Finnish minister calls for strict legal limits on non-EU immigration

Finnish Foreign Trade and Development Minister Ville Tavio has put forward a plan to legally limit immigration from nations beyond the EU and EEA to a very low level. He described the initiative as a component of a "new social contract" that acknowledges Finland's limited ability to absorb newcomers. According to Tavio, the new rules should focus on protecting the public finances, safeguarding jobs for Finnish citizens and enhancing security.

He pointed out that, although immigration fell in 2025 compared with the previous year, the total inflow remains among the highest on record, with Statistics Finland reporting over 51,000 arrivals in 2025. A significant portion of these migrants originates from outside the EU/EEA, notably from Ukraine and several Asian countries. Tavio argued that tighter limits would allow authorities to concentrate on the quality of immigration.