Embassy of India invited Gujarati Samaj Finland and other Indian community organizations to interact with Finnish authorities from Migri, Ministry of the Interior, Ministry of Education, and Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Purpose of this meeting was to discuss community concerns and provide feedback on the wide ranging issues affecting community. The meeting was held on June 3, 2025 at the premises of Indian Embassy in Finland. 

Post by Indian Embassy on the X social media account.

Key Observations and Takeaways

1. Talent Boost Program and India as a Priority Country: The Finnish Government reaffirmed its commitment to attracting Indian talent under the Talent Boost program.India remains a priority country in Finland’s international talent strategy. The government is looking forward to increased participation from Indian professionals and students in this initiative.

2. Changes in Permanent Residency and Citizenship Requirements: The topic regarding  the raise in  the threshold for Permanent Residency (PR) and Citizenship was discussed. As publicly announced, new language requirements will be introduced for PR in the near future. These measures are part of a broader political directive and are expected to be implemented soon.

3. Issues Related to Agents and the Study Migration Pathway: The government acknowledged problems arising from both agents and misinformed aspirants. Authorities strongly encourage direct application to Finnish universities without involving intermediaries or agents.

4. Family-Sponsored Visas – Feedback from Gujarati Samaj Finland : This topic was specifically assigned to our group for input. We highlighted the importance of family support in attracting and retaining talent. Additionally, we informed: 

5. • The high rejection rates for sibling visas, which create emotional and psychological stress.

   • The absence of long-term visa options for parents, despite their key role in supporting young professionals and families.

   • The lack of provision for extended-stay or renewable long-term family visit visas, especially for parents and elderly dependents.

   • Authorities acknowledged these concerns and assured that they will take them under consideration for improvements.

6. English-Language Education Expansion: The government intends to introduce a policy framework to support more English-language education across all levels. However, it was clarified that the number of seats in English-language schools is decided at the city/municipal level. The Indian community and broader diaspora were encouraged to actively engage with local municipalities, provide feedback, and advocate for increased capacity.

Due to time constraints and limited space for deeper discussion, the following key issues could be discussed only beiefly.

• Delays in visa processing times for:

  • Student dependents

  • Finland-born babies of international residents

• More detailed discussion on the student visa-related scams and misuse of the system by agents or education consultancies

These issues have been sent by the embassy in writing for further review and consideration.

Closing Remarks

Gujarati Samaj Finalnd sincerely thanked the Embassy of India in Finland for initiating and facilitating this multi-stakeholder meeting, bringing all relevant Finnish authorities to one table. The Embassy appreciated the detailed, sensible, and solution-oriented input & discussion provided by Gujarati Samaj Finland ry and y representatives.

All photos credit and copyright: Embassy of India

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