Finland Outlines Working Hours Rules for Foreign Students on Study Permits

• Finland's immigration authority has published clear rules on how many hours foreign students holding a residence permit are allowed to work each week
• The rules set a weekly average limit but also include exceptions for internships required as part of a degree programme
• Both the student and their employer share legal responsibility for ensuring the permitted working hours are not exceeded

Finland has outlined the conditions under which foreign students on study residence permits may take up paid employment, with the rules applying across all fields of work.

According to the Finnish Immigration Service, students granted a residence permit for study purposes may work an average of 30 hours per week.

The rules allow for flexibility across the calendar year, meaning a student can work more than 30 hours in a given week, provided the overall average does not exceed that figure by the end of the year. Translated into broader figures, this works out to roughly 120 hours per month or 1,560 hours annually.

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Finland: Holiday working rules for students

During holiday periods, students are permitted to work full-time without restriction, as long as the yearly average of 30 hours per week is maintained overall.

This arrangement gives students greater earning opportunities during breaks from their academic programmes without breaching the terms of their permit.

Internships and diploma work that form a compulsory part of a degree are treated differently. The 30-hour weekly cap does not apply to these placements, on condition that the credit arrangement was agreed upon before the internship began. Where work is registered as an internship only after the fact, the standard weekly limit applies.

Finland: Employer rules for working foreign students

Responsibility for staying within the permitted hours does not rest with the student alone. Finnish immigration rules place an equal duty on employers to verify how many hours a student's residence permit allows, and to ensure that limit is not exceeded in practice. Both parties can be held accountable if the terms are violated.

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Students who were issued residence permits before 15 April 2022, when legislative amendments came into force, retain the same working rights as those who received permits under the newer rules. They are equally entitled to work up to 30 hours per week on average.

The rules are intended to allow international students to support themselves financially while keeping academic commitments at the centre of their time in Finland.

Legit.ng has also published residency years for foreigners who want to become Qatari citizens.

Citizenship: Australia mentions residency years for foreigners

Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that Australia's Department of Home Affairs outlined the residence requirement foreigners must meet before applying for citizenship.

Applicants must have lived in Australia on a valid visa for a number of years before the date they apply for citizenship.

The rules also specify how much time applicants are allowed to have spent outside Australia during that period.

Source: Legit.ng