Country Update 2026: FRANCE

Contributed by: Fanny Laredo (Karl Waheed Avocats)

May 2026

1. Legislative Changes

Stricter integration requirements - Civic exam and proficiency in the French language

As of January 1, 2026, new integration requirements under the Immigration Act of January 26, 2024, are now in effect. Applicants must now fulfill two separate obligations: passing a civic exam and demonstrating French language proficiency through a recognized test or diploma.

The civic exam is now mandatory for people applying for long-term residence permits (4 or 10 years), as well as for all naturalization applications. The decrees of December 22, 2025, set the required French levels: A2 for multi-year residence permits, B1 for 10-year residence permits (“carte de résident”), and B2 for naturalization.

Civic exam

The civic exam aims to test candidates’ understanding of the fundamentals of French society. It covers the values and principles of the Republic, the functioning of institutions, rights and duties, and key aspects of French history, culture, and daily life. Passing the exam results in an official certificate proving the applicant’s civic integration.

Exemptions:

• Beneficiaries of international protection (UK citizens, Algerian citizens are exempted);

• Family members of European Union nationals;

• Persons born in France who have resided there for at least eight years;

• Foreigners who are ill

• Persons over the age of sixty-five.

21 May 2025, publication of a new list of occupations in shortage, significantly expanding the occupations for which work permit applications will not require prior posting of a job offer for at least three weeks with France Travail, the French unemployment agency.

It will not be necessary to demonstrate that no job seeker already authorized to work could fill the position for the work permit application to be considered.

A list expanded to include new fields

New professions are included, such as home helpers, housekeepers, nursing assistants, cooks, hotel employees, and nurses in the Paris/Ile-de-France region.

The list thus better addresses the recruitment challenges encountered in these fields, by making the preparation of the work permit applications faster and by avoiding the risk of refusal based on the job market test.

Also to be noted, undocumented workers already employed in a position included on this new list may apply for a residence permit as a 'temporary worker' or 'employee' (provided they also meet other conditions such as duration of presence in France).

2. Business Immigration

Law #2025-391, that contains various provisions aiming at adapting European Union law into national law, was published in the Official Journal on the 2nd of May 2, 2025. Article 40 of this law finally proceeds with the transposition of EU Directive 2021/1883.

Eligibility criteria relaxed

The "Talent – ​​European Blue Card" status becomes available with a fixed-term contract of at least six months, rather than 12 months as was previously the case.

Relaxation of the criteria for obtaining the “Talent-European Blue Card” permit within the framework of intra-European mobility

Until today, holders of a “European Blue Card” status in another European Union country for at least 18 months could apply for the “Talent-European Blue Card” residence permit upon arrival in France, without first obtaining a French long-stay visa.

With the new law, this period is reduced from 18 months to 12 months, and even to 6 months for the second mobility within a European Union member state.

Relaxation of the issuance of the “EU long-term resident card”

The “EU long-term resident card” may be issued to holders of a “Talent-European Blue Card” residence permit who have resided in France for only two years, if they have spent at least three years in France or in another European Union state under a “European Blue Card,” “Skilled Employee Talent,” “Researcher,” or “Refugee/Subsidiary Protection Status” permit.

Finally, in addition to the above listed relaxations, the law provides for new grounds for refusing the issuance of the "European Blue Card Talent" related to employer obligations

The issuance of the "European Blue Card Talent" visa or residence permit may be refused if the employing company was created or operates for the primary purpose of facilitating the entry of third-country nationals. Refusal may also be issued if the employer has failed to meet its legal obligations regarding social security, taxation, workers' rights, or working conditions, or if it has been convicted of illegal employment.

Decree of August 21, 2025: European Blue Card:

Article 1 of this new decree specifies that “the amount of the average annual gross reference salary (..) amounts to 39,582 Euros.

The salary threshold for an application for a “talent – european blue card” residence permit must be at least 1.5 times the average annual gross reference salary set by the present decree, i.e 59 373 euros.   The publication of this decree leads to a significant change in terms of salary, as it was previously €53,836.50, so an increase of €5,536.50 gross per year.

For individuals who already hold "European Blue Card" residence permits, and whose salary is now below the new threshold,  compliance with the new threshold will only be required at the next residence permit renewal application.

Decree on 13 June, 2025:

–      “Entrepreneur/liberal profession”: opinion from the foreign labor platform required

It is now necessary to seek the opinion of the foreign labor platform on the economic viability of the project, in order to obtain an “entrepreneur/liberal profession” residence permit. This requirement is no longer limited to commercial, industrial or craft activities only.

–      “Talent - Medical and Pharmacy Profession” status: salary threshold implemented

The salary threshold for this status has finally been set. To qualify for the "Talent in the Medical and Pharmacy Profession" title, the gross annual salary must be at least equal to the second level of the salary scale for associate practitioners, i.e €41 386.48 per year (as of 1st July, 2023).

3. Family based immigration

Expanded criteria for automatic renewal of “Talent-Family” status: article L421-22 of the CESEDA (Code of entry and residence of foreigners and the right to asylum) states that the renewal of the “Talent-Family” residence permit is automatic, after five years of residence in France under this status.

From now on, the “Talent-Famille” residence permit is also automatically renewed, provided that there have been 5 years of legal and uninterrupted residence in the EU as a family member of a foreigner holding a “European Blue Card” permit, the last 2 years of which were spent in France.

4. Asylum

Relative decline in asylum applications.

After several years of strong growth, asylum applications declined slightly:

• 116,476 asylum applications were registered through the system in 2025,

• epresenting a decrease of about 10% in first-time applications and 3.7% overall.

The main asylum-seeker nationalities in 2025 included:

• Ukrainians,

• Congolese,

• Afghans,

• while Haitians accounted for a significant share of repeat applications.

At the same time, the number of people granted protection increased: asylum approvals rose by about 12%.

5. Citizenship

Naturalizations remained relatively stable but the processing times are longer (it depends on the district but in the 92 (Hauts-de-Seine) or 93 (Seine-Saint-Denis), it can take up to 4 years.

Around 62,000 people acquired French nationality in 2025.

As of January 1, 2026, the required French level is B2 for naturalization.

A civic exam is also mandatory since this date. It aims to test candidates’ understanding of the fundamentals of French society. It covers the values and principles of the Republic, the functioning of institutions, rights and duties, and key aspects of French history, culture, and daily life. Passing the exam results in an official certificate proving the applicant’s civic integration.