France Reduces Work Permit Restriction to 6 Months and Residence Decisions to 90 Days

~ Dr. Serah Vinodini Vilvaraj

France has introduced new immigration regulations from October 30, 2026, reducing the applicable employer-change restriction from 12 months to six months and shortening residence-permit decision deadlines. The changes also revise EU Blue Card mobility, unemployment protections and salary requirements for intra-company transfers.

France has introduced significant changes to its immigration and employment regulations, giving eligible foreign workers greater employment flexibility and establishing shorter administrative decision deadlines for residence permits.

Decree No. 2026-1001, dated October 26, 2026, was published in the French Official Journal on October 29 and came into force on October 30, 2026. The legislation amends France's Code on the Entry and Residence of Foreigners and the Right of Asylum (CESEDA) and its Labour Code. It implements provisions of the EU Single Permit Directive and the EU Blue Card framework, while introducing additional conditions for intra-company transfers.

The changes are relevant to non-EU employees working in France, highly qualified professionals considering opportunities across European Union countries, international companies transferring employees and family members of EU Blue Card holders.

 

What are the main changes to France's immigration rules?

Immigration provision	Previous position	New provision
Employer-change restriction	12 months	6 months
Residence-permit decision deadline	4 months	90 days
Extension for complex applications	Previous four-month framework	Up to 30 additional days
First EU Blue Card mobility	18 months	12 months
Subsequent EU Blue Card mobility	18 months	6 months
ICT residence permits	No equivalent salary provision under this specific rule	Annual gross reference salary requirement

 

Source: French Government, Decree No. 2026-1001.

 

Foreign workers face a shorter employer-change restriction

One of the most important changes concerns the conditions under which foreign workers can change employers. France has reduced the applicable restriction from 12 months to six months following an initial work authorisation. The amended Labour Code provision also specifies that the first renewal of a work authorisation may be refused if the employment contract was terminated within six months of hiring.

However, exceptions apply where the employee becomes involuntarily unemployed or where the employer seriously breaches the conditions of the employment relationship. This distinction matters. The new provision does not give every foreign worker unrestricted permission to change jobs after six months. The incoming employer must still satisfy the applicable work-authorisation requirements.

 

Residence-permit decisions move to a 90-day deadline

France has also reduced the standard administrative decision period for covered residence-permit applications from four months to 90 days. Prefectural authorities can extend this period by an additional 30 days for complex applications, provided the applicant is informed. The change implements the EU Single Permit Directive (EU) 2024/1233, which establishes a 90-day decision framework for complete single-permit applications.

For foreign professionals, the shorter deadline could provide greater clarity when planning employment, relocation and residence arrangements. However, the 90-day period is an administrative decision deadline, not a guarantee of visa approval or a promise that every immigration application will be completed within that period.

 

EU Blue Card holders gain greater mobility across Europe

France has also revised its EU Blue Card provisions to facilitate the movement of highly qualified professionals between EU Member States.

Previously, an EU Blue Card holder generally needed 18 months of legal residence in another Member State before qualifying for the relevant mobility route to France. Under the revised provisions, the qualifying period is reduced to 12 months for the first mobility and six months from the second mobility onwards.

France has also revised the validity period of its multi-year EU Blue Card residence permit. For employment contracts lasting at least two years, the permit can match the employment contract's duration, up to a maximum of four years. For contracts shorter than two years, its validity must cover at least the contract period plus three months, subject to a maximum of two years. These provisions are particularly relevant to highly qualified professionals who may receive employment opportunities in different European countries.

 

Foreign workers receive additional protection against unemployment

The new regulations also introduce clearer protections for foreign employees who lose their jobs involuntarily. For holders of the relevant temporary-worker residence card, France cannot withdraw the card solely because the individual becomes involuntarily unemployed for a cumulative period of up to three months during its validity.

If the worker finds another employer during this period, they are permitted to remain in France while the new work-authorisation application is being processed. The protection period can be extended by another three months where the worker has experienced specified forms of exploitation or serious unlawful working conditions. The decree also introduces additional job-search protection for EU Blue Card holders who lose employment following their employer's failure to meet legal obligations.

 

New salary requirements for intra-company transfers

France has introduced a gross annual salary threshold for certain intra-company transfer (ICT) residence permits. The requirement applies to foreign employees holding the ICT and mobile ICT categories, as well as ICT trainees and mobile ICT trainees. Applicants must earn at least the annual gross reference salary established by ministerial order. The decree does not itself specify a fixed euro amount. The applicable reference salary must therefore be established using the relevant ministerial provisions rather than an assumed salary figure.

 

UK-based companies receive a limited work-authorisation exemption

Another important provision concerns employees of companies established in the United Kingdom. Certain non-EU employees who regularly work for a UK-based employer can be exempt from obtaining a separate French work authorisation when temporarily posted to France to provide contractual services. The exemption is limited to a maximum of 12 cumulative months and applies only to designated business sectors.

Eligible employees must have worked for the same employer providing the relevant type of services for at least one year immediately before the application. They must also demonstrate at least three years of professional experience in the relevant sector, an appropriate university degree or equivalent qualification, and the professional qualifications required for the activity. This is a specific provision for qualifying contractual services, not a general exemption for all UK-based employees or foreign nationals seeking employment in France.

 

What the latest immigration statistics reveal

The regulatory changes come as France experiences contrasting trends in its immigration figures. According to the French Interior Ministry's 2025 statistics, the country issued 377,462 first residence permits to non-EU nationals, representing a 9.2% increase compared with 2024.
 

However, first residence permits issued for economic reasons declined by 13.2%, falling to 50,848. Within this category, permits issued to salaried workers fell by 12.1%, to 32,287. The overall increase in first residence permits was largely driven by humanitarian immigration, which increased by 56.8% in 2025. Economic permits represented 13.5% of all first residence permits issued during the year.
 

These figures provide important context for the new regulations. While France is introducing changes to employment mobility, residence procedures and highly qualified migration, the latest statistics show that first-time economic immigration has not followed the same upward trend as overall residence permits. For international professionals, the October reforms offer greater clarity on employment changes, administrative timelines and cross-border mobility. However, applicants must continue to meet the eligibility, employment and salary requirements applicable to their specific residence category.

 

 

FAQs

1. When did France's new immigration rules take effect?

The new provisions under Decree No. 2026-1001 took effect on October 30, 2026.

2. Can foreign workers change employers after six months in France?

The applicable employer-change restriction has been reduced from 12 months to six months. However, workers must still comply with the relevant employment and work-authorisation requirements.

3. How long does France have to decide residence-permit applications?

The standard decision deadline for covered applications is 90 days, with a possible additional 30 days for complex cases.

4. Has France reduced the EU Blue Card mobility waiting period?

Yes. The qualifying period for the first relevant mobility to France has been reduced to 12 months, and subsequent mobility can be possible after six months.

5. What happens if a foreign worker loses their job in France?

Eligible temporary-worker residence-card holders receive protection against withdrawal solely due to involuntary unemployment for up to three cumulative months. Additional protection applies in specified exploitation circumstances.

6. Do the new French immigration rules guarantee a work permit?

No. The decree changes specific employment, residence and administrative conditions. Applicants must continue to meet the eligibility requirements of their chosen immigration category.