What's changed — Meridian

In force 1 Jan 2026

Announced Residency

A2-level French required for most multi-year residence permits

From 1 January 2026, applicants for most multi-year residence permits must demonstrate A2-level French language proficiency (previously only A1 was required for some categories). The requirement rises to B1 for permanent residency and B2 for naturalisation. Talent permit holders are exempt from the A2 requirement but not from the higher thresholds for naturalisation.

Who it affects: Non-EU applicants to multi-year residence permits from 1 January 2026, except Talent permit holders.

Légifrance — French Official Legal Publication ↗ · Service-Public.fr — Official administrative portal ↗ · verified 2026-04-19

In force 16 Jun 2025

In force Visa & immigration

EU Blue Card intra-EU mobility streamlined from June 2025

Under the June 2025 decree, Blue Card holders arriving in France from another EU member state to work can begin their French employment up to 30 days before receiving their French Blue Card (short-term mobility), and transition to long-term mobility after 12 months as before. Reduces a practical friction for Blue Card holders already elsewhere in the EU.

Who it affects: EU Blue Card holders in other member states considering a move to France.

Légifrance — French Official Legal Publication ↗ · Service-Public.fr — Official administrative portal ↗ · verified 2026-04-19

In force 16 Jun 2025

In force Visa & immigration

Decree adjusts Talent salary thresholds and processing timeframes

Decree in force 16 June 2025 updated Talent permit salary thresholds and operational procedures. Talent – Qualified Employee threshold reduced from €43,243.20 to €39,582 gross per year (making the route more accessible to recent graduates). Talent – EU Blue Card threshold raised from €53,836.50 to €59,373 gross per year. Streamlined procedures introduced for EU Blue Card spouses, including simultaneous processing of the applicant and accompanying family permits.

Who it affects: Talent – Qualified Employee and EU Blue Card applicants from 16 June 2025.

Légifrance — French Official Legal Publication ↗ · Service-Public.fr — Official administrative portal ↗ · verified 2026-04-19

In force 1 Dec 2024

In force Residency

Republican Engagement Contract mandatory for first residence permits

From December 2024, applicants for a first multi-year residence permit must sign the Republican Engagement Contract, committing to respect "the principles of the Republic" (laïcité, equality, freedom of expression, etc.). Breach can ground residence-permit refusal or revocation. Criticised by civil-society organisations as introducing a vague and potentially arbitrary test.

Who it affects: All new applicants to multi-year residence permits from December 2024.

Légifrance — French Official Legal Publication ↗ · Ministère de l'Intérieur ↗ · Service-Public.fr — Official administrative portal ↗ · verified 2026-04-19

In force 1 Sept 2024

In force Residency

Exceptional regularisation for workers in shortage occupations

Law 2024-42 created a time-limited, exceptional regularisation route (admission exceptionnelle au séjour) for non-EU workers without legal status who have been employed for at least 12 months in officially-recognised shortage occupations (métiers en tension) and have been in France for at least three years. Implementing decree issued August 2024; the route runs as an experiment through end-2026.

Who it affects: Non-EU workers in irregular status employed in French shortage-occupation sectors.

Légifrance — French Official Legal Publication ↗ · Ministère de l'Intérieur ↗ · Service-Public.fr — Official administrative portal ↗ · verified 2026-04-19

In force 1 Jul 2024

In force Residency

OFII digital integration platform (Forum Réfugiés) rolled out

The French immigration and integration office (OFII) launched a new digital platform from July 2024 to manage the Contrat d'Intégration Républicaine (CIR) — the mandatory integration contract for new residents. Replaces paper-based booking and progress tracking for French-language and civic-education courses.

Who it affects: New non-EU residents subject to the CIR (most non-Talent permit holders).

OFII — Office Français de l'Immigration et de l'Intégration ↗ · Service-Public.fr — Official administrative portal ↗ · verified 2026-04-19

In force 1 Jul 2024

In force Residency

Asylum fast-track procedure expanded

Law 2024-42 expanded the scope of the accelerated asylum procedure (procédure accélérée) to include applicants from a wider set of safe countries of origin, those posing a public-order threat, and re-applications following negative first decisions. OFPRA (French asylum agency) decision timelines targeted at 15 days under this route. Contested in administrative courts; key provisions remain in force.

Who it affects: Asylum applicants from designated safe countries or under fast-track triggers.

Légifrance — French Official Legal Publication ↗ · Ministère de l'Intérieur ↗ · verified 2026-04-19

In force 1 Jul 2024

In force Residency

Family reunification income and language conditions tightened

Income conditions for family reunification were raised from the SMIC to the SMIC plus a margin indexed to household size. Language requirement for accompanying family members raised from A1 to A2. Minimum prior residence for the French-resident sponsor remains 18 months. Changes were contested by associations representing migrant families but were upheld in their core elements.

Who it affects: Non-EU residents seeking to bring family members to France.

Légifrance — French Official Legal Publication ↗ · OFII — Office Français de l'Immigration et de l'Intégration ↗ · Service-Public.fr — Official administrative portal ↗ · verified 2026-04-19

In force 15 Apr 2024

In force Visa & immigration

Talent – Medical and Pharmacy Profession (PADHUE) permit created

A new four-year multi-annual Talent permit was created specifically for non-EU doctors, dentists, midwives, and pharmacists (Praticiens à Diplôme Hors Union Européenne, PADHUE) who hold the French practice certification. Addresses structural workforce shortages in French public hospitals and regional healthcare systems. Implementing decree published 15 April 2024.

Who it affects: Non-EU medical professionals with French practice certification.

Légifrance — French Official Legal Publication ↗ · Service-Public.fr — Official administrative portal ↗ · verified 2026-04-19

In force 1 Feb 2024

In force Taxation

Impatriate tax regime (Article 155 B CGI) unchanged under 2024 reform

Despite extensive immigration-policy reforms, the French impatriate tax regime (régime des impatriés, Article 155 B of the CGI) — which exempts up to 30% of salary plus foreign-source passive income for up to eight years — remained unchanged. A significant fact for Talent permit holders weighing France against the Netherlands, Spain, or Portugal.

Who it affects: Talent permit holders and other qualified international hires considering France.

Impôts.gouv.fr — Direction Générale des Finances Publiques ↗ · Légifrance — French Official Legal Publication ↗ · verified 2026-04-19

In force 26 Jan 2024

In force Citizenship

Carte de résident residency requirement raised from 5 to 7 years

The continuous legal residence required to obtain the long-term "carte de résident" (10-year renewable permit) rose from five to seven years under Law 2024-42. Applicants must also demonstrate B1-level French (up from A2), and sign the Republican Engagement Contract committing to respecting French Republican principles. Does not affect naturalisation timelines, which remain five years of residence.

Who it affects: Non-EU long-term residents seeking the carte de résident — now a longer wait.

Légifrance — French Official Legal Publication ↗ · Service-Public.fr — Official administrative portal ↗ · verified 2026-04-19

In force 26 Jan 2024

In force Visa & immigration

Passeport Talent renamed "Talent" and restructured

The Passeport Talent residence permit was renamed "Talent" and consolidated from its previous proliferation of sub-categories into a simpler two-family structure: "skilled talent" (qualified employees, researchers, Blue Card) and "project talent" (founders of innovative projects, investors, artists). Talent permit holders remain exempt from labour-market testing and from the A2 French language requirement that applies to most multi-year residence permits from 2026.

Who it affects: Qualified professionals, researchers, and founders applying to French residence permits.

Service-Public.fr — Official administrative portal ↗ · Légifrance — French Official Legal Publication ↗ · Welcome to France (MFA) ↗ · verified 2026-04-19

In force 26 Jan 2024

In force Residency

Loi Immigration (Law 2024-42) enacted — largest reform in a decade

Law 2024-42 "pour contrôler l'immigration, améliorer l'intégration" received the Constitutional Council's partial validation on 25 January 2024 and was promulgated on 26 January 2024. The law reshaped residence-permit categories, created the Talent permit framework, strengthened integration obligations (including the Republican Engagement Contract), lengthened the carte de résident residency condition from 5 to 7 years, and introduced a dedicated residence permit for non-EU medical professionals (PADHUE).

Who it affects: All non-EU applicants to French residence permits, naturalisation, and family reunification.

Légifrance — French Official Legal Publication ↗ · Gouvernement.fr ↗ · Ministère de l'Intérieur ↗ · verified 2026-04-19

In force 1 Jan 2024

In force Taxation

Wealth tax (IFI) remains real-estate-only; no reinstatement of broader ISF

The 2024 Finance Law confirmed that the Impôt sur la Fortune Immobilière (IFI) — restricted to real-estate assets since 2018's reform of the broader Impôt de Solidarité sur la Fortune (ISF) — would continue unchanged. Political proposals through 2024–2025 to reintroduce a broader wealth tax were not adopted. Applies to households with French real-estate assets above €1.3 million.

Who it affects: Residents and non-residents with French real-estate assets above €1.3 million.

Impôts.gouv.fr — Direction Générale des Finances Publiques ↗ · Légifrance — French Official Legal Publication ↗ · verified 2026-04-19

What's changed.