Effective May 13, 2024, Finland introduced more relaxed EU Blue Card rules.
| CHANGE | IMPACT |
| New professional experience pathway. Applicants are now eligible for an EU Blue Card if they have five years of professional experience in a relevant field, even if they do not have any relevant educational qualifications. Previously, applicants could only apply for an EU Blue Card if they had a three-year university qualification (this pathway remains available). | Employers can now hire highly skilled talent from a wider pool of applicants. This is particularly pertinent given current labor shortages in Finland. |
| Reduced job offer durations. Employment contracts now only need to be six months in duration (down from the previous 12-month minimum). | This change grants employers more flexibility in terms of crafting employment terms. |
| Lower minimum salary level. The minimum salary for an EU Blue Card is now the same as the minimum salary for the country’s domestic Specialist Permit (EUR 3,638 gross per month in 2024). Previously, the EU Blue Card minimum salary was 1.5 times this amount. | This makes it easier for employers to be able to afford highly skilled foreign talent under the EU Blue Card pathway, effectively increasing their pool of available employees. |
