Is your company preparing to scale in France? During this exciting time of growth, you’ll need a talented group of employees to make the move. It can be a challenge to obtain the necessary work permits for all of employees to legally work in France. Fortunately, G-P is here to guide you along the way.
Types of work visas in France
Citizens of countries in the European Union (EU) do not need a work visa to work in France, nor do those from Switzerland or countries in the European Economic Area (EEA), including Norway, Lichtenstein, and Iceland. All other employees will require permits to live and work in France.
There are several types of work visas in France, and each one has its own set of requirements. Make sure employees know which category of work visa they’ll need so that they can gather the relevant documents and ensure all qualifications are met. Here are the most relevant work permits:
- Short-term visa or visa de court séjour: The short-term work visa can authorize training assignments for up to 90 days. This visa does not allow for an extension of stay, so be sure to obtain an alternative visa if it’s possible the employee will need to stay in France for a longer time.
- Long-stay visa or VLS-TS, visa de long séjour – titre de séjour (combined visa and residence permit): Most employees will likely need this visa. It authorizes citizens of countries outside of the EU and EEA to live and work in France for longer than 3 months.
- Intra-company transfer residence permit (salarié détaché ICT): This visa applies to employees who are working in a group of companies and assigned to a subsidiary in France.
- Residence permit – employee or carte de séjour – salarié: This type of visa allows individuals to enter, live, and work in France based on a job offer from a local employer.
- EU Blue card: This is typically applicable to highly qualified third-country nationals to enter, live, and work in France. The employee will need to earn a minimum salary of 1.5 the average gross reference salary, which as of May 1, 2023, is EUR 53,836.50 gross per year. The employee will also require a university degree or at least 5 years of relevant work experience.
Requirements to obtain France work visas
The required documents for obtaining a work visa vary depending on each employee’s country of residence. Make sure employees are aware of this general list of requirements:
- Long-term visa application form
- 3 identity photographs
- Evidence of education/qualification
- CV/resume
- Birth certificate
- Tickets or detailed flight booking information from a travel agency
- An original passport or travel document
- A processing fee
Additional documents may be required, including:
- Supporting evidence of residence in France
- Medical certificate issued by the OFII (French Office for Immigration and Integration)
- Documentary evidence of means of livelihood for the length of stay in France
- Letters of reference, academic transcripts, and other supporting evidence of socio-professional situation
Application process
The employer has to begin the process of getting authorization for employees to work in France. Here are the steps of the process involved with obtaining a long-stay visa:
- Employees must sign a contract with the sponsoring company in France.
- The employer will file an application with the Labor Department or DIRECCTE.
- Once it has been approved, the National Agency for the Reception of Foreign Nationals and Migration, or OFII, will process the application.
- The OFII will inform the employer of the application’s approval and hand the information over to a consulate of France in the country where the employee currently resides.
- Employees will be contacted and asked to make an appointment online to apply for a work visa. The visa can then be picked up at the consulate. It will function as a permit for work and residence in France.
Other important considerations
Because the work visa in France is closely tied to residency status, it’s important for employment to be established before employees begin the process of obtaining a permit to move to France.
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For this particular location, G-P may offer support processing certain work visas and permits. Contact us today to assess your specific needs.