In a bid to tighten the requirements for obtaining Finnish citizenship or permanent residence in Finland, the new government of Finland has unveiled plans to introduce a citizenship test. This announcement comes as part of their broader strategy outlined in the government program released last month. The move is aimed at strengthening the rules and regulations surrounding the granting of permanent residence and citizenship permits in the country.
Under the proposed changes, passing a citizenship test, along with a language test, will be mandatory for naturalization. This marks a significant shift in the requirements for those seeking Finnish citizenship.
The Finnish citizenship test is set to be modeled after similar evaluations used in other European countries, reflecting a growing trend in the region to implement such assessments.
Currently, in order to gain citizenship in Finland, applicants are required to demonstrate “satisfactory” oral and written skills in Finnish or Swedish, as well as fulfill several other prerequisites outlined by the Immigration Service. The introduction of a citizenship test will likely add an additional layer of evaluation to the process.
Minister of the Interior Mari Rantanen, representing the Finns party, has confirmed that her ministry has already commenced the process of drafting the citizenship test. However, she also noted that creating a comprehensive and fair test will take time, emphasizing the importance of a well-structured assessment to ensure that those who are granted citizenship meet the necessary criteria.
It’s worth mentioning that this isn’t the first time the idea of a citizenship test has been considered in Finland. Back in 2019, then-Interior Minister Kai Mykkänen of the National Coalition Party presented a package of measures aimed at preventing and combatting crimes, particularly sexual offenses, committed by foreign-background individuals. At that time, the draft bill indicated that Finland would study the practices of other countries that employed citizenship tests and develop a test suitable for the nation. However, this proposal did not advance during the subsequent government’s term in office.
The announcement of the upcoming citizenship test is part of Finland’s broader efforts to ensure that individuals who wish to become Finnish citizens meet a set of standardized criteria. It aligns with the government’s commitment to safeguarding the security and values of the nation.
While the specifics of the citizenship test are yet to be unveiled, it is anticipated that it will serve as a comprehensive evaluation of applicants’ knowledge of Finnish society, culture, and possibly their familiarity with key legal and historical aspects of the country. As the Finnish government proceeds with this initiative, it will be closely watched both domestically and internationally for its potential impact on the naturalization process and the integration of new citizens into Finnish society.