Finland raises maximum age for reservists to 65

Finland will raise the maximum age for military reservists to 65 years starting in 2026, the Ministry of Defence said on December 22.

According to the Finnish government, the legislative amendment, approved by President Alexander Stubb, will extend the liability for military service by 15 years for rank-and-file personnel and by five years for officers and non-commissioned officers. 

Those in the reserve will remain until the end of the year they turn 65, regardless of rank. Officers with the rank of colonel or captain or higher will continue to serve in the reserve as long as they are fit for military service.

“This will give the Finnish Defence Forces and the Finnish Border Guard a wider range of options of assigning persons to key positions during emergencies regardless of their military rank,” the ministry said.

Minister of Defence Antti Häkkänen said: “There will be a five-year transition period during which the number of reservists will grow by 125,000. The number of Finnish reservists will be around one million in 2031. This and our other measures to bolster our defence signal that Finland ensures its security now and in the future.”

The amendment, part of Prime Minister Petteri Orpo’s government programme, will affect only a limited group of reservists. Only those assigned wartime tasks may be ordered to attend refresher training. There will be no upper age limit for voluntary national defence participation.

The change will enter into force on January 1, 2026, and the 65-year age limit will only apply to those liable for military service at that time. The Non-Military Service Act will be amended in the same way as the Conscription Act.

By Aghakazim Guliyev