According to a new report by the European Migration Network, immigration in 2024 decreased from the previous year, but historically the numbers were still high. People migrate to Finland especially from Asian countries to work and study, but also for family reasons. The high number of asylum seekers in the EU was not reflected in Finland to a significant degree. These and other migration-related phenomena are highlighted in the European Migration Network (EMN) Annual Report 2024.
The European Migration Network (EMN) is a research and information exchange network coordinated and funded by the European Commission. The EMN contact point in Finland is located at the Finnish Immigration Service.
Work-based migration declined from the previous year, especially in the social and health sector and the construction industry
In 2023, first work-based residence permits were issued in Finland to a total of 11,103 persons, representing a decrease of approximately 23% when compared to the previous year. From a historical perspective, the number was still high. Despite the weak economic situation in Finland, the number of residence permits issued on the grounds of employment was higher than before the COVID-19 pandemic.
People still move to Finland mainly from Asia to work. In 2024, the largest groups by nationality were citizens of Thailand, the Philippines, India, China and Vietnam. Of these, the Philippines, India and Vietnam are international recruitment partner countries specified in the Government Programme. The top nationalities remained partially unchanged from the previous year, but there were some changes. Citizens of Thailand surpassed many other nationalities to emerge as the second-largest group as Thai wild berry pickers applied for work permits.
“Sectors that have previously seen rising numbers, such as the social and health sector and the construction industry, saw a decline in 2024. In the construction industry, for example, the number of permits issued fell by 72% from the previous year. We are of the view that the decline in the number of permits issued is attributable to the weak economic situation and higher interest rates. The number of permits issued in the social and health sector, in turn, reflected the weak economic situation in the public sector, especially in the wellbeing services counties,” says Johannes Hirvelä, Director for Information Services and Performance Guidance Unit.
Finland attracts international students
While work-based migration to Finland declined, Finland appears to be increasingly attractive to international students. In 2024, the number of applications for first residence permits lodged on the grounds of studying was higher than ever before at 14,163. This represented an increase of approximately 10% from the previous year. Asian countries were again significantly represented in study-based residence permits in 2024. Bangladesh, Nepal and China were the countries of origin with the largest numbers of students migrating to Finland.
Family reunification among students at a record high
Family was again the most common reason for migrating to Finland, but the number of family-related permits also showed a decrease from the previous year. In 2024, a first residence permit on the grounds of family ties was issued to 18,018 persons, representing a decrease from the record-breaking figure of 20,278 seen in 2023. However, the number of extended permits issued was 25,395, representing a significant increase from 2023 (17,284). This means that many families want to extend their stay in Finland.
“Asian countries topped the list for permits issued on the grounds of family ties as well. This is particularly attributable to the increased migration of international students. Citizens of the Philippines emerged as the largest group of applicants in 2024, followed by Sri Lanka, India and Nepal. At the same time, Russia dropped out of the top five nationalities among the applicants,” says Hirvelä.
A significant drop in the number of asylum seekers
The number of asylum seekers entering Finland fell by nearly half from the previous year. A total of 2,948 asylum applications were lodged in 2024, compared to 5,372 in 2023.
“More than one million asylum applications were lodged in the EU as a whole, but the large number of asylum applications has not been reflected in Finland. The growth in the number of applications was kept in check by the closure of Finland’s eastern border, internal and external border controls in the Schengen countries, Finland’s geographical location and the pull factors of certain countries of destination, such as Germany, Spain, Italy and France, when compared to Finland,” says Hirvelä.
Somalia, Afghanistan and Iraq, which have traditionally been at the top of the statistics, were again the most common countries of origin for asylum seekers in 2024. However, the number of applications lodged by citizens of each of these countries decreased from the previous year.
Webinar on the latest developments in migration
The European Migration Network (EMN) and the Finnish Immigration Service will organise a webinar entitled “Migration phenomena and trends 2024–2025” on Tuesday, 20 May 2025, from 10:00 to 11:15.
In the webinar, experts from the EMN and the Finnish Immigration Service will provide an overview of migration in 2024 and 2025 from the perspectives of work-based and humanitarian migration. The overview will cover statistical trends as well as recent changes in the operating environment of migration in Finland.
The event will also include a presentation of the EMN’s national Annual Report on Migration and Asylum 2024 and the statistical overview Key Figures on Immigration 2024. In addition, the Finnish Immigration Service’s latest country report will also be presented as part of the webinar.
The event will be opened by Johannes Hirvelä, Director for Information Services and Performance Guidance Unit of the Finnish Immigration Service, and Rafael Bärlund, Director of the EMN Finland Contact Point.
The opening remarks will be followed by an expert panel’s presentation that is based on the aforementioned reports and covers various migration-related phenomena, including work-based migration, international students and international protection. The expert panel will consist of Senior Specialists Tuukka Lampi and Samuli Volanen from EMN and Kaisla Huhta from the Finnish Immigration Service.
Further information for the media
- Johannes Hirvelä, Director for Information Services and Performance Guidance Unit, [email protected], +358 (0)295 433 037 (phone number of the Finnish Immigration Service for media representatives)
- Rafael Bärlund, Director of the EMN Finland Contact Point, [email protected], +358 (0)295 433 037 (phone number of the Finnish Immigration Service for media representatives)
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