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Starting March 2, 2027, Finland will require naturalization applicants aged 18 to 65 to pass a civic knowledge test on Finnish society, according to public broadcaster Yle and the Finnish Immigration Service.
The requirement will apply exclusively to citizenship applications submitted after the effective date.
Administered electronically in either Finnish or Swedish, the exam will assess applicants' understanding of fundamental social principles, national legislation, human rights, equality standards, and Finnish history and culture. Individuals who have completed vocational or higher education in Finland in Finnish or Swedish will be exempt from the exam. The government has allocated €800,000 to fund the system's development.
According to the Minister of the Interior, future reforms under consideration include extending the required residency period from 4 to 6 years, establishing mandatory language proficiency verification, and requiring a minimum of two years of domestic work experience.
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Facing a record drop in fertility rates, Singapore is significantly expanding its family support framework. According to Bloomberg, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong announced increases in direct financial assistance alongside enhanced housing benefits for young families.
Under the updated policy, every Singaporean child up to the age of 17 will be eligible to receive up to 70,000 Singapore dollars (approximately $55,000 USD) in total support, which includes cash payouts, educational grants, and related benefits. The government is also expanding paid parental leave and capping monthly out-of-pocket costs for government-subsidized childcare at 150 Singapore dollars.
These interventions aim to reverse a severe demographic decline, marked by last year's fertility rate drop to 0.87 children per woman, while over 20% of the country's population is currently aged 65 or older.
Blitz