The northern country of Europe is home to some of the best universities in the world, and there are number of international students come to study in Finland. Here, we are talking about work and study in Finland, stay back options, and work after study for international students. Before we start, here is some general information every international student should know.
Why Study in Finland? Finland is a Nordic country in the Northern Europe, often recognized at one of the happiest countries in the world, thanks to its stable economy and healthcare. The universities and higher education is completely free in Finland for the domestic students and EU/EEA citizens. The Education in Finland was free for International students till 2017. Tuition fees have been introduced since then. 10 of the Universities in Finland have been featured among the Top universities in the world for 2019 by QS world rankings. They are providers of quality education and home to the research facilities of international standards. Not to mention the work and study in Finland opportunities. Before we move on to the options to stay back and work in Finland, it is important to have a look at visa regulations and work permits along with that.
The Student Visa in Finland is granted by Finland Immigration, and if the course student is opting for has a duration of more than 90 days, students are required to apply for a students visa, which is for most of the cases, valid for one year. If one wants to extend the permit, he or she can apply for the extension at “Finnish Missions”- Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The visa is the residence permit as long as it last, and it allows students to work and study in Finland without any separate permit. Here you can find all the details about Finland Student Visa, Application Process and other details: How to Get Finland Student Visa
For the students who are pursuing their study in Finland, are allowed to work and study and work in Finland. However, like many countries, there are restrictions on the hours the students are allowed to work. In Finland, international students holding a student visa are allowed to work at a part time job, which does not exceed 25 hours of work in a week. The students are also only allowed to work at the jobs related to their field of study. During the breaks, the working hours are not restricted to 25 hours.
For the Stay Back and work after study in Finland, there is a separate permit required. There are two types of work and residence permit for the international students who are staying back in Finland can apply to:
Diving deeper into these one by one, the first type, for seeking work after study in Finland, as the name suggests, is for the students who are willing to stay back in Finland once his or her studies are over, and now looking to find a job in Finland. The validity of this permit is maximum of one year, and it is non-renewable after the permit in once over. The students who cannot find job will have to return to the home country. However, one year is enough for most of the students to find a job in Finland. The regulations for the stay back are presumed to be changed soon, and there is a possibility that the students will be allowed to stay back for up to 2 years.
The second type is also self-explanatory, and it is for the students who have found a job in the country, before their previous permit has expired. Before that expires, students can apply for the stay back residence permit in Finland, as long as the employment period, or 4 years, whichever is the shortest period of time.
Students should start applying for the residence permit before their study permit in Finland expires, as the processing time for the residence permit can be anywhere between 30 to 150 days. Student are needed to apply at the local authorities in Finland appointed by the Finland Immigration Services. Here are some of the documents you will require for the post study work permit and stay back in Finland:
According to the Finland Immigration, for permanent residence in Finland, one needs to stay in Finland for four continuous four years with a Finland Residence Permit. One needs to have a residence permit in Finland for four years continuously, without any break for Permanent residency. Moreover, you are required to apply for permanent residency before your residence permit in Finland expires, but not before three months of the expiration.
There is a process to follow to apply to universities in Finland which one needs to follow. The basic requirements include previous education certificates, and language requirements to fulfil, letters of accommodation and application essays depending on the course and universities. Some of the universities ask for the entrance exams and their results. For the step by step process to apply at universities in Finland, click here: How to Apply to Study in Finland for International Students
Dhruv is Content Creator at 樱桃导航.com. He is fond of words and everything related to them. Writing about different things from around the world gives him immense pleasure, and a very healthy by-product is sharing the information and helping others in the process.
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