A group of 16 Socialist and allied deputies tabled a bill in the National Assembly on 6 October, published on 14 October, that would overhaul France’s two-year-old regularisation scheme for foreign workers employed in so-called “métiers en tension” (hard-to-fill jobs). The current mechanism, introduced in January 2024, allows undocumented migrants who can prove 12 months of pay slips in a listed occupation to apply for a one-year ‘salarié’ card. Fewer than 1 700 people have benefitted—far short of the 10 000 anticipated—which MPs say proves that discretionary prefectural authority and fear of an OQTF (deportation order) are stifling uptake. Under the proposed law, eligible workers would instead acquire a residence permit “travailleur dans un métier essentiel ou en tension” issued as of right for up to four years. The card would also be exempt from the long-stay visa requirement, meaning individuals who entered France irregularly could regularise directly at the prefecture once they held a labour authorisation. The list of covered jobs would be expanded to include both recruitment-shortage roles and “essential” functions for the continuity of the nation. For employers, the change would remove annual renewal costs and paperwork, making it easier to plan staffing and keep critical production lines running. Multinational companies with French operations in logistics, food processing, construction and elder-care—sectors chronically short of labour—could see onboarding times shortened by several months. The government has not yet taken a position, but business federations and several centrist MPs have signalled cautious support, noting that a multi-year card aligns the talent-shortage response with France’s flagship ‘Passeport Talent’ scheme for high-skilled staff. If the text progresses, HR mobility teams should review internal sponsorship policies to capture the opportunity and ensure compliance with the still-required work-authorisation step.
Source: TSA-Algérie
