The government of Finland plans to introduce a national one-year visa for specialists and start-up entrepreneurs, according to Yle.
Country's authorities have prepared amendments to the Law on Foreigners, which will allow the introduction of a new type of residence permit in the country, the so-called Visa Type D. It will be issued for aperiod of one year, and the requirements for applicants for this visa will be determined at the national level. According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, where the amendments were developed, the visa meets the conditions and requirements of the Schengen Agreement.
Interestingly enough, Finland is kind of late with such a novelty. Estonian government introduced a special visa for freelancers in 2020, despite the pandemic. Croatia and Serbia have also decided to give more opportunities to remote workers.
The authorities want to simplify labor migration with the new visa. It will be intended primarily for certain categories of narrow-profile specialists and start-up entrepreneurs, as well as their family members. Recipients of such a visa can immediately start working in Finland without waiting for the issuance of a residence permit, which can take up to six months to complete.
The government hopes that the amendments will be adopted by the parliament in the spring, and they will enter into force in the autumn of this year. The national Visa Type D is already used pretty much everywhere withing the Schengen area, but the conditions for obtaining and using it differ from country to country.
The Finnish authorities, and in particular the Migration Agency Migri, have repeatedly been criticized for their slow processing of applications for work-based residence permits and their inflexibility in dealing with these issues.
Also read:
Best Countries for Remote Investment. Real Estate and Citizenship
Work in Finland: How to Find, What Position to Choose and How Much You Can Earn
Favourite Countries of Foreign Familie