hours a week over the calendar year.
An annual average rather than a weekly ceiling, which is what makes a full-time summer job lawful.
Read it at the sourceAbout 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
«Kolmannen maan kansalaiselle, jolle on myönnetty oleskelulupa 6, 7 tai 7 a §:n perusteella, myönnetään tutkimustoiminnan loppuunsaattamisen tai tutkinnon suorittamisen jälkeen oleskelulupa työnhakua tai yritystoimintaa varten. Kolmannen maan kansalaiselle, jolle on myönnetty oleskelulupa 6 a §:n perusteella, myönnetään tutkinnon suorittamisen jälkeen oleskelulupa työnhakua tai yritystoimintaa varten. Oleskelulupaa on haettava viiden vuoden kuluessa 6, 6 a, 7 tai 7 a §:n perusteella myönnetyn oleskeluluvan voimassaoloajan päättymisestä.»Our translation - not official
A third-country national who has been granted a residence permit under section 6, 7 or 7 a is granted, after completing the research activity or the degree, a residence permit for job-seeking or business activity. A third-country national who has been granted a residence permit under section 6 a is granted, after completing the degree, a residence permit for job-seeking or business activity. The residence permit must be applied for within five years of the expiry of the period of validity of the residence permit granted under section 6, 6 a, 7 or 7 a.
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
«Oleskeluluvan myöntämisen edellytyksenä on, että 1 momentissa tarkoitetun henkilön toimeentulo on turvattu ulkomaalaislain 39 §:n mukaisesti.»Our translation - not official
A condition for granting the residence permit is that the livelihood of the person referred to in subsection 1 is secured in accordance with section 39 of the Aliens Act.
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
«Oleskelulupa myönnetään tilapäisenä enintään kahdeksi vuodeksi. Oleskelulupa myönnetään kuitenkin jatkuvana, jos edellinen oleskelulupa on ollut jatkuva.»Our translation - not official
The residence permit is granted as a temporary permit for at most two years. The residence permit is, however, granted as a continuous permit if the previous residence permit was continuous.
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
«Jos osa tai kaikki 1 momentissa tarkoitetusta oleskelusta on tapahtunut opiskelua varten myönnetyn oleskeluluvan perusteella, edellytyksenä tämän oleskelun hyödyntämiseksi oleskeluaikaa laskettaessa on, että opiskelija on suorittanut sen korkeakoulututkinnon, jota varten oleskelulupa on myönnetty. Pysyvän oleskeluluvan myöntämisen edellytyksenä on lisäksi, että opiskelija täyttää edellytykset, joiden perusteella hänelle voitaisiin myöntää jatkuva oleskelulupa muulla kuin kolmansien maiden kansalaisten maahantulon ja oleskelun edellytyksistä tutkimuksen, opiskelun, työharjoittelun ja vapaaehtoistoiminnan perusteella annetun lain 7, 7 a tai 10 §:n perusteella.»Our translation - not official
If part or all of the residence referred to in subsection 1 has taken place under a residence permit granted for studies, the condition for using that residence when calculating the period of residence is that the student has completed the higher education degree for which the residence permit was granted. A further condition for granting a permanent residence permit is that the student meets the conditions on the basis of which he or she could be granted a continuous residence permit on a ground other than section 7, 7 a or 10 of the Act on the conditions of entry and residence of third-country nationals on the basis of research, studies, traineeship and voluntary service.
Years spent studying count towards permanent residence only if the degree was finished, and only if the person would qualify for a continuous permit on some other ground by then.
Read it at the sourceAbout 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
Act 719/2018 was read in full in the Finlex consolidation of 9 June 2026. Its 32 sections were checked for numbering gaps and none was found.
Section 2(3) of the Act divides applicants between the Researchers and Students Directive route and a national route; the distinction was not pursued, and this record states what sections 7 and 7 a have in common.
Nothing published by a Finnish higher education institution, by Studyinfo or by the Finnish Immigration Service was read. Tuition fees, which section 7(1) makes a condition, are set by the institutions and no figure is stated here.
- consolidatesLaki kolmansien maiden kansalaisten maahantulon ja oleskelun edellytyksistä tutkimuksen, opiskelun, työharjoittelun ja vapaaehtoistoiminnan perusteella, consolidated text of 9 June 2026
Finlex, oikeusministeriö · consolidated to 2026-06-09
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
- consolidatesLaki kolmansien maiden kansalaisten maahantulon ja oleskelun edellytyksistä tutkimuksen, opiskelun, työharjoittelun ja vapaaehtoistoiminnan perusteella, consolidated text of 9 June 2026
Finlex, oikeusministeriö · consolidated to 2026-06-09
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