Time to process work-based residence permits halves in Q1

The processing time for work-based residence permits on an average was halved in January to March quarter of this year compared to the processing time in 2020, said the Finnish Immigration Service (Migri) in a press release.

For example, half of the specialists, start-up entrepreneurs, and researchers currently receive their first residence permit in two weeks time or sooner.

The median processing time for all work-based first residence permits was 37 days in the first quarter, which was 70 days in the corrresponding period of the previous year.

The median processing time means that half of the applicants have received their decisions in 37 days or sooner under. There are many different types of work-based residence permits and their processing times vary.

Most of the work-based first residence permit applications are for a residence permit for an employed person. This permit is for chefs, cleaners, and construction workers, for example.

In 2020, a record number of first residence permit applications for employed persons were accepted, coming to a totalk of 4,504 applications (2019: 3,827).

The median processing time of the permit in 2020 was 107 days. This year, the median processing time in January to March was 57 days.

“We have had several new employees starting in January–March, and although training these employees takes time, the positive impact of the new recruitments has already been reflected in the number of decisions processed,” said MIgri Head of Branch Anna Hyppönen.

The target processing time for employees’ residence permits by 2023 is one month.

“Increasing automatic processing is one of the main ways of achieving shorter processing times. Our aim is also to continue the reorganisation and development of our work. This makes our decision-making processes more efficient,” added Hyppönen.

Meanwhile, the median processing time for the first residence permit for specialists in the January to March quarter this year was 15 days (2020: 14 days). The median processing time for the first residence permit for start-up entrepreneurs in that quarter was 14 days, as was in 2020. The median processing time for the first residence permit for researchers between January and March this year was 14 days (2020: 16 days).

During the coronavirus pandemic, the number of specialists’ residence permit applications has decreased substantially. Last year, the number of specialists applying for a first residence permit was 853 (2019: 1,791). But in nthe last quarter, first residence permit applications were submitted by 279 specialists.