Key Takeaways:
- A new citizenship test in Finnish or Swedish is planned for 2027, requiring a 70% pass rate.
- Deportation rules are being tightened, with potential Schengen-wide entry bans for security threats.
- Finland is implementing the EU Migration Pact, enabling asylum processing outside the EU.
- Municipalities may get the power to levy a tourist tax on accommodation from 2028.
Finland's parliament is set to review a significant legislative package that will reshape its immigration and tourism landscape. The proposals, submitted by Prime Minister Petteri Orpo's government, introduce a new citizenship test, accelerate deportations, and pave the way for a municipal tourist tax.
These changes reflect a broader European trend of tightening immigration controls and seeking new revenue streams from tourism, directly impacting the Schengen Area's principles of free movement and common external borders.
New Citizenship Test Aims for "Active Steps"
One of the most notable proposals is the introduction of a mandatory citizenship test for all applicants, scheduled for the beginning of 2027. This move follows previous restrictions based on residence length, income, and criminal records.
Applicants will need to pass the test, which must be taken in either Finnish or Swedish. The exam will consist of 20 to 40 multiple-choice questions on topics like Finnish history, culture, human rights, and equality. A pass requires correctly answering about 70 percent of the questions.
"It does require those seeking Finnish citizenship to take active steps to meet the conditions set in law," said Interior Minister Mari Rantanen.
A government memorandum suggests the test will likely reduce the number of successful applications. In 2023, over 14,000 people gained Finnish citizenship.
Tighter Deportation and Schengen Security Rules
The government is also pushing for faster enforcement of deportation decisions. The new proposal aims to speed up the removal of rejected asylum seekers and introduces stricter rules for entry bans.
Crucially, these bans can now be issued on national security grounds, including suspected links to terrorism. Such bans can be applied:
- Only to Finland
- Across the entire 29-country Schengen Area
This aligns with wider EU efforts to enhance security coordination and manage external borders more rigorously.
Implementing the EU Migration Pact
A third proposal implements the EU's Migration and Asylum Pact, moving Europe toward a more common asylum system. A key element allows for the transfer of asylum procedures to safe third countries outside the EU.
"That is, of course, a very significant reform," noted Minister Rantanen. The pact also mandates security screenings for undocumented migrants within Finland.
Potential Tourist Tax for Municipalities
In a separate but related development, the Ministry of Finance has begun drafting legislation for a tourist tax. This would allow individual Finnish municipalities to levy a charge on visitors staying in paid temporary accommodation.
Finance Minister Riikka Purra stated the tax "would give municipalities that are popular tourist destinations a way to collect more income from tourism." The charge would apply equally to domestic and foreign visitors.
How the Tourist Tax Would Work
- The model aims to treat all accommodation types equally.
- It would be a local decision; not all municipalities would adopt it.
- Revenue would help cover municipal costs linked to tourism infrastructure and services.
If the law passes as intended for 2027, municipalities could decide in their 2028 budgets whether to implement the tax. This follows practices already established in major European destinations like Venice, Paris, and Seville.
What These Changes Mean for Travelers and Residents
For EU citizens and travelers, the key impacts are:
- Freedom of Movement: The Schengen-wide entry bans represent a tightening of the area's security framework, potentially affecting travel rights for individuals deemed a threat.
- Tourism Costs: Visitors to popular Finnish destinations like Helsinki or Lapland may face additional accommodation costs from 2028 onwards, depending on local decisions.
- Immigration Landscape: The citizenship test and faster deportations signal a more stringent path to permanent settlement in Finland, part of a wider European reassessment of integration policies.
These proposals now move to parliamentary review, where they will be debated and potentially amended before becoming law.