The nickname “the land of a thousand lakes” probably doesn’t do justice to Finland, as the actual number of lakes in Finland is 187, 888! That is one lake after every two square kilometers of the total area of Finland which is 338, 440 Km2. The country’s weather and landscape are also depicted in its flag; the white area represents the land in winter and the blue area denotes the crystal-clear lakes. If that is not enough, you will often find Finland on the top 5 charts of the happiest nations in the world.
Finland has a strong economy, which relies heavily on technology, forestry, design, and global trade. The country contributes about 60% of the total EU trade volume. A massive economic activity naturally creates thousands of career opportunities in its wake, hence thousands of people from around the globe aspire to move to Finland.
If you happen to be one such aspirant, your first step may be to gather as much information about the country, its culture, and the primary ways in which you can gain a long-term residence. For citizens of the European Union, the procedure is simple, however, if you are a third country citizen, you will be required to follow a detailed procedure and fall within the prescribed criteria.
Permanent residency
In almost all cases, a residence permit is compulsory for any length of stay exceeding 3 months. As stated earlier, citizens of the EU, EA, or a Scandinavian country are simple, and citizens from any of the said states can simply enter Finland stay up to 90 days, and if they wish to stay longer, they need to register with the concerned body. However, for citizens of the US and any other third country, the procedure is lengthy and requires lots of paperwork.
Student visa
The easiest way probably would be to enter the country as a student. Finland’s education system allows for international students to study and work at the same time doing odd jobs to support education and livelihood. Oftentimes, the students get completely assimilated with the country’s culture and business, during their degree programs and later on apply for a working visa, which is more likely to be accepted, given that the applicant bores excellent moral character, maintains decent living, and has promising occupational prospects.
Entrepreneur visa
If you have a startup idea that you believe can impress the Finland Business Bureau and can generate funds to implement you are in luck. Finland allows individuals who have disruptive startup proposals and can back their claim financially and prove that their enterprise will generate viable income and create employment.
Work visa
Employment in a Finnish organization is necessary for a work visa. The company who the person is responsible to initiate the process by writing to the Immigration Ministry, later the applicant moves an application for a work permit based on that sponsorship letter. Note that the work visa is specific to that particular employment and extends to the period of employment. In case the employer lays the employee off, the work permit ceases to be applicable, unless the bearer seeks another employment or has gained permanent residency.
Renting & buying property
It is suggested that initially, a rental space would be wiser than buying a property. Local newspapers and word-of-mouth are good ways to start the search. If this doesn’t work, you always have the option of a professional realtor, though it will cost more. As a rule of thumb, properties closer to the city centers are costlier (around 2000 Euros per month) than the ones that are far away (between 1200 to 1500 Euros. If you enjoy long walks and bicycling your way around, then a place farther away from the center will be perfect for you.
Once you are well assimilated into the Finnish culture and have generated sound revenue streams, you may want to own a place of your own. Unfortunately, the Finnish law does not allow a third world citizen to own property directly, however, you can buy shares in a property or a housing company provided you have been cleared to purchase by the Ministry of Defence. The best thing about owning property in Finland is that the law binds the seller to be responsible for any defects of the property for up to 5 years unless the seller has already declared the defects before at the time of inspection.
Languages to learn
The Finnish language bears no resemblance to any of the European languages, it is unique and very complicated but very interesting at the same time. Although Finland has three official languages; Finnish, Swedish, and Sami, a majority of the population understands and speaks English, French, German, and Russian too.
It is advised that you take to Finnish language courses if you plan to live in Finland for a long time, or at the very least master the meet and greet, condolences, apologies, gratitude, asking directions, and some other day-to-day usage phrases to navigate easily.
