France has introduced new immigration rules allowing eligible foreign workers who lose their jobs to remain in the country for up to six months while searching for new employment.
The reforms also shorten residence permit processing times and ease mobility requirements for skilled foreign professionals relocating to France from other European Union countries.
According to a report by The Economic Times, the changes affect temporary workers, EU Blue Card holders and other categories of foreign nationals legally employed in France.
The measures form part of France’s implementation of revised European Union Blue Card and Single Permit Directives, which seek to improve employment mobility and strengthen residence rights for non-EU nationals.
Foreign Workers Now Get up to Six Months to Find New Jobs
Under the revised rules, foreign nationals holding Temporary Worker residence permits who lose their jobs will have three months to secure new employment without immediately losing their residence status.
Previously, the termination of employment could trigger the withdrawal of their residence permits.
Workers who secure employment with another employer within the three-month period can remain in France but must obtain fresh work authorisation.
For EU Blue Card holders, the unemployment grace period has been extended to six months, providing skilled foreign professionals with additional time to find alternative employment.
Unlike temporary workers, eligible Blue Card holders who secure new jobs will not need fresh work authorisation.
The changes could provide greater employment security for Nigerians and other foreign professionals working in France under the eligible immigration categories.
France Reduces Residence Permit Processing to 90 Days
The French government has also reduced the standard processing period for most complete residence permit applications from four months to 90 days.
Immigration authorities may, however, extend the period by another 30 days where applications involve complex circumstances.
Under the new provisions, applications that receive no decision within 90 days will generally be considered implicitly refused, shortening the previous four-month waiting period.
The reforms also introduce changes to the EU Blue Card programme, making it easier for skilled professionals already working in other EU member states to relocate to France.
Foreign nationals who have held an EU Blue Card issued by another EU member state for at least 12 months can now qualify to move to France for employment, compared with the previous requirement of 18 months.
For employment contracts lasting less than two years, Blue Cards will be issued for the duration of the contract plus an additional three months, subject to a maximum validity of two years.
