Government proposes simpler processing of residence permits for startup entrepreneurs to prevent abuse

The Government proposes that entrepreneurs would no longer apply for a separate eligibility statement from Business Finland free of charge. In future, the statement from Business Finland would be included in the residence permit application, which is subject to a fee. The change is expected to prevent incomplete applications lacking legitimate purpose, save resources and improve the flow of information between authorities. The conditions for granting a residence permit for a startup entrepreneur would be clarified and laid down in law. Under the current rules, an applicant for a residence permit for a startup entrepreneur must obtain in advance an eligibility statement from Business Finland. The statement evaluates whether the startup company shows potential for international growth. A substantial number of these statements have been negative, resulting in entrepreneurs being refused residence permits and failing to establish startups in Finland. Abuse has been suspected in some cases. The changes are not expected to significantly impact Finland’s ability to attract international startup entrepreneurs. Instead, the residence permit process would be easier for applicants who sinc...