Your professional immigration
expert in France
Since 2004, we have been the leaders in professional immigration and the largest filer of immigration applications in France.
We have managed thousands of professional immigration cases and are proud to be recognised for our expertise, strict compliance with regulations, and a 99.9% acceptance rate.
Our immigration experts handle the entire immigration process for your international employees (visas, work permits, residence permits…) to make the administrative formalities as simple and fast as possible.
Our support enables you to fully comply with your obligations and efficiently manage the mandatory immigration formalities for your inbound employees in France.
We handle all professional
immigration cases to France
- All types of mobility: intra-group transfers, external recruitment, posted workers, service provision…
- All types of individuals: employees, posted workers, interns, subcontractors, family members…
Case studies in professional immigration
Change of status from student to employee
Are you looking to hire a foreign student who is about to graduate in France? You will need to apply for a change of immigration status, from student to employee.
EU Blue Card (Carte Bleue Européenne – CBE) Procedure
Part of the “Talent” immigration category (formerly “Passeport Talent”), this is an accelerated procedure for highly qualified workers.
Intra-Company Transfer (“Talent Employee on Assignment”)
Another fast-track procedure, this allows a temporary transfer of a foreign employee from one of your international subsidiaries to France.
Posted Service Provider
A sensitive status for companies, due to the principle of joint liability between the service provider and the client.
Change of Employer
In most cases, a work authorisation is granted for a specific role with a specific employer. If the employee changes jobs or employers, the new employer must apply for a new work permit. However, as is often the case in immigration matters, there are exceptions depending on the type of permit held.
Family members
Some immigration statuses allow accompanying family members to join the employee in France through a simplified and simultaneous process. For others, family members must apply separately. Note that legal status matters—marriage/PACS, minor children (requiring a DCEM), or adult children all affect the procedures.
Client testimonials
Let’s Review Your Professional Immigration Case Together
- Schedule an expert call to assess your needs
- Feasibility study and proposal of a tailored procedure
- Assignment of a dedicated contact
- Personalised quote and launch of the process, with bespoke support: full end-to-end assistance or support with specific parts of the project only
Professional immigration is constantly evolving – Stay up to date!
- Mandatory procedures to be completed
- The authorities responsible for professional immigration in France
- Immigration documents
- Immigration statuses
Discover the first podcast on international mobility trends and talent management!
- Follow our podcast and interviews
- Stay updated with the latest mobility trends
- Connect with other industry professionals
Your questions
A visa is a document issued by French consular authorities abroad, allowing its holder to enter France legally. It is affixed inside the passport.
A long-stay visa (Visa “D”) permits residence in France for more than three months.
A Visa “D” is valid for:
- Up to 3 months: in the case of recruitment for a fixed-term contract (CDD) exceeding 12 months or a permanent contract (CDI).
- Between 3 and 12 months maximum: in the case of recruitment for a fixed-term contract (CDD) of less than 12 months.
A work authorisation is a document issued by French authorities after review of the application.
It permits the holder to work in France strictly under the employment conditions for which the authorisation was granted.
The work authorisation may be a formal document, but for a “Passeport Talent” status such as yours, the Visa D followed by the residence permit serve as both the residence and work authorisation.
A residence document certifies the right to reside legally and permanently in France.
During the immigration process, the residence document takes several forms:
- Initially, the Visa “D” (valid between 3 and 12 months depending on the length of the employment contract)
- Then, a temporary residence document: a receipt or temporary residence authorisation (typically valid for 3 months)
- Finally, the residence permit, which can be valid for up to 4 years and renewable (validity depends on the length of the employment contract).
When hiring a foreign employee, the company must apply for a work authorisation. The main steps are:
- Verify whether a work authorisation is necessary based on the nationality of the candidate: only non-EU nationals require one. Foreign nationals already holding a residence permit must ensure it authorises them to perform the proposed job. Nationals of the EU, EEA, and Switzerland do not need to apply for a work authorisation.
- Submit the application file to the relevant French authority, including all necessary information and documents (employment contract, CV, diplomas, possibly proof of labour market testing, passport, civil status documents, etc.).
- Pay a fee to the French Office for Immigration and Integration (OFII), the amount of which varies depending on the employee’s salary.
- The authorities then examine the application. The authorisation is generally granted within two months.
If the employee resides abroad, they may then obtain a visa at the French consulate.
Once in France, the employee may need to undergo a medical examination and, in all cases, must apply for a residence permit.