How You Can Move To Finland, The ‘World’s Happiest Country’

With political and social tensions rising in many parts of the world, it seems that more people are considering a fresh start in a new country. Interest in the search term ‘live abroad’ has steadily increased in recent years, but Google Trends data shows a notable increase in the past six months.

The Nordic region has long been admired for its high quality of life and progressive social policies. Among these countries, Finland stands out due to its position at the top of the annual World Happiness Report for seven consecutive years.

Whatever you think of the findings of such a report, Finland offers a compelling option for those seeking a fresh start. According to Statistics Finland, there were 6,835 American-born, 7,661 British-born, and 1,804 Canadian-born residents of Finland at the end of 2023. Here’s how you can join them.

Why Move To Finland?

Finland boasts a high standard of living, strong public services, great access to nature, and a genuine emphasis on work-life balance.

Varpu Rusila from the relocation website Her Finland says Americans in particular are surprised by the fact that life always comes first: “For many people it just feels unreal that after your eight-hour day, you’re not expected to do any work in your free time. On top of that, the vacation time and employee benefits are superb.”

As in other Nordic countries, Finns feel a strong connection to nature. It’s not uncommon for the cities to empty at weekends as locals head for the forests, lakes, and islands.

Vast areas of the forested, lake-filled nation are protected in 40 national parks. Rusila says that, related to this easy access to nature, the “appreciation of silence” is another strong benefit of life in Finland.

However, not all expats enjoy a positive experience. According to the latest edition of Internations’ Expat Insider survey, Finland ranks among the countries where foreigners find it hardest to adapt due to signficiant professional, financial, and social hurdles.

How Finnish Immigration Works

EU/EEA citizens have the right to stay in Finland for up to three months without any registration. This period can be used for job searching, or simply tourism.

Once an EU/EEA citizen intends to stay in Finland for more than three months, they must register their right of residence with the immigration authorities within three months of arrival. For the right of residence to apply, the applicant needs to provide proof of employment, self-employment, studies, or other means of subsistence.

For people from all other countries (including the U.K.), a more challenging process applies. Generally speaking, a firm job offer is required to secure a work permit.

However, such work permits may be subject to ‘labor market testing’, which means the employer must show there is no available labor within Finland or the EU/EEA for the work in question.

A different permit is available for specialist positions, which require a relevant higher education degree, professional qualifications if required, and a salary of at least €3,638 (approximately $4.000) per month. These permits can also be fast-tracked.

In addition to an entrepreneurship permit, a Finnish Startup Permit is available for “growth entrepreneurs” from non-EU/EEA countries looking to base their startup business in Finland. The application process involves an assessment from Business Finland.

Work permits are available typically for two years, at which point they can be renewed. After four years, work permit holders from non-EU/EEA countries can apply for permanent residence, giving them much more flexibility, for example, the ability to easily change jobs or start a business.

Immigration rules are complex, so it’s worth setting aside an hour or two to study the website of the Finnish Immigration Service to learn about all the ifs and buts of all these categories of work permit.

Learning The Finnish Language

One stumbling block for new arrivals is the need to learn the Finnish language. Although not required for first residence permits, those hoping to make Finland more than their temporary home will have to learn the language.

Given how different the language is from English, Finnish has a reputation as a very difficult language for native English speakers to learn. Rusila says it’s important to get over that mental barrier as soon as possible and adopt a positive, proactive attitude to learning the language.

She disagrees that the language is as hard as many people think: “Finnish is highly rules-based, unlike English where there are a lot of exceptions to grammar rules. Also in Finnish, each word is pronounced only one way, which makes learning to speak easier.”

Rusila highlights a further shortcut to learning Finnish. “We actually speak a colloquial version of Finnish, not the standard Finnish that is the official syllabus taught when learning the language. Modern spoken Finnish is simple and short and uses a minimal amount of grammar.”

“That’s why my community members have found it immensely helpful to start their Finnish journey from spoken Finnish. It gives confidence and allows you to be successful in everyday encounters,” she adds.