Migri fines issued in Finland have been imposed on six employers after authorities found that they had employed third-country nationals who did not have a legal right to remain in the country. The penalties were issued during summer 2026, with the largest reaching EUR 30,000 against a construction company that authorities said continued the practice despite earlier intervention.
The Finnish Immigration Service, Migri, can impose financial penalties on employers that hire third-country nationals who are staying in Finland without a valid legal basis. The decisions announced during the summer have not yet become legally binding.
Under the Employment Contracts Act, employer penalties can range from EUR 1,250 to EUR 37,530. In some cases, employers may also be responsible for costs associated with returning an employee who has been staying in Finland illegally.
“The purpose of the penalty is to reduce the attractiveness of illegal immigration and undeclared work,” Tuuli Huhtilainen, process owner for employed person residence permits at Migri, said in the agency’s statement.
When deciding the amount of a penalty, Migri considers several factors. These include whether the employer acted intentionally, whether the conduct was repeated and how many people without legal residence status were employed.
Migri investigated 10 reports of suspected illegal employment and decided to impose penalties in seven cases. Two of those cases concerned the same employer, meaning six different employers were ultimately subject to penalties.
The cases came to the authorities through reports from the police, the Finnish Supervisory Agency and Migri’s own residence permit processing operations. Employers are given an opportunity to respond to the allegations before Migri makes a final decision.
The largest penalty, EUR 30,000, was imposed on a company in the building construction sector. Migri said at least four people who were staying in Finland illegally had worked for the company over a period of several years.
According to the immigration service, the company continued employing people in the situation despite warnings from authorities and a previous police fine. The repeated nature of the conduct was among the factors considered when determining the penalty.
A food manufacturing company received the second-largest penalty of EUR 10,000 after employing two people who did not have a legal right to remain in Finland. Migri said the two had worked for the company for three years.
Both employees had valid residence permits when they originally started working for the company. Migri considered this a factor when assessing the level of the penalty, resulting in a lower amount than might otherwise have been imposed.
Three other employers were each fined EUR 5,000. Two of the companies operate in food and beverage services, while the third works in the construction of ships and floating structures.
Migri did not identify any of the employers involved in the cases.
The decisions illustrate that employers can face financial consequences when they continue employing third-country nationals who no longer have a legal right to remain in Finland. The size of a penalty depends on the circumstances of each case, including the employer’s conduct, the duration and repetition of the violations and the number of people involved.
Because the decisions have not yet gained legal force, the cases remain subject to the applicable legal process.
