In an interview aired on 30 May 2026, Justice Minister Gérald Darmanin said he would back a “three-year moratorium” on new family-reunification visas, arguing that France must “take a breath” and curb inflows while it overhauls asylum and integration systems. The proposal – which would require parliamentary approval – would halt the main legal channel through which spouses and children join non-EU residents in France. Between 2000 and 2023, an average 11,000 residence permits per year were issued for regroupement familial. Darmanin’s remarks sparked instant debate. Business groups warned a blanket freeze could deter global talent who weigh the ability to bring families when choosing assignments. The French Tech Visa and EU Blue Card schemes, prized by start-ups and multinationals alike, both assume family unity. “Relocation packages will be harder to sell if partners must stay behind for three years,” said one HR director at a U.S. semiconductor plant in Grenoble. Supporters, including several MPs from the Rassemblement National, say the pause is needed to “restore public confidence” and focus resources on deporting irregular migrants. Left-wing lawmakers counter that France faces a demographic crunch and labour shortages in health care, hospitality and construction that immigration can help fill. Legal scholars note that a suspension could face constitutional hurdles: France’s Conseil d’État has repeatedly affirmed the right to private and family life under Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights. Any law would therefore need tightly defined exceptions (for example, for minors or humanitarian cases) to survive judicial review. Companies relying on intra-EU mobility should watch the legislative timetable. If a bill is tabled, HR teams may wish to accelerate dependent-visa filings before any cut-off date. They should also prepare contingency plans such as commuter assignments or extended rotational trips, which carry their own tax and social-security implications.
Source: LINFO.re
