Automatically extending residence permits for Ukrainians
Act temporarily amending the Aliens Act
Temporary protection residence permits for people who have fled the war in Ukraine will remain valid automatically without a separate application for an extension for as long as protection continues in the European Union. The validity of issued residence permit cards will also continue by operation of law.
- Status
- Passed
- Submitted
- 3 Nov 2022
- Latest event
- 21 Dec 2022
- Votes
- 3
- Speeches
- 17
- Confirmed
- 29 Dec 2022
- Statute
- 1364/2022
- Source
- eduskunta.fi ↗
What is proposed
The Aliens Act will be temporarily amended so that residence permits and residence permit cards granted on the basis of temporary protection will remain valid by operation of law for the entire duration of EU temporary protection, up to 4 March 2025. Beneficiaries of protection will not need to submit a separate application for an extended permit, and new first residence permits will also be granted directly until the end of the EU decision in force at any given time.
What it means
The amendment affects approximately 48,000 people receiving temporary protection in Finland, as well as the Finnish Immigration Service (Migri). The right of residence of beneficiaries of protection will continue without interruption, securing their right to work and their access to a municipality of residence and Kela benefits without a new application process. The Finnish Immigration Service (Migri) will save significant resources by avoiding the processing of tens of thousands of applications. If necessary, individuals can apply to the Finnish Immigration Service (Migri) for a new residence permit card free of charge, for example for travel.
How Parliament voted
The act ultimately passed without a vote: no MP proposed rejecting it in the final reading. The votes concerned details of the act.
Perustelut, mietintö / Mari Rantanen
Yes won by 100–71.
Government yes, opposition no. 28 MPs were absent. Minutes ↗
Filled dot = yes, ring = no, grey = absent. The seating plan at the time of this vote is not archived, so MPs are grouped by party in indicative seats.
A passed act does not enter into force immediately: the President of the Republic confirms it, and it enters into force on the date set in the act. This act was confirmed on 29 Dec 2022.
Debate in the chamber
What was argued and where each group stood, followed by MPs' speeches verbatim from the parliamentary record. Speeches are shown in their original language.
17 speeches · 12 speakers · 3 debates
Key points of the debate
The debate addressed the automatic extension of residence permits for Ukrainians receiving temporary protection without a separate application, in order to reduce bureaucracy. The proposal received broad cross-party support across government and opposition lines. However, debate was prompted by extending temporary protection automatically to third-country nationals who have fled Ukraine as well.
- Should the automatic extension of temporary protection apply only to Ukrainian citizens and not to third-country nationals?
- Social DemocratsIn favour
The legislative amendment reduces unnecessary bureaucracy and increases legal certainty for people who have fled the war.
”On tärkeää, että saadaan aikaiseksi tämä ulkomaalaislain väliaikainen uudistus, jolla tuetaan tietysti tämän EU:n tilapäisen suojelun direktiivin voimassaolon jatkamista Suomessa.”
— Kimmo Kiljunen - GreensIn favour
The proposal ensures the smooth continuation of temporary protection for Ukrainians and reduces the application burden.
”Tavoitteenahan on se, että pystyisimme mahdollisimman sujuvasti jatkamaan ukrainalaisten tilapäistä suojelua.”
— Krista Mikkonen - National Coalition PartyIn favour
The group supported the proposal and called for making it easier to employ Ukrainian health and social services professionals amid the labour shortage.
”Tässä joukossa on pakko olla satoja ellei tuhansia sote-alan ammattilaisia.”
— Ben Zyskowicz - Finns PartyIn favour with reservations
The group supported the automatic extension of permits for Ukrainians, but demanded that non-Ukrainian citizens be excluded from the automatic extension.
”Muilta osin me emme luonnollisestikaan tätä lakiesitystä vastustaneet.”
— Mari Rantanen - Christian DemocratsIn favour
The proposal is very necessary to reduce the workload of the Finnish Immigration Service (Migri) and cut bureaucracy.
”Erittäin kannatettava hallituksen esitys. Toivotaan eduskunnassa ripeää etenemistä.”
— Sari Essayah - Power Belongs to the PeopleAgainst
The proposal was seen as curtailing Finland's decision-making powers and relying on Western war propaganda.
”Tämä edellä mainitulle valheelle rakennettu lakiesitys kaventaa Suomen omaa päätäntävaltaa.”
— Ano Turtiainen
This digest was generated by AI from 17 speeches 13 Sep 2026. Group positions are read from the speeches, not from votes; quotations were checked verbatim against the record.
Keskustelu päättyi. Asia lähetettiin hallintovaliokuntaan.
Yleiskeskustelu päättyi ja asian käsittely keskeytettiin.
Keskustelu päättyi ja asian käsittely keskeytettiin.
Stages of consideration
The bill's path from the preliminary debate to the decision, as recorded by Parliament.
- 3 Nov 2022Eduskuntakäsittelyn vireilletulo · Sisäministeriö
- 8 Nov 2022Lähetekeskustelu · Täysistunto
- 23 Nov 2022Valiokunnan mietintö tai lausunto · hallintovaliokunta
- 30 Nov 2022Ensimmäinen käsittely · Täysistunto
- 9 Dec 2022Toinen käsittely · Täysistunto
- 20 Dec 2022Eduskunnan vastaus ja kirjelmä
Decisions by law proposal1
- 1Laki ulkomaalaislain väliaikaisesta muuttamisestaHyväksytty · 1364/2022 · 29 Dec 2022
Proposed law text
The law proposals in the bill as the Government presented them. The final act may differ after committee consideration.
The law text is shown in Finnish or Swedish from Parliament's official documents; it is not translated into English.
Laki ulkomaalaislain väliaikaisesta muuttamisesta
Eduskunnan päätöksen mukaisesti lisätään ulkomaalaislakiin (301/2004) väliaikaisesti uusi 110 a § seuraavasti:
110 a §Väliaikainen poikkeus oleskeluluvan myöntämiseen tilapäisen suojelun perusteella Ukrainan tilanteeseen vastaamiseksi
Poiketen siitä, mitä 110 §:n 1 momentissa säädetään, tilapäisen suojelun tarpeessa olevalle ulkomaalaiselle myönnetään tilapäinen oleskelulupa, joka on voimassa siihen asti, kuin kulloinkin sovellettava Ukrainasta siirtymään joutuneiden henkilöiden joukoittaisen maahantulon tilanteen toteamisesta ja sen seurauksena tilapäisen suojelun antamisesta annettu neuvoston täytäntöönpanopäätös on voimassa.
Edellä 110 §:n perusteella myönnetty tilapäinen oleskelulupa on voimassa niin kauan, kuin kulloinkin sovellettava 1 momentissa mainittu neuvoston täytäntöönpanopäätös on voimassa. Oleskeluluvan osoitukseksi annettu oleskelulupakortti on voimassa sen ajan, kuin oleskelulupa on voimassa. Voimassa olevan oleskeluluvan osoitukseksi annetaan hakemuksesta uusi oleskelulupakortti. Oleskelulupakorttia haetaan Maahanmuuttovirastolta.
§
Tämä laki tulee voimaan päivänä kuuta 20 ja on voimassa 4 päivään maaliskuuta 2025. Lain 110 a §:n 2 momenttia sovelletaan ensimmäisen kerran 4 päivänä maaliskuuta 2023 päättyviin oleskelulupiin.
Main content of the bill (official)
The summary and title were produced with AI on 2 Sep 2026. They are not official documents – check the details in the original bill. The title and summaries are machine translations of the Finnish AI summaries. Speeches and quotations are always shown in their original language.