France has introduced more lenient rules for applicants for the EU Blue Card in order to attract more highly skilled foreign workers and help various sectors of the economy cope with labor shortages, according to Schengen.News.
The new rules came into force on May 2, 2025.
What are the changes?
- 3 years of relevant professional experience is now enough to apply for a Blue Card in France. Previously, you had to have a university degree or 5 years of professional experience. From now on, a six-month employment contract is enough for applicants, and not an annual one, as before.However, according to experts, the impact of this change will not be significant, since highly qualified workers in France are usually hired on a permanent basis.
- Holders of an EU Blue Card (issued outside France) who have lived in another EU member state for at least 12 months can now enter France without a separate visa. Previously, you had to live at least 18 months.
- In cases where the term of the employment contract is less than two years, the validity period of the EU Blue Card will be three months longer than the term of the contract.This will allow foreign workers to retain the right to live and work in France when renewing their contract or looking for a new job.
Source: Schengen.News
