A new multi-year residence permit for foreign students

On January 26th, the French National Assembly passed a law on the rights of foreigners in France. Among the new measures is the introduction of a multi-year residence permit, the duration of which is equivalent to the remaining duration of studies, up to four years. 

This multi-year residence permit will be delivered to foreign students after the expiry of their initial one-year permit. Students will only have to produce documents showing that their involvement in studies is earnest, repeating a year not being considered as a lack of earnestness anymore. Once their studies are over, foreign students who have at least a Masters level degree can obtain a non-renewable one-year provisional residence permit, that enables them to have a first work experience in France. Besides, the French legal principle of employment opposability no longer applies to students looking for work in a field where job demand outstrips supply. They no longer have to get a job in their field of study.

Foreign researchers will also take advantage of this new law, thanks to the "talent passport" measure. This permit will be delivered to researchers with the equivalent of a Masters level degree who carry out research activities or teach at university as part of a convention signed with a public or private higher education or research institution. A researcher who should be temporarily unemployed could still obtain the renewal of his/her permit, for the same duration as the one of the legal unemployment benefit.