Mother and child at home. Photo: Antti Aimo-Koivisto / Lehtikuva
- Next Article Lasse Lehtonen named new Kela chief in surprise decision
Finland’s government plans to require parents to have lived in Finland, the EU, or the EEA for at least three years before qualifying for child home care benefits.
The move, announced on Monday, would tighten current rules and is being compared to the so-called Norwegian model, although Norway requires five years of residency. In Finland, the proposed period would be shorter due to concerns over rising long-term costs.
If the proposal becomes law, both parents would have to meet the three-year residency condition. This would apply even if one parent is a Finnish citizen and the other is not.
According to Jere Päivinen, a special expert at the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, adopting the full Norwegian model could have led to higher expenses because families losing the benefit would likely turn to unemployment allowances and early childhood education, which carry additional costs for the state.
Data from Kela, Finland’s social insurance agency, shows that 62,919 people received the child home care benefit in 2024, a 12 percent drop from the previous year. Around 8.7 percent of recipients were men. The current allowance stands at 377 euros per month and is available until the child turns three, provided they do not attend public early childhood education.
The proposed change has drawn sharp criticism from advocacy groups.
Elina Helmanen, head of the intercultural family association Familia, described the plan as “questionable” and warned it could undermine the rights of Finnish citizens married to foreign nationals.
“If we start limiting the rights of Finnish citizens based on who they decide to start a family with, we are already beginning to live in a pretty scary world,” Helmanen said.
She argued that the change could deepen inequality, increase the risk of poverty, and send a message that some Finnish families are valued less than others.
Helmanen also challenged the claim that the measure would promote integration, noting that the real issue is a lack of available jobs, not a reliance on home care benefits.
The government is expected to finalise details of how residency periods would be verified later this year.
HT
- Next Article Lasse Lehtonen named new Kela chief in surprise decision
Source: www.helsinkitimes.fi
