Finland asylum law change blocks work-based permits for asylum seekers

Finland's tightened Aliens Act, effective September 2024, bars asylum seekers from applying for work- or study-based residence permits from within the country, leaving over a hundred job seekers like Katja and Sergei in limbo. The change reverses a previous pathway to regular status, creating a policy shift with humanitarian and labor-market implications. The full impact on integration and labor supply remains uncertain.