The European Migration Network published the Annual Report for Finland 2025 noted a decline in immigration to Finland in 2025 for the number of applications from employees, students and those seeking international protection due to stricter legislation and unfavourable economic context.
In 2025, residence permits were issued mainly on grounds of family ties but in the first quarter of 2026, the number of family members' applications decreased significantly compared to the same period the previous year (-23%).
The report mentions a decline in the number of asylum seekers arriving in Finland in 2025. The previous year, a total of 2,549 asylum applications were submitted with approximately 19% of them being subsequent applications.
The top countries of origin in 2025 were Afghanistan, Iraq and Somalia. In the first quarter of 2026, between January - April 2026, a total of 589 first asylum applications were submitted.
In 2025, a Finnish citizenship was granted to a record-breaking number of 14,703 people compared to 2024 with 13,973 applications. The highest numbers of citizenships were granted to Russian, Iraqi, Afghan, Syrian and Somali nationals. The fact that the Finnish Immigration Service cleared the backlog of citizenship applications submitted in previous years, thus the increase in the number of citizenship decisions.
- Finnish Immigration Service | Maahanmuuttovirasto (29 May, 2026), Euroopan muuttoliikeverkoston vuosiraportti 2025: maahanmuutto Suomeen laski, kansalaisuuden saaneita ennätysmäärä [The European Migration Network's Annual Report 2025: Immigration to Finland declined, citizenship granted to a record number of applicants],