Effective May 2, the French government introduced more relaxed EU Blue Card rules to expand professional experience eligibility and reduce work contract durations.

Key Points:

  • Applicants with at least three years of relevant professional experience will now be eligible for the French EU Blue Card. Previous eligibility criteria required applicants to have a three-year higher education degree or five years of professional experience.
  • The work contract duration requirement has been reduced from a 12-month minimum to a six-month minimum.
  • EU Blue Card holders who have lived in member states for at least 12 months are now eligible to enter France without a separate visa.
  • EU Blue Card holders with short-term employment contracts under two years can now have a three-month validity period after their contract ends to renew their contract or look for another job.

Background Information: The EU Blue Card is a work and residence permit within the European Union for highly skilled, non-EU citizens. It allows them to live and work in an EU member state, facilitating their access to the labor market and fostering their mobility within the EU.

This alert has been provided by the BAL Global Practice Group.

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