Finland Times

“This is a lighter and slimmer version which can move forward faster,” said Interior Minister Petteri Orpo on Friday.

The original draft proposal would have required a Finnish citizen to earn 2600 euros net income monthly in order to bring in a spouse and two children from outside the European Union or the European Economic Area (EEA).

Orpo said that Finns were ultimately excluded from the new law due to feedback received on the draft proposal.

The tightening of family reunification requirements sparked an outcry in February, including from within the government.

Among others, Prime Minister Juha Sipilä said that extending the income limits to Finnish citizens would have been against the spirit of the law.

The income requirements for Finnish citizens and other Nordic people are going to be reevaluated.

“We wish to further assess the process, and whether there is reason to add citizens of Scandinavia to make the law fair to everyone,” Orpo said.

Sufficient income will be a requirement for approved and quota refugees, unless they apply for family reunification within three months of receipt a residence permit.

This three-month grace period would not apply to people who received so-called secondary protection asylum.