Finland raises the maximum age for reservists to 65 years starting from 1 January 2026. The decision has been approved by President Alexander Stubb through a legislative amendment established on 22 December 2025, according to Finland's Ministry of Defence.
The press release states that conscripts will remain in the reserve until the end of the year they turn 65, regardless of military rank. For officers with the rank of Colonel or Commander or higher, no upper age limit is introduced, and they will continue to remain in the reserve as long as they are deemed fit for service.
The legislative amendment means that the obligation for military service is extended by 15 years for enlisted personnel and by five years for officers and non-commissioned officers. According to the Ministry of Defence, this provides the Finnish Defence Forces (Puolustusvoimat) and the Finnish Border Guard (Rajavartiolaitos) with greater opportunities to staff key positions during exceptional circumstances.
– There will be a five-year transition period during which the number of reservists will increase by 125,000. The number of Finnish reservists will be around one million by 2031. This and our other measures to strengthen defence demonstrate that Finland ensures its security now and in the future, says Finland's Minister of Defence Antti Häkkänen in the press release.
The press release also states that the legislative amendment is based on Prime Minister Petteri Orpo's government programme and that it practically affects a relatively limited group. Only reservists with assigned wartime duties can be called to refresher exercises. No upper age limit is introduced for participation in voluntary national defence activities. The Ministry of Defence states that a corresponding amendment is made to the Civil Service Act.