France | Relaxed EU Blue Card rules

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.