According to the Finnish Immigration Service, labor migration is still strong this year compared to last, and they expect a record number of applications for citizenship this year, even though the number of applications for work-related visas has decreased.

An official press release states that 14,710 work visa applications have been filed, which is less than the record-breaking over 20,000 requests that were filed the previous year. Despite a 26% decline in applications, authorities observe that the rate of applications for work visas is still higher than it was between 2018 and 2021.

A number of factors, including economic downturns that affect employed individuals’ applications for residence permits—which account for 55% of all work-related residence permit applications—contribute to the decline in applications. Additionally, there has been a noticeable decline in applications from Russian nationals after a spike brought on by the conflict in Ukraine.

This situation demonstrates a labor shortage in the healthcare industry, with the majority of labor migration to Finland occurring in the country’s larger cities in the south.

Notably, modifications to residence permits for students have increased Finland’s appeal to foreign students, leading to a record number of applications for student visas in 2023. 11,401 applications for first permits had been submitted by the end of October, with nearly 70% of those from Asian nations, including Bangladesh, India, China, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka.

Family reunification applications reached 18,253 by November, which is expected to reflect the increase in immigration related to work and study. The vast majority of applicants—more than the total for the entire year of 2022—are the spouses or children of people who have relocated to Finland for employment or education.

Since June, the number of applications for Finnish citizenship has increased dramatically due to changes in the government program, which have encouraged thousands of people to apply for government benefits before the new ones go into effect. 14,853 people have applied for Finnish citizenship in the last ten months, more than the 14,366 applications that held the previous all-time high in 2021.

On the other hand, there haven’t been many requests for international protection—aside from those at the eastern border. This year, Finland has received 2,972 initial applications for asylum, the majority of which are from Somalia, Russia, Afghanistan, Turkey, and Iran. In spite of this, asylum applications are expected to reach a million or more in the EU, which is the highest level since 2015.