France: Talent – EU Blue Card, Duration and Mobility Rules Reformed

Since 30 October 2026, the Talent – EU Blue Card status in France has changed in three respects: the duration of residence permits, mobility from another Member State and the right to remain in France where the employer is in breach of its obligations, together with easier renewal for family members.

Decree No. 2026-1001 of 26 October 2026, published in the Journal officiel of 29 October, updates the rules applying to the “talent – EU Blue Card” residence permit, which is reserved for highly qualified employees.

For your HR and Mobility teams, the most sensitive point is the duration of the permit, which is now aligned with the employment contract submitted.

EU Blue Card in France: three adjustments under the decree

✅ Duration aligned with the contract. : For a contract of at least two years, the permit has the same duration as the contract, up to a maximum of four years. For shorter contracts, it is issued for the duration of the contract plus three months, up to a maximum of two years (Article 6 of the decree, R. 421-12).

✅ Easier intra-EU mobility. : The prior stay under an EU Blue Card in another Member State falls from eighteen to twelve months, then to six months from the second move onwards. Recruitments or internal moves that were blocked until now for lack of a sufficient stay in a neighbouring country become eligible immediately (Articles 7 and 8 of the decree, R. 421-21 and R. 421-22).

✅ Time to find new employment. : If the French authorities intend to refuse renewal or withdraw the permit, they must inform the employee and allow time to look for a new job. In the general case, the decree does not set a figure for this period and it is left to the discretion of the authorities. Where the employer is in breach of its obligations, it is at least six months, extended until unemployment benefit (ARE) runs out (Article 9 of the decree, R. 421-24 A).

Mobility applies to an employee who already holds an EU Blue Card issued in another Member State. Under Article R. 421-21, the French authorities notify the state of origin of their decision to admit the employee.

To frame this type of recruitment, our employer guide to the EU Blue Card sets out the conditions and the minimum salary required.

The right to remain relies on an interim document: depending on the situation, a certificate of extended processing, a temporary residence authorisation or the permit itself, any of which allows the holder to work. This rule complements Decree 2026-308 on the EU Blue Card and jobseekers.

The decree also affects families. Article 12 makes it easier to renew a family member’s permit: it disapplies the ordinary rule in Article R. 433-2 where the family member can show five years of legal, continuous residence, accumulated across several Member States under an EU Blue Card, including the last two years in France.

See the details of the Talent permit for accompanying family members.

Pending cases: three checks before your next filing

• Check the duration of the contract submitted in each case: a contract of under two years gives a shorter permit, so plan the renewal in advance.
• List the employees recruited from another Member State and review their supporting documents: 12 months under an EU Blue Card are enough for a first move, and 6 months from the second.
• Protect your processes in case of contract termination or a challenge to the permit by setting up an internal procedure. Any correspondence from the authorities should be forwarded to your Mobility team without delay, together with a copy of the receipt or interim document issued to the employee.