The French Senate quietly updated its legislative dossier on the bill that will allow the government to rewrite large sections of the immigration code by ordinance in order to comply with the EU’s Migration and Asylum Pact. The webpage, stamped “page mise à jour le 15 septembre 2026”, now includes new impact-assessment annexes and a timeline for secondary decrees slated for Q1 2027. Under the draft, ministries will gain powers to digitise asylum procedures, shorten appeal deadlines and create a single ‘mobility account’ for highly-skilled third-country workers, mirroring the EU Talent Pool pilot. The interior ministry says ordinances will also align data-sharing rules with EES and Eurodac, giving border police faster access to overstay alerts. Business-immigration advisers view the bill as a mixed bag. On the plus side, a proposed ‘Passeport Compétences+’ would merge seven existing residence permits into one four-year status, reducing HR paperwork. However, new sanctions—up to €100,000 for negligent posting declarations—raise compliance stakes for service providers seconding staff to France. The accelerated procedure means the text could clear parliament before year-end, after which government has six months to issue implementing orders. Companies planning 2027 relocation projects should therefore map existing permit categories against the future framework and budget for possible fee increases set out in the annex. Observers note the update signals political momentum despite a crowded pre-presidential calendar. Alignment with the EU pact is also crucial for France to continue benefiting from €650 million in Home Affairs funds earmarked for reception-capacity upgrades and digital border systems.
Source: French Senate
