Mauri Peltokangas, a Finns Party MP and chair of Parliament’s Administration Committee, said that Canada’s rating system has been succesful to select migrants who support the economy. Photo: Emmi Korhonen / Lehtikuva
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Two Finnish government parties are proposing changes to the country’s immigration policy based on Canada’s points-based model, Finnish public broadcaster Yle reported on Monday.
Christoffer Ingo, a Member of Parliament for the Swedish People’s Party (SPP), has voiced support for a structured approach to labour immigration. He cited Canada’s model as a functional example that could be adapted to fit Finland’s labour market needs.
“The advantage of Canada’s model is that it sets clear targets for how many labour migrants are needed by region, language group and sector,” Ingo said in comments to Yle.
He added that the system also benefits applicants by clearly outlining the qualifications required to gain residence.
Under the Canadian model, applicants are scored based on factors such as age, education, language proficiency, and existing ties to specific regions. Those with higher scores are more likely to receive work-based residence permits.
Ingo said the Finnish system should remain flexible and responsive to labour market conditions. He also argued that high thresholds might prevent the country from accessing much-needed skills.
“But we should not be picky to the point of demanding excessively high scores. Our economy needs skills, even if not all other criteria are met,” he said.
According to Yle, the number of first-time residence permits issued for employment in Finland dropped by 23 percent compared to 2023. The decline has come amid rising long-term unemployment.
Ingo suggested the points system could replace Finland’s current labour-market testing, which limits immigration when domestic candidates are available for a position.
When asked whether such a system might overcomplicate the immigration process, Ingo said Canada’s system is flexible and regularly updated, which he believes makes it suitable for adapting to rapid changes in the job market.
He also distinguished between labour and humanitarian migration. “There, people should not be scored, we should help those in need,” he said, referring to asylum seekers and refugees.
The Finns Party, which is also part of the government coalition, has proposed going further by applying the points system to all types of immigration, including humanitarian categories.
Mauri Peltokangas, a Finns Party MP and chair of Parliament’s Administration Committee, told Yle that he supports the broader use of a points-based approach. He said Canada has been successful in using such a system to select migrants who support the economy.
“This way, we can attract people to Finland who have great potential to support the economy,” Peltokangas said.
He noted that criteria used in Canada, such as proficiency in English or French, could be replaced in Finland with skills in Finnish or Swedish.
“If you compare someone without education and language skills to a graduate who has already studied Finnish or Swedish, it’s not hard to guess who’ll need support and who can manage on their own,” he said.
Asked whether such a scoring system should extend to humanitarian immigration, Peltokangas answered in the affirmative.
“There is nothing wrong with applying points to humanitarian immigrants as well,” he said. “There are a billion people in the world who need help. If Finland accepts a small fraction of them, I think it makes sense to prioritise those who are likely to adapt more easily to our society.”
Both parties argue that a transparent, rule-based system could simplify decision-making and help Finland meet economic demands, especially as the country grapples with demographic changes and shortages in key industries.
Yle reported that proponents believe the system would provide clarity to both applicants and employers. Critics, however, have warned that applying points to asylum seekers could risk undermining Finland’s international obligations.
The discussion follows a broader debate across Europe about balancing labour needs with social integration. As immigration becomes a central issue in many member states, national policies are being reassessed.
The Interior Ministry in Finland has not yet issued a formal proposal on the matter. Officials said preliminary studies are ongoing, and discussions within the government are expected to continue through the autumn legislative session.
Calls for a structured, scalable immigration model have grown as industries such as healthcare, logistics, and technology report worker shortages. At the same time, Finland has seen a drop in new work-based immigration amid economic uncertainty and high unemployment.
Both the SPP and the Finns Party say their approaches are aimed at making the system more transparent, with clear benefits to the economy and social cohesion. While they differ on how far the system should extend, both agree that Canada’s model offers a template worth examining.
Source: www.helsinkitimes.fi
