Student to Employee Status Change: Complete 2025 Guide

The student to employee status change allows foreign students who graduated in France to remain in the country to work after completing their studies.

This guide explains the different options, procedure, and documents required to successfully make your professional transition in France.

🎓 Why Change Status?

After your studies in France, your student residence permit no longer allows you to legally stay if you don't continue your education.

To work in France, you must obtain:

A Temporary Residence Authorization (APS) to search for employment
Then an employee residence permit or talent passport for sustainable professional activity

🔄 The Two Steps of Status Change

Step 1: Temporary Residence Authorization (APS)

The APS is a 12-month temporary permit (non-renewable) allowing you to:

Search for employment related to your education
Start your business
Work temporarily

Step 2: Employee Residence Permit or Talent Passport

Once you find employment, you apply for an appropriate residence permit:

Employee residence permit (if salary < 2 times minimum wage)
Talent passport "recent graduate" or "qualified employee" (if salary ≥ 2 times minimum wage)

✅ Conditions to Obtain APS

Eligible Degrees

You must have obtained at least a master's equivalent degree (bac+5) or a degree on a shortage occupation list:

Master's or grande école degree
Professional bachelor's in certain sectors (list defined by decree)

General Conditions

Have been holder of a student residence permit in France
Have validated your degree less than 4 years ago
Not represent a threat to public order

📋 Required Documents for APS

Application form for residence permit (CERFA)
Valid passport
Proof of address less than 6 months old
3 passport photos meeting standards
Student residence permit current or expired less than 3 months ago
Degree obtained in France (or certificate of success)
Proof of financial resources: bank statements, scholarship certificate, job offer

🏛️ APS Application Procedure

Step 1: Make an Appointment

Make an appointment at the prefecture or on the ANEF platform before expiration of your student residence permit (ideally 2 months before).

Step 2: Submit Application

Attend the appointment with all documents.

You will receive a receipt of application valid for 3 months, renewable.

Step 3: Collect APS

Once granted, you will receive a 12-month APS.

⏳ APS Processing Times

Average time: 1 to 3 months
The receipt allows you to stay in France during processing

💼 During APS: Job Search

With the APS, you can:

Search for employment related to your education
Work (fixed-term, permanent, temporary) without hour limitations
Start your business

⚠️ The APS is non-renewable: you have 12 months to find stable employment and apply for an employee residence permit.

📄 Transition from APS to Employee Residence Permit

Once you find employment, you must apply for a status change to employee.

Conditions

Employment contract: permanent or fixed-term of at least 12 months
Salary: at least minimum wage (for employee residence permit) or ≥ 2 times minimum wage (for talent passport)
Employment related to education (for master's graduates)
Employer must request work authorization from DREETS (formerly DIRECCTE)

Required Documents

Application form for residence permit
Valid passport
Current APS or receipt
Signed employment contract (permanent or fixed-term ≥ 12 months)
Job offer with position and compensation details
Degree certificates
Work authorization CERFA completed by employer
Employer documents: KBIS, financial statement, etc.

🏛️ Status Change to Employee Procedure

Step 1: Employer Submits Work Authorization Request

Your employer must submit a work authorization request to DREETS via the ANEF Employer platform.

Employer documents:

CERFA for introducing a foreign worker
KBIS, financial statements
Proof of financial capacity

Step 2: DREETS Review

DREETS examines:

Position relevance to the degree
Employer's capacity to hire you
Salary level

Deadline: 2 months (silence means acceptance)

Step 3: Prefecture Submission

Once authorization is obtained, you submit your residence permit application to the prefecture.

You receive a receipt authorizing work during processing.

Step 4: Residence Permit Issuance

If your application is approved, you will receive:

Employee residence permit (1 year, renewable)
Or Talent passport (4 years, renewable)

⏳ Total Status Change Timelines

APS application: 1 to 3 months
Job search: up to 12 months (APS duration)
DREETS work authorization: 2 months
Employee residence permit: 2 to 4 months

Total: between 6 months and 18 months from degree completion.

💶 Status Change Costs

APS: €75 (tax stamp)
Employee residence permit: €225
Talent passport: €200

Total: between €275 and €300.

❌ Common Reasons for Refusal

For APS

Unrecognized or ineligible degree
Application submitted too late (after student permit expiration)

For Employee Residence Permit

Non-compliant employment with degree level
Insufficient salary (< minimum wage or < talent passport threshold)
Employer in financial difficulty
Incomplete employer documents
Activity sector inconsistent with education

Appeals

You can file:

Administrative appeal to the prefect
Legal appeal to administrative court (2 months)

💡 Alternative: "Recent Graduate" Talent Passport

If you have a master's and a job offer with salary ≥ 2 times minimum wage (approximately €3,600 gross/month in 2025), you can directly apply for a talent passport.

Advantages:

4-year duration (vs 1 year for employee permit)
No need to go through APS if you already have a job offer
Simplified procedure

🤝 VisaPref Supports You

The student to employee status change is a complex procedure involving multiple administrations (prefecture, DREETS, employer).

At VisaPref, we support you to:

Assess your eligibility for APS or employee residence permit
Build a complete file (employee and employer)
Track your file with DREETS and prefecture
Maximize your chances of success

👉 Contact us for personalized support.

❓ FAQ – Student to Employee Status Change

1. Can I apply for an employee residence permit without going through APS?

Yes, if you already have a job offer before finishing your studies, you can directly apply for an employee residence permit or talent passport.

2. Can I change employers with an employee residence permit?

Yes, but you must request a new work authorization from DREETS for the new job.

3. What happens if I don't find a job during APS?

You must leave French territory at the end of APS (12 months). You cannot renew the APS.

4. Can I start my business with APS?

Yes, APS allows you to start your business. Then, you must apply for an entrepreneur/self-employed residence permit.

5. Can my spouse join me in France with APS?

Since APS is a temporary permit, your spouse cannot benefit from family reunification. They can join you once you obtain an employee residence permit or talent passport.