Update on the French Migration Legislation: Changes in the Recruitment of Qualified Foreign Talents

Facilities for Foreign Health Professionals in France: Simplification of the Residence Process and New Residence Card Legislation 

French legislation (law 2024-42, 26 January 2024) has taken a significant step to simplify the access and stay of foreign health professionals in the country. This has been achieved by revising the visas and residence permits previously known as «passport-talent» and the introduction of a new residence card specifically designed for this group of workers.  

The passport-talent (now called talent-card) was a multi-year residence legislation document aimed at foreigners whose presence in France is considered an economic asset for the country. This is intended for 11 categories of applicants, including young, qualified graduates, researchers, economic investors, and artists, among others. 

To make the process more comprehensible and attractive, the law has implemented three main measures:  

Simplification of Designations: The term «passport» has been removed from the name of the document to reduce the confusion associated with this term.  

  • Unification of Categories:  
  1. Combines the three types of former talent passports used for business start-ups, innovative economic projects and direct investment into a single multiannual residence card with the designation «Talent – Project Leader» (according to the amended art. L. 421-16 of CESEDA). 
  2. It unifies the three types of former talent passports intended for young, qualified graduates, employees of innovative start-ups and mission workers into a single multiannual residence card with the designation «Talent – Qualified Employee » (according to the amended CESEDA art. L. 421-9). 
  • New Residence Card for Medical and Pharmaceutical Professionals: A specific multi-year residence card has been created for health professionals, including doctors, dental surgeons, midwives, and pharmacists, who have qualified outside the European Union. This card allows them to practise their profession in France and is valid for a maximum of 4 years. « PADHUE ») (law art. 31; CESEDA art. L. 421-13-1 new) 

To obtain this card, foreign health professionals must meet certain requirements, such as having an assignment decision, a temporary authorisation to practise or an authorisation to practise, demonstrating a level of remuneration established by decree, and signing the charter of values of the Republic and the principle of secularism.  

In short, these new measures aim to simplify and streamline the residency process for foreign health professionals, recognising their important contribution to the French health system and providing them with the necessary security to practice their profession in the country.