SAMOK has issued its statement on the government proposal for an act amending the Act on the Conditions of Entry and Residence of Third-Country Nationals for the Purposes of Research, Studies, Training and Voluntary Service.
SAMOK opposes the proposed one-year residence period requirement for students’ family members and expresses reservations about extending the processing time for family members from 90 days to nine months. The simultaneity of these changes, combined with already prolonged processing times, threatens to extend the forced separation of families to up to even two years. This waiting period would be alarmingly close to the 1.5–2 year target duration of a UAS Master’s degree program, decreasing incentives to build family life in Finland after graduation.
SAMOK is also critical of binding the 800-euro monthly income requirement into law and reminds that it removes financial flexibility in a scenario where international demand for studying in Finland might begin to decrease. This scenario is not unlikely, as in addition to the currently proposed changes, full-cost tuition fees will come into effect for international students without a predictable national scholarship system.
SAMOK supports the proposal regarding the language proficiency requirement for granting a residence permit and considers it paramount that educational institutions continue to be responsible for student admissions and the assessment of language skills instead of the authorities. Generally, SAMOK recommends prioritizing genuine support over tightening controls.
SAMOK emphasizes that building an expensive automated monitoring system between Kela and the Finnish Immigration Service to deny the use of last-resort social security is inappropriate, given that post-decision monitoring data shows that less than one percent of students have resorted to social assistance.
Forced separation from a spouse and children would weaken the prerequisites for study capacity and motivation during the critical initial phase of studies. At the same time, it would harm Finland’s country brand as a family-friendly nation and reduce its attractiveness in the eyes of the high-level experts needed in the future. Instead of mechanical monitoring, resources should be directed toward generally speeding up permit processes and providing genuine support measures for integration and transitioning into the workforce.
Additional information:
Samuli Leppämäki Senior Advisor in Higher Education Policy +358449028852 [email protected]