Finland Internship / Traineeship Residence Permit 2026 — 18 Months, EUR 1,463, Erasmus+ and Documents

1. Who qualifies for the internship permit?

A trainee employee transferred within the same corporate group must use the ICT residence-permit route rather than the internship permit. A third-country national holding EU long-term resident status in another Member State cannot receive this internship permit.

2. Paid internship: employment relationship required

A paid internship must always take place in an employment relationship. The intern and employer sign an employment contract containing the principal employment terms, including salary.

The employer must provide assurance or documentation that the internship does not replace an ordinary job; Migri accepts a free-form statement for this purpose. Using an internship as low-cost replacement labour creates a permit risk.

3. 2026 salary: collective agreement or at least EUR 1,463/month

Paid internship salary must meet the applicable collective agreement. If no collective agreement applies, Migri requires at least EUR 1,463 gross/month in 2026.

An Erasmus+ grant or other scholarship from the home university, and pocket money from an organisation, do not replace salary when Migri assesses the paid internship's means of support. Food/housing benefits stated in the agreement can be considered at their taxable value.

4. Unpaid training programme / Erasmus+ route

An unpaid traineeship must be part of a genuine training programme with maintained, established activity and educational/learning objectives supporting the trainee's development. Migri lists Erasmus+, certain Finnish National Agency for Education programmes and specified Fulbright programmes as examples.

Unlike a paid internship, the training agreement must document how the stay will be financed and evidence such as a scholarship/benefit decision must be attached.

5. Up to 90 days permit-free for qualifying unpaid training

A residence permit is always required for a paid internship. However, a person meeting the unpaid-training-programme requirements may work as an unpaid trainee for up to 90 days without this Finnish residence permit if lawfully staying visa-free, on a visa, or with a residence permit issued by another EU Member State.

This is not a general exemption for any unpaid internship. The training programme must genuinely meet Migri's criteria, the stay must separately be lawful, and the 90-day limit must be respected.

6. Maximum 18 months and where to apply

The internship residence permit can be issued for a maximum of 18 months. The actual internship/training period and eligibility can result in a shorter permit.

A first residence permit is filed abroad; only an extended permit is filed in Finland. Internship/training cannot begin before the required permit is granted, and continuation during an extended-permit process must be checked under the relevant right-to-work rules.

7. What must the internship/training agreement contain?

Documents must be internally consistent. Calling someone a trainee while assigning ordinary full-time employee duties can create a mismatch with the purpose of this route.

8. 2026 fees and process

In 2026 the internship residence permit costs EUR 530 online / EUR 630 on paper for a first permit and EUR 230 / EUR 430 for an extended permit. Apply through Enter Finland or on paper, then prove identity at the relevant Finnish mission/service point.

Migri's processing-time table lists about one month in most cases, three months in a minority and a statutory maximum of three months for internship first/extended applications. These are not guarantees and missing documents can delay processing.

9. Wrong routes, alternatives and checklist

Source check: 24 August 2026. Recheck Migri's current internship guidance on the filing date because fees, income thresholds and accepted programme examples may change.