Highly skilled employees: “Talent – European Union Blue Card”
Date of update
Nationals of a non-Member State of the European Union, the European Economic Area or Switzerland who wish to work and settle for more than three months in France must apply for a residence permit.
Specific requirements apply to Algerian citizens.
Various categories of employees holding an employment contract with an employer established in France may be eligible for a multi-year “Talent” residence permit.
This applies in particular to employees in highly qualified positions who are eligible for the “Talent – European Union Blue Card” residence permit.
Eligibility
Foreign employees can obtain a multi-year “Talent” residence permit if they meet the eligibility criteria specific to the reason for their stay in France.
To be eligible, foreign employees must provide evidence of the following:
- A permanent employment contract or a fixed-term employment contract for at least 6 months with an employer established in France.
- A qualification awarded on completion of at least 3 years’ higher education or documents providing evidence of 5 years’ commensurate professional experience.
- Gross annual pay of at least 1.5 times the average annual gross salary set by decree, i.e. €53,836.50 as of May 1, 2023.
Helpful tip : Holders of a European Union Blue Card granted by another EU Member State, provided they lived there for at least 12 months, may be issued with this type of residence permit if they apply within one month of entering France. This period of residence is brought down to six months from the second mobility in a EU Member State.
The multi-year “Talent” residence permit is equivalent to a work permit.
Authorised length of stay
The duration of residence is equal to the duration of the employment contract, up to a maximum of 4 years when the contract is concluded for a period of at least 2 years.
When the duration of the work contract is less than 2 years, the multi-annual residence permit marked “Talent-European Blue Card” is issued for a period at least equivalent to the duration of the work contract plus three months, up to a maximum of two years.
Helpful tip: If the planned length of stay is less than a year, foreign employees can apply for a long-stay visa equivalent to a residence permit (‘VLS-TS’) marked “Talent“. The VLS-TS must be validated directly online upon arrival in France via the dedicated platform.
This is valid for up to 12 months. If foreign nationals wish to stay in France beyond this period, they may apply for a “Talent” residence permit.
Procedure
Steps
Living outside France
Applicants living outside France should apply to the French consular authorities in their usual place of residence.
The application for a “Talent” long-stay visa authorising entry into French territory for the foreign employee is initiated on the official France-visas website.
The procedure should be initiated no earlier than three months before the date of arrival in France.
Upon arrival in France, this visa entitles the holder to work immediately.
Once in France, the foreign talent must apply upon arrival for the relevant “Talent” residence permit on the dedicated platform in order to finalise the application for the residence permit.
Once the application is validated by the Prefecture via the platform, the foreign talent will receive a certificate of approval which will be equivalent to a residence permit until the talent goes to the appointment at the Prefecture to get the definitive residence permit.
Between the application and the delivery of the residence permit, the foreign talent can check the status of his or her application on his or her online account, answer to any request to complete his or her file, and check the decisions made.
Already living in France
If applicants are already living in France under a different type of residence permit, they will have to apply for a change of status on the dedicated website. They will be asked to prove their eligibility for the desired residence permit.
The procedure should be initiated between 4 and 2 months before the previous residence permit expires.
Between the application and the delivery of the residence permit, the foreign talent can check the status of his or her application on his or her online account, answer to any request to complete his or her file, and check the decisions made.
Documents required
Applicants can obtain a list of exactly which documents are required for a residence permit application from the authority responsible for handling the application and on France-visas.gouv.fr.
As an indication, we provide a list of documents that must be submitted with an application for a “Talent – European Union Blue Card“.
Cost of the residence permit
Applicants must pay a tax of €200 when the permit is issued. In addition to this tax, stamp duty of €25 is also charged on residence permits. The payment of the Tax and the stamp can be submitted online.
In addition to this administrative cost of €225, the long-stay visa authorizing entry into France costs €99.
Extending the stay
Renewal
Renewal applications must be submitted in the three months before the residence permit expires on the dedicated website.
Applicants must produce documents showing that they continue to meet the conditions of issuance of their permit as well as a certificate of activity from their employer or a certificate of professional activity for the last 12 months uploaded by the employee to the website mesdroitssociaux.gouv.fr.
Administrative cost: €225
Change of status
In the event of a change in the professional situation of the talent, a change of status may be considered 3 months before the expiration of the residence permit in the case of an application for a “Talent” residence permit on the dedicated platform or two months for any other type of residence permits at the Prefecture of his or her place of residence. It will be necessary to meet the eligibility requirements of the new residence permit requested.
Residence card
At the end of 5 years of legal and uninterrupted residence in France, workers in this category may apply for the resident card entitling the bearer to reside on French soil and engage in any professional activity (provide they hold the necessary diplomas, if working in a regulated professions).
Residence cards are issued for 10 years, on a renewable basis.
A residence card marked “Long-term resident – EU” may also be issued to a foreign national who has held a multi-annual residence card marked “Talent – EU Blue Card” for two years and who has stayed legally and continuously in France or another EU Member State for at least three years prior to this period under the following status:
- An “EU Blue Card”.
- A national residence permit issued to foreign nationals in highly qualified employment.
- A residence permit marked “Researcher”.
- A residence permit issued to foreign nationals with refugee status or subsidiary protection.
Accompanying family
The spouse and dependent minor children of the holder of a “Talent” residence permit have accompanying family status.
The spouse should apply, and will be issued with a “Talent – Family” residence permit. This permit authorizes the family to stay and undertake any paid employment in France as long as the foreign employee’s residence permit is valid.
Administrative cost: €225 for the spouse’s residence permit and €99 per visa issued to each member of the accompanying family.