Finland offers Working Holiday residence permits to citizens of just four countries — Australia, New Zealand, Japan, and Canada — and for one of those nationalities, the process comes at no cost at all. According to Finland's Immigration Service, New Zealand citizens are entirely exempt from paying the application fee when applying for a Working Holiday residence permit. The exemption stems from a bilateral agreement on the abolition of visas concluded between Finland and New Zealand in 1973, making it one of the oldest such arrangements in the region.
What Finland Working Holiday Scheme Covers
The Working Holiday permit is designed for young people who wish to spend time in Finland combining travel with temporary work. Finland operates on a reciprocal basis, meaning only nationals from countries that hold a formal agreement with Finland are eligible. Citizens from countries outside the four listed cannot apply for a residence permit on these grounds, regardless of other qualifications.
For eligible applicants from Australia, Japan, and Canada, the electronic application carries a processing fee of €530. Those who choose to submit a paper application face a higher fee of €630. New Zealand citizens, however, are not required to pay either amount, a benefit that sets them apart from every other nationality on the list.
New Zealand's Fee Exemption Explained
The 1973 agreement between Finland and New Zealand was concluded decades before the Working Holiday framework became a common feature of bilateral immigration arrangements worldwide. Its continued relevance today means New Zealand passport holders enjoy a distinct advantage when considering Finland as a destination for a working holiday experience.
Finland's Immigration Service notes that the exemption applies specifically because of that historical agreement, and no equivalent arrangement exists with Australia, Canada, or Japan. Applicants from those three countries must budget for the standard processing fees before submitting their applications.
Legit.ng has also published residency years for foreigners who want to become Qatari citizens. Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that Australia's Department of Home Affairs outlined the residence requirement foreigners must meet before applying for citizenship. Applicants must have lived in Australia on a valid visa for a number of years before the date they apply for citizenship. The rules also specify how much time applicants are allowed to have spent outside Australia during that period.
