Statement on the draft government proposal for an act amending the law on the conditions of entry and residence of third-country nationals for the purposes of research, studies, work placements, and voluntary activities.
The Student Union of Tampere University does not support the government’s proposal, in which resorting to social assistance would increasingly lead to assessment of withdrawal or non-renewal of residence permits for students from third countries. Should this proposal be implemented, it could lead to a situation where international students would be treated harsher than other resident permit groups.
The government proposal aims to clarify the conditions of student income and lessen the challenges attached to it. However, the proposal could have an opposite effect and further conceal the challenges of sustaining adequate means of income. Applying for last-resort support should not be made more intimidating.
Students with families would face particularly severe consequences should this proposal be implemented. In conjunction with section 3, subsection 2 of the Act on Social Assistance, the proposal could lead to the withdrawal of a residence permit of a student also in situations where the student’s family member receives social assistance. In situations where the student acts as the sponsor, the withdrawal or non-renewal of a residence permit will have direct effects on the family members.
The presence of family members improves a student’s well-being, overall life satisfaction, and integration. Arriving with family, especially with children, increases the possibilities of settling into a country. Thus, the proposal increases uncertainty especially for international students with families. The joint effect this proposal has with the stricter requirements introduced to immigration for non-EU and non-EEA students makes family unification unreasonably difficult.
Social assistance is meant as a short-term aid, helping people overcome sudden hardships, preventing such things from happening, and promoting independent livelihoods. The proposal makes applying for social assistance even more intimidating, as the threat of withdrawal of the residence permit might lead to a situation where social assistance is not applied for despite an urgent need. The family members of a student will be put into a particularly difficult situation, as the social assistance received by any member of the family will have a negative effect on the student’s residence permit, thus affecting the whole family.
Finland has a strong international reputation of being a just society with family-friendly values. The Student Union of Tampere University finds that having to resort to social assistance and the overall challenges in sustaining adequate means of income are not to be blamed on the individual student nor their family members but are rather a result of Finland’s poor employment situation and discrimination in the labour market. Focusing resources into improving the employment situation both in terms of individuals and the general population would better help families facing challenges regarding income and livelihood.
The Student Union of Tampere University considers the draft proposal to be in conflict with the goals set in the government’s Roadmap for Education-based and Work-based Immigration 2035 regarding the number of foreign students and the increase in the proportion of those who find employment and remain in Finland. The proposal does not adequately consider other changes affecting non-EU and non-EEA students made under the current government, such as full-cost tuition fees and the resulting deterioration of scholarship systems.
The Student Union of Tampere University proposes a clarification to the proposal whereby a student’s family member resorting to social assistance is always assessed separately, and that social assistance received by a family member is not considered as the student’s reliance on social assistance.
Approved in a meeting of the Executive Board of the Student Union of Tampere University on 26 February 2026.
More information:
Eero Tammivuori: Board member
eero.tammivuori@trey.fi, 044 729 3775
Ville Jäppinen: Specialist in Educational Affairs and International Affairs
ville.jappinen@trey.fi, 050 361 2849