Lauri Metsaranta, 35, was this week committed to stand trial on one charge of dealing in the suspected proceeds of crime after he and his common-law wife were allegedly found with $899,460 at a Melbourne hotel room on February 1. He has pleaded not guilty.

The Australian Federal Police on Thursday opposed Mr Metsaranta's application to be granted bail because he had no ties to Australia and no incentive to return.

"Once he leaves the jurisdiction I have no control over the situation," Constable Edward Fraser told Melbourne Magistrates Court.

But Mr Metsaranta said he needed to return to Finland by September to avoid having to be retrained by his employer, Finnair, and faced losing his job of 12 years if he had to wait up to a year in custody before his case went to trial.

He told magistrate Ann Collins he wanted to return to Australia to defend himself and would probably lose his job if he did not come back or returned and was found guilty.

"If I don’t come back I would become a fugitive and I would lose my job," Mr Metsaranta said.

"That's why I want to come back, go through the trial and have my name cleared. If I am found guilty I will bear the responsibility."

Defence counsel Michael Gleeson said his client had been in custody for more than five months and that it would be a "huge injustice" for him to stay there to face a charge that carried a maximum penalty of three years if proven.

"There is a serious risk he will have spent more time in custody than what he would if he was found guilty and that’s should he be found guilty," he said.

The court was told there was no evidence that Mr Metsaranta knew about the money until he entered the hotel room but that his wife, also a Finnish national, and another man had pleaded guilty to charges.

Ms Collins told Mr Metsaranta his best chance of retaining his job was by returning to Finland and then coming back to Australia for trial.

She granted bail with a $100,000 surety and told the accused man he would lose that money and be declared an international fugitive if he did not meet his court dates.

Mr Metsaranta is scheduled to appear at a directions hearing at the County Court on Friday.