Finland Startup Permit Changes: Still a Bill

Last updated: October 15, 2026 · Aval Visa content team

If your team is planning a startup permit application in Finland, a government bill before Parliament would change how Business Finland’s assessment fits into it. The government gave HE 216/2026 to Parliament on 1 October 2026, and the bill has been with the Administration Committee since 7 October. As of 14 October 2026 there is no committee report and no vote, so today’s rules still apply. If Parliament passes the bill, the proposed start date is 12 January 2028.

The permit would remain; our Finland startup visa guide sets out today’s rules. The proposed Finland startup permit changes would alter the order of the steps, when you pay, and where the criteria are written down.

The bill’s progress in Parliament

HE 216/2026 would amend the Aliens Act and two related laws. Its Parliament of Finland record shows:

1 October 2026: the government gave the bill to Parliament.
6 October: referral debate; sent to the Administration Committee.
7 October: reached the committee, which is to report on it.

No expert statements are listed, and no schedule is published for a report or vote. Under section 49 of the Constitution, unfinished business carries over to the next session only if no parliamentary election is held in between. Under the Election Act, the next ordinary election is due on 18 April 2027. So if Parliament has not finished with the bill by then, it would not carry over to the new Parliament.

The proposed start date and pending applications

The bill proposes 12 January 2028 because Migri’s system work can only be done in late 2027. The law text leaves the date blank. If the bill passes as proposed, startup and entrepreneur residence-permit applications pending on that day would be decided under the old rules. It says nothing about an Eligibility Statement issued before then, or a statement application still with Business Finland then.

Proposed changes to a first permit

Today one team member applies to Business Finland for a free Eligibility Statement, then each founder files a paid permit application with Migri. Instead, the bill proposes one paid application per founder in Enter Finland, handled in two stages. You would include your business information and pay the fee before Business Finland assesses the business. Business Finland’s view would become a partial decision inside that application.

Migri would first check the general conditions, such as entry conditions, your travel document and grounds for refusal. It could refuse without a Business Finland assessment if those fail, if your startup work is not full-time, or if you do not meet the means requirement. Today Migri asks for enough money for at least a year, in your own bank account. Because Business Finland would decide for each founder separately, you and a co-founder could get different outcomes.

Seven criteria would be written into the Aliens Act and weighed together:

at least two people in charge who intend to live and run the business in Finland, with a sufficient ownership share, competence and ability
a credible business plan and market forecast
credible financing
potential for rapid international growth
novelty with an international competitive edge
the prerequisites for profitable business
a Finnish Oy, registered or to be registered, with its actual head office in Finland

The government says this records current practice, though the link to Business Finland’s funding criteria would go. The bill’s explanatory notes, not the proposed law text, add three points. As a starting point, the team should hold at least 60%. Necessary language skills are one factor in competence, not a certificate requirement. A foreign business moved to Finland should be under 5 years old. Outside investment or an accelerator place is not a formal criterion, but the bill says Business Finland can weigh it.

Proposed changes to extensions, time limits, fees and appeals

Today the law lets Migri extend your permit without Business Finland if the business is profitable. The bill would drop that route, so every extension would need a Business Finland partial decision. In practice, the bill notes, Business Finland is already consulted almost every time. An extension would also cover only the same business, not a similar one. One proposed criterion is that you developed your product, service or concept during the previous permit. Today’s process is in our guide to the startup permit extension.

Business Finland would have one month, and the total statutory time would stay at two months. The two-week fast track would have to be redesigned; the bill gives no design. The bill sets no new fee; part of the startup permit fee could go to Business Finland for its assessment. A partial decision could be appealed only together with Migri’s decision.

The government’s reasons and the consultation

The bill aims to cut unfounded and poorly prepared statement applications and catch misuse, while making processing smoother for founders who meet the criteria.

By the bill’s figures, 746 statement applications were filed in 2025 and about 7.6% were positive. Over 40% have been repeat applications, where at least one team member had applied before. The common reasons teams are turned down are in why startup permits are refused.

The bill also cites Migri’s automatic monitoring after a permit is granted. From April 2024 to December 2025, it led to a revocation review for 23% of the startup permits it monitored. The biggest reasons were that the holder never arrived or never started the business. Of the 253 decisions in those reviews, 70% were revocations. Russian nationals had the most reviews, then Turkish, Iranian and Chinese nationals; all four countries are also among the largest sources of applicants.

The bill accepts that the free, risk-free statement would disappear and expects a small negative effect on attracting founders at first. Most of the 38 bodies that replied to the consultation supported the reform. Startup, investor and industry groups criticised the fee, which the bill keeps. The government expects faster processing, especially for extensions, along with more negative decisions and more appeals.

Today’s rules compared with the proposal

Until a change takes effect, the process on the Business Finland, Enter Finland and Migri pages applies.

Point	Today (in force)	Proposed in HE 216/2026 (if passed)
Business Finland’s role	A free Eligibility Statement before the permit application, no more than 4 months old when you apply; one team member applies for the whole team	A partial decision inside each founder’s paid permit application
Fee	Statement free; first permit €650 online or €800 on paper per founder (2026)	Permit fee paid before Business Finland’s assessment; no new amount in the bill
Order of checks	Business Finland first, then Migri	Migri’s general checks, means included, then Business Finland
Criteria	Business Finland’s funding criteria; a team holding of at least 60% (Business Finland)	Seven criteria in the Aliens Act; a “sufficient” ownership share, with 60% as the starting point
Re-applying and appeals	Free statement re-applications with no limit; a negative statement can in practice be appealed only through a paid permit application	Partial decision appealable only together with Migri’s decision
Processing	Statement up to one month on average; first permit 2 weeks in most cases, 2 months at most; fast track 2 weeks	Business Finland one month; 2 months in total; fast track to be redesigned
Extension	Same or similar business, if profitable or still meeting Business Finland’s criteria	Same business only, always with a Business Finland partial decision

Aval Visa checks your team and business against Business Finland’s published criteria, plans each founder’s documents and their legalisation, and prepares the file with you. Your team files its own applications; Business Finland and Migri decide. To go through your plans, start your assessment.

Common questions

Is the bill already law?

No. As of 14 October 2026 the startup permit changes are only proposed. The bill is with the Administration Committee, and the consolidated Aliens Act on Finlex lists it as pending. Applications filed today follow the current rules.

If Business Finland says no under the proposed model, would the fee be refunded?

The bill has no refund rule. A partial refund in some cases was suggested in the consultation, but it is not in the bill as given.

Would we pay more to apply?

The bill sets no amount; fees are set each year by Ministry of the Interior decree. In 2026 a first startup permit costs €650 online per founder. Under the bill you would pay the permit fee before Business Finland assesses the business.