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17.06.2025 15:02

PAM’s Rönni-Sällinen about courier residence permit issue: Wolt can solve it

Residence permits for couriers based on entrepreneurship are at risk. According to a Supreme Administrative Court ruling, work for Wolt has been work by employees.

YLE has reported today, that dozens of couriers may be deported, because Migri doesn’t issue residence permits for entrepreneurs to couriers working for Wolt. This is based on the Supreme Administrative Court’s ruling a month ago. The court determined that food courier work meets the criteria of employment relationship. That means couriers are working as employees and not as independent entrepreneurs.

ELY Centres review the business activity of those seeking residence permit for entrepreneurs. Now the ELY Centre states in YLE’s article, that the residence permit for entrepreneur cannot be issued if the person is not an entrepreneur. The Finnish Immigration Service Migri decides on application for an extended permit based on the binding partial decision by the ELY Centre.

—Wolt should now take responsibility, act in accordance with the court’s decision and make employment contracts with its couriers. The Supreme Administrative Court’s decision is binding and should be followed, says Annika Rönni-Sällinen, President of Service Union United PAM.

An person in an employment relationship can apply for residence permit for an employed person. The application requires the employer – in this case Wolt – to fill in the terms of employment.

The Court’s decision does not automatically change courier’s contracts with Wolt to employment relationships, which means Wolt needs to abide by the ruling. In YLE’s article, Wolt says it is still going through the court’s decision. PAM has been in touch with Wolt previously but not gotten responses to queries.

—It is unreasonable, that people who have worked for Wolt are now in a situation where they risk losing their residence permit, even though their work has continued as before, says Rönni-Sällinen.

Based on the Supreme Administrative Court’s decision, there is now serious interference by authorities in individual people’s lives.

—We hope authorities now try to find a humane solution. The legal status of couriers has been unclear for years, but still residence permits have been issued based on entrepreneurship, says Rönni-Sällinen.

What should I do if my residence permit is at risk?

If you as courier currently have a pending application for residence permit for entrepreneurs based on work for Wolt, and Migri asks you for more information, you can:

  • ask for extra time, and
  • explain, that Wolt has not changed your contract into an employment relationship.

If you are a member of PAM, you can contact our employment helpline.

Keywords:

immigration legislation Platform economy

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