The Briefing
- New arrivals dropped by nearly 14,000 compared to last year, though net migration remains positive.
- Deaths outnumbered births by over 13,000, with the fertility rate stuck at a low 1.30.
- The population grew by 20,929 people solely because immigrants filled the gap left by low birth rates.
In 2025, Finland received 50,060 immigrants, according to figures released by Statistics Finland. While this number is high—the third largest since 1990—it represents a significant decrease of 13,905 people compared to the previous year.
The decline in arrivals coincides with a shift in Finland’s political and economic climate. In late 2024 and throughout 2025, the government introduced stricter policies affecting non-EU residents. These included higher income thresholds for residence permits, the controversial “three-month rule” for unemployed visa holders, and tougher language and residency requirements for citizenship.
Combined with a sluggish economy and rising unemployment in sectors that typically hire foreigners, these factors appear to be cooling the “pull factors” that brought record numbers of arrivals in 2023 and 2024.
Nonetheless, Finland’s population continued to grow in 2025, reaching 5,656,900 by year’s end, but the engine driving this growth is showing signs of strain.
According to Statistics Finland, Finland gained 20,929 net new residents, thanks to immigration. Without immigration, Finland’s population would be shrinking rapidly.
Finland’s population continued to grow in 2025.
In 2025, the number of births was 13,195 lower than the number of deaths. The total fertility rate stood at a mere 1.30 in 2025.
For the international community in Finland, these statistics underline a critical tension. The country faces a shrinking workforce and an aging population, creating a structural need for immigration. However, the political response has been to tighten access.
Economists have long warned that to maintain its welfare state, Finland needs a net migration gain of at least 30,000–40,000 people annually. In 2025, the net gain was 34,852, meeting the target, but with a downward trajectory.
If the trend of falling immigration continues alongside the low birth rate, Finland may face sharper labor shortages in healthcare, services, and technology in the coming years.
