France proposes visa for in-demand professions amid labor shortages
France’s government unveils a ‘skilled labor shortage visa’ to ease employer hiring challenges and curb illegal work during its major immigration reform push.
The French ministers of Labor Olivier Dussopt and the Interior Gérald Darmanin revealed key elements of a new immigration bill in an interview with Le Monde published Wednesday 2 November. The draft law is scheduled for review at the National Assembly early in 2023.
Among the measures is a new “métiers en tension” residency permit for foreign workers, letting companies hire the staff they urgently need. The move aims to cut employer recruitment pain and help immigrants integrate into France through employment.
“The situation remains troubling: at the end of Q1 unemployment stood at 7.5 %, while among immigrants it hit 13 %,” observed Olivier Dussopt. “Work can only become an engine of integration and emancipation if it is available.”
The Labor minister stressed the new permit would target sectors facing severe shortages, such as construction.
The policy is also designed to reduce illegal employment by giving foreign workers legal pathways and tightening rules on employers who skirt the law. Sanctions for illicit hiring would be escalated through higher administrative fines, increased fixed penalties, and faster administrative closures. The timetable for imposing sanctions could be shortened as well.
