Starting March 2, 2027, Finland will require applicants seeking citizenship to pass a knowledge exam covering the structure and fundamental principles of Finnish society. The move was reported on August 8 by Yle, Finland’s public television and radio company.
The exam, developed by the University of Helsinki after winning a competition held by the migration service, will test applicants’ understanding of legislation, fundamental human rights, principles of equality, and Finnish history and culture. The electronic test will be conducted in either Finnish or Swedish.
Individuals aged 18 to 65 must take the exam, though those who graduated from a lyceum or higher education institution in Finnish or Swedish are exempt. The Finnish government has allocated about 800,000 euros for preparing the new requirement.
The introduction of this exam is part of the program of the Finnish Government headed by Prime Minister Petteri Orpo. It also follows Japan’s recent action in February, which restricted foreigners from taking the Japanese Language Proficiency Test (JLPT) due to administrative issues caused by applicants using unauthorized addresses or providing invalid contact information.
