France Work Visa 2026: Routes, Salaries and Fees
France has two families of work permit for people from outside Europe. The standard one, the employee or temporary worker permit, depends on a work authorisation that your employer must win first. The other, the talent card, skips that authorisation if your salary and profile clear a set bar. This guide lays out both, with the 2026 salary thresholds, fees and deadlines published by Service-Public.fr, the French government's official information site, and France-Visas, the official visa portal, as read on 13 October 2026.
Quick answer
To work in France for more than 90 days, a non-European needs a long-stay visa, which costs €99. On the standard route your employer must first obtain a work authorisation, normally after advertising the job for 3 consecutive weeks. The talent card needs no work authorisation: a qualified employee must earn at least €39,582 gross a year, and the talent EU Blue Card requires €59,373. A talent card costs €350 and can run for up to 4 years. Decisions on visa applications usually take 15 days and can be extended to 45.
Who needs a work visa
Citizens of the European Union, the European Economic Area, Switzerland, Andorra, Monaco, San Marino and the Vatican may stay in France for longer than 90 days without a visa. Everyone else must apply in advance for a long-stay visa for any stay exceeding 90 days. France-Visas is explicit that, for long stays, your nationality does not exempt you. Algerian nationals follow separate rules that this guide does not cover.
The routes compared
| Permit | Main condition | Work authorisation |
|---|---|---|
| Employee (permanent contract) | A job and a work authorisation obtained by the employer | Required |
| Temporary worker (fixed-term contract) | A job and a work authorisation obtained by the employer | Required |
| Talent: qualified employee | A French degree at master's level or equivalent, a contract of more than 3 months and at least €39,582 gross a year | Not required |
| Talent: employee of an innovative company | Work linked to the company's research and development project and at least €39,582 gross a year | Not required |
| Talent: employee on assignment | Intra-group transfer, at least 3 months' seniority in the group and at least €39,582 gross a year | Not required |
| Talent: EU Blue Card | Three years of higher education or five years of comparable experience, a contract of at least 6 months and at least €59,373 gross a year | Not required |
The standard route: employee and temporary worker
If you have a permanent contract you receive an employee permit; with a fixed-term contract, a temporary worker permit. Either way the process starts with your employer.
- The employer advertises the job. The offer must have been published with the public employment service for 3 consecutive weeks within the 6 months before the application. If no valid application has been received by the end of the 3 weeks, the employer can apply.
- The employer applies for the work authorisation before you enter France. The pay cannot be below the minimum wage, the Smic, or the collective agreement rate if that is higher.
- You apply for a long-stay visa valid as a residence permit (VLS-TS) once the administration has agreed.
- You can start working as soon as you arrive in France.
- You validate the VLS-TS online within 3 months of arrival and pay a tax of €300, which is added to the visa fee.
- You apply for a residence permit at your prefecture no later than 2 months before the VLS-TS expires.
When the 3-week advertisement is not needed
- The job is on the official list of shortage occupations.
- You hold a "job search or creation of a company" residence card and the contract relates to your training or research with pay above €2,800.53.
- You obtained a master's degree or equivalent and the contract relates to your training with pay of at least €2,800.53.
Two cautions from Service-Public.fr. A work authorisation covers only the activity it was granted for, and a new one must be requested for each new employment contract. And if the administration stays silent on a work authorisation application for more than 2 months, that counts as an implied refusal.
The talent card
The talent card is a multi-year residence card for people who will work in France for at least a year. Your employer does not have to apply for a work permit and is exempt from the tax on employing a foreign worker. For the three "qualified employee" grounds the card is valid for the same period as the employment contract, up to a maximum of 4 years.
Talent: EU Blue Card
- Qualification: a diploma attesting to at least 3 years of higher education, or 5 years of professional experience of a comparable level. For professions set by decree, 3 years of experience acquired in the previous 7 years is enough.
- Contract: at least 6 months.
- Salary: at least 1.5 times the average annual gross salary, which is €59,373.00 gross a year.
- Duration: for a contract of at least 2 years, the length of the contract up to 4 years; for a shorter contract, its length plus 3 months, up to 2 years.
- Mobility: the card is also granted if you have stayed at least 1 year in another EU country with an EU Blue Card, provided you apply within one month of entering France.
Other talent grounds
| Ground | Financial condition |
|---|---|
| Business creation | At least €30,000 invested in the project and resources at least equal to the annual gross Smic, €22,404.20 |
| Direct economic investment | An investment of at least €300,000 in fixed assets in France |
| Corporate officer | Annual gross remuneration of at least 3 times the Smic, €67,212.60 |
| Researcher with a research stay agreement | A minimum remuneration threshold of €2,200 gross |
| Artist or author | Resources of at least 70% of the gross monthly Smic, €1,306.91, of which at least 51% from the artistic activity |
How to apply for a talent card from abroad
- Submit your visa application to the French consular authorities in your country of residence.
- If your stay is under 12 months, you receive a long-stay visa valid as a residence permit marked "talent", which you validate online within 3 months of arrival.
- If your stay is 1 year or more, you receive a 3-month long-stay visa marked "talent" and then apply online for the residence card within 2 months of entering France.
- When the prefecture confirms the card, you pay €350 in tax stamps: a stamp duty of €50 plus a tax of €300.
Your family
The spouse and minor children of a talent card holder can use a simplified procedure and obtain a multi-year "talent-family" residence card without going through an application for family reunification.
Applying for the visa
| Step | What France-Visas says |
|---|---|
| Passport | Issued less than 10 years ago, with at least two blank pages, valid at least 3 months beyond the expiry date of the visa applied for |
| Appointment | Allow time to obtain one. In most cases a service provider receives applicants; the consulate keeps full responsibility for decisions |
| Biometrics | One photograph and 10 fingerprints, in person. Data from a Schengen visa issued less than 59 months ago can be reused |
| Fee | €99 for a long-stay visa. Not refunded, even if the visa is refused or the application withdrawn |
| Decision | Usually 15 days, extended up to 45 days in special cases |
France-Visas adds that processing times vary with nationality, the purpose of the stay and local conditions, and that some visas require checks with other French authorities that extend the time.
What the employer pays
Outside the talent route, the employer owes a tax for hiring a foreign worker.
| Contract | Gross monthly salary | Employer tax |
|---|---|---|
| More than 3 and less than 12 months | Not more than €1,867.02 (the Smic) | €74 |
| More than 3 and less than 12 months | Between €1,867.02 and €2,800.53 | €210 |
| More than 3 and less than 12 months | Greater than €2,800.53 | €300 |
| 12 months or more | Less than €4,667.54 | 55% of gross monthly salary |
| 12 months or more | €4,667.54 or more | €2,567.15 |
Renewing and staying
If you hold a VLS-TS or a residence permit, the renewal application goes in online no earlier than 4 months and no later than 2 months before your document expires. During the life of a long-stay visa you can also travel in the rest of the Schengen Area for up to 90 days in any period of 180 days.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a French work visa cost?
The long-stay visa application fee is €99. On the employee route you then pay a €300 tax when validating the visa; a talent card costs €350 in tax stamps.
What salary do I need for a French talent visa?
At least €39,582 gross a year as a qualified employee, employee of an innovative company or employee on assignment, and at least €59,373 for the talent EU Blue Card.
Can I get a French work visa without a job offer?
The employee, temporary worker and salaried talent routes all rest on an employment contract. Talent grounds for business creation and investment rest on a project and funds instead, such as €30,000 invested in a company project.
How long does a French work visa take?
France-Visas says decisions usually take 15 days and may be extended up to 45 days in special cases. On the standard route the employer's 3-week job advertisement and the work authorisation come first.
Does my employer need to prove no local candidate was found?
On the standard route the job must be advertised for 3 consecutive weeks with the public employment service, unless it is on the shortage occupation list or another exemption applies. Talent cards need no work authorisation.
Can my family come with me to France?
The spouse and minor children of a talent card holder receive a multi-year "talent-family" card through a simplified procedure, without a family reunification application.
How long is a French talent card valid?
For the qualified employee grounds, the same period as the employment contract, up to a maximum of 4 years.
Official sources
- Service-Public.fr — Talent card: multi-year residence card (verified 1 June 2026)
- Service-Public.fr — Residence card: employee / temporary worker (verified 1 May 2026)
- Service-Public.fr — Authorisation to work for a foreign employee (verified 18 June 2026)
- France-Visas — Long-stay visa
- France-Visas — The process
- France-Visas — Frequently asked questions (visa cost and processing time)
All figures verified against the official pages above on 13 October 2026. Confirm the current salary thresholds on Service-Public.fr before you sign a contract. Information, not legal advice.