🛂 Permanent Residency Requirements Tightened

❓ What's changing?

From April 2026, permanent residency approval criteria are being tightened. The effective minimum stay extends from 3 to 5 years. Through MyNumber data sharing between agencies, social insurance payment status will be automatically verified.

🔄 Key changes

• ●Minimum stay: effectively 3 years → 5 years
• ●Cross-agency data sharing via MyNumber
• ●Social insurance non-payment = likely rejection
• ●Strict verification of tax and pension payment records
• ●Spouse visa to PR applications also tightened

🔗 What is MyNumber linking?

Immigration can now directly access data from the Pension Service, Tax Agency, and municipalities through MyNumber. Social insurance and tax payment statuses that were previously self-reported are now automatically verified, instantly revealing non-payment or false declarations.

⚠️ Risk of social insurance non-payment

• ✗National health insurance/pension non-payment is grounds for rejection
• ✗Employee pension enrollment gaps (including employer non-enrollment) checked
• ✗Past 5 years of payment records reviewed
• ✗Installment payments may still be judged as "incomplete"

⏳ Transition period

A transition period runs until March 31, 2027. Old criteria partially apply during this period, but early preparation for new standards is recommended.