Working in France: How to get a France work visa

There are many qualified and skilled individuals in diverse areas of engineering, arts, and media who are drawn to Europe to land a career. When it comes to France, their opportunities are really high as the major industries in the country are telecommunications, automobiles, fashion, finance, and media.

France in particular exhibits so many best features of the European economy and work culture. The minimum wage in France is one of the highest in Europe. Besides that, there’s a priority given to work-life balance, a 35-hour workweek, and the opportunity to take annual leave to attend training to develop skills or work on hobbies.

Here, we will see how to get France work visa which will land you in a position to live and work in France and build a promising career. Besides, work experience in France will be a great addition to your work history.

Basics of working in France for non-EU expats

The type of French work permit you go for depends on how your employment is arranged in France. Also, the French work permit is tied to your residence status in France. Mostly you will need a job in France before you apply for a French work permit.

The scenario for working in France will be any of the following for you:

Working for less than 90 days in France

In this case, your employer in France will have to get you a temporary work permit. This permit is issued by DIRECCTE, the French Ministry of Labor. If you are arriving in France as a researcher, scientist, or teacher, you will need a convention d’accueil authorized with a stamp by the local prefecture (I.e., French local authority or admin office).

This authorization is then taken to the French embassy where you apply for your visa.

To work in France for under 90 days, you will need a short-stay work visa. If you are an Australian citizen, you will be among other nationals who won’t need a visa to enter France.

It’s up to you to ensure that your employer in France gets a work permit that’s valid for you while you travel to France.

Working for more than 90 days in France

This is when you need a long-stay work visa, which will also be your residence permit. After drawing a work contract with you, your employer forwards it to the French Ministry of Labor’s local division. If the DIRRECTE gives its approval to the contract, it’s then sent to OFII for approval.

Once OFII approves the contract, it gets forwarded to the French embassy in your home country. That’s when you will receive an intimation to visit the embassy in person in order to apply for a long-stay visa along with all necessary documentation.

After you arrive in France, you must register with the OFII.

Types of France work visa

There are many types of France work visa, from which you can choose a suitable one for yourself. These visa types include:

The Talent Passport permit

This work permit is suitable for:

• skilled recent graduates
• employees on a mission with a French work contract
• economic or financial investors
• a person nationally or internationally renowned in literature, science, arts, sports, education, etc.
• employees of an innovative company
• scientists/researchers
• company representatives
• highly-skilled workers (holders of EU Blue Card)
• champions of an innovative economic project
• artist/performers

Employed/salaried and temporary workers’ permit

Once you complete 18 months on a long-stay residence permit as a temporary worker or an employee, you can apply to bring your family to France.

Highly-skilled/educated workers with EU Blue Card

This is a 1 to 3-year residence/work permit for highly skilled workers.

Employees on assignment permit

You are eligible for this permit if all of these criteria are met with:

• You have been working in France for at least 3 months in a company outside France.
• You are seconded to one of the companies of your employer with its base in France or another company in the same group.
• You will be earning 1.8 times the minimum wage

This is a renewable visa that has an original validity of 3 years. Your spouse can arrive in France and can get employed in France after being in France for a period of 6 months and has a permit namely vie privée et familiale as well.

Exceptional economic contribution permit

It’s a residence permit for foreign investors who

• invest large sums of money or
• have plans to create more than 50 jobs.

Besides these, students and graduates can come to France as interns or on a researchers/scientists permit.

Under a Seasonal Workers Permit, a 3-year residence permit is available if you are employed in France with a seasonal contract that lasts more than 3 months. This residence permit is renewable for 3-year periods.

You can also work as au pairs in France.

We are glad we shared all these details about France work visa with you. We understand that you want to work overseas in France and are looking for the best guidance available. Y-Axis, Y-Axis, the World’s No.1 immigration & visa company, is your perfect partner and guide in going through the migration process to European countries and other world-famous destinations for work, travel, and studies. Click here to connect with us.

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