Moving to France for work involves more bureaucratic steps than most people expect. The type of visa or permit you need depends on your nationality, your profession, your employer, and how long you plan to stay. This guide breaks down the main options clearly — so you can identify which applies to you before starting the application process.
EU/EEA citizens: no visa required
Citizens of EU and EEA countries (plus Switzerland) have the right to live and work in France without a visa or residence permit. You can start working immediately upon arrival. However, if you plan to stay more than 3 months, you may want to register at your local mairie and obtain a certificat d’enregistrement — it is not legally required but simplifies access to banking, housing, and healthcare registration.
For healthcare, you still need to register with the CPAM to get your carte Vitale. The process is covered in the healthcare registration guide.
Non-EU citizens: the long-stay visa (VLS-TS)
Most non-EU workers enter France on a visa long séjour valant titre de séjour (VLS-TS) — a long-stay visa that functions as a temporary residence permit for the first year. You apply for it at the French consulate in your home country before arriving in France.
Key features:
- Valid for 1 year (can be renewed in France as a carte de séjour)
- Must be validated online within 3 months of arrival via the ANEF portal (anef.immigration.interieur.gouv.fr)
- Tied to a specific purpose: salarié (employee), travailleur temporaire (temporary worker), profession libérale (self-employed), etc.
Important: Failing to validate your VLS-TS online makes it invalid — even if you have the physical visa sticker in your passport. This is one of the mistakes that cause the most problems for new arrivals, detailed in common application mistakes.
The carte de séjour (residence permit)
After your first year on a VLS-TS, you must apply for a carte de séjour at the préfecture. Different types exist depending on your situation:
| Type | For whom | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Salarié | Employee with a CDI or long CDD | 1–4 years renewable |
| Travailleur temporaire | Fixed-term contract workers | Duration of contract, max 1 year |
| Profession libérale | Self-employed / freelancers | 1 year renewable |
| Vie privée et familiale | Family of French citizens or long-term residents | 1–4 years |
| Résident (10-year card) | After 5 years of legal residence | 10 years renewable |
Applications for renewal must be made before the current permit expires — ideally 2–3 months in advance. Préfecture appointment slots fill up fast. See how to book a préfecture appointment.
Passeport talent: for highly skilled workers and entrepreneurs
The passeport talent is a multi-year residence permit (up to 4 years) designed for highly qualified professionals, researchers, entrepreneurs, artists, and company executives. It is faster to obtain and more flexible than a standard salarié permit.
Who qualifies:
- Employees with a salary of at least 1.5× the SMIC (minimum wage) in a managerial or specialised role
- Researchers or academics affiliated with a French research institution
- Entrepreneurs with a viable business project validated by a French authority
- Artists, cultural figures, and athletes of international standing
- Foreign investors committing significant capital to France
The passeport talent also automatically grants work rights to the holder’s spouse (under the passeport talent — famille category) — a significant advantage over standard permits.
The working holiday visa (Vacances-Travail / PVT)
France has bilateral working holiday agreements (Programme Vacances-Travail) with about 15 countries, including Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Argentina, and Japan. This visa allows young adults (typically 18–35) to live and work in France for up to 1–2 years without a specific job offer required in advance.
It is not renewable and cannot be converted into a standard work permit. If you plan to stay longer, you need to transition to a different visa category before expiry.
The autorisation de travail: your employer’s role
For most work visas, your French employer must apply for an autorisation de travail on your behalf before you can obtain the visa. This involves a labour market test (opposabilité de la situation de l’emploi): the employer must demonstrate that no qualified EU candidate was available for the position.
Certain professions are exempt from this test — including engineering, IT, and healthcare roles currently on the shortage list. The process is managed through the OFII (Office Français de l’Immigration et de l’Intégration) and typically takes 4–8 weeks.
What to do when you arrive
Once in France on a work visa, the first administrative steps are:
- Validate your VLS-TS online within 3 months of arrival
- Register with the CPAM for healthcare coverage
- Open a French bank account (required for payroll and for CAF housing assistance)
- If applicable, start your carte de séjour application 2–3 months before your VLS-TS expires
The full first-month checklist is in the step-by-step guide to your first month in France. For those navigating this while also looking for work, the job search guide for foreigners covers the practical side of the French employment market.