Employee Residence Permit: Complete Guide to Working in France

The residence permit with "employee" mention allows non-European foreigners to carry out salaried work in France legally and sustainably.

This comprehensive guide explains the conditions, procedure and documents required to obtain your employee residence card.

💼 What is the employee residence permit?

The temporary residence card with "employee" mention is a residence permit valid for one year, renewable, allowing you to carry out salaried work in France.

Benefits

Right to work as an employee
Legal residence in France
Access to social benefits (healthcare, family allowances, unemployment)
Family reunification possible (subject to conditions)
Access to permanent resident card after 5 years

✅ Conditions for obtaining an employee residence permit

1. Have a job offer or employment contract

You must have a firm job offer or employment contract:

CDI (Permanent Employment Contract)
CDD (Fixed-term Contract) of at least 12 months

2. Obtain work authorization

The employer must apply for work authorization from the DREETS (formerly DIRECCTE).

The authorization verifies:

The employment situation (sectors under pressure, shortage occupations)
The opposability of the employment situation (except for exemptions)
The salary level (at least equivalent to minimum wage)

3. Minimum salary

The proposed salary must be at least equal to the minimum wage (approximately €1,801 gross/month in 2025).

⚠️ To qualify for a talent passport rather than a simple employee card, the salary must be at least 2 times the minimum wage (approximately €3,602 gross/month).

4. Compliant employer

The employer must:

Be registered in France
Comply with French labor law
Demonstrate financial capacity to hire you

5. Legal entry to France

You must have entered France with a long-stay visa for work purposes, except for exceptions (status change from within France).

📋 Required documents

For the employee

Application form for residence permit (CERFA)
Valid passport
Long-stay visa or current residence permit
Proof of address less than 6 months old
3 identity photos meeting standards
Birth certificate (with certified translation if necessary)
Employment contract or job offer
Diplomas and professional qualifications
Detailed CV

For the employer (work authorization)

CERFA form for introducing a foreign worker (Cerfa form no. 15615)
Company KBIS (less than 3 months old)
Financial statements or tax return
URSSAF compliance certificate
Prior declaration of hiring (DPAE)
Proof of job posting (Pôle Emploi, for minimum 3 weeks) if the occupation is subject to opposability

🏛️ Application procedure

From abroad (initial application)

Step 1: The employer submits a work authorization application

The employer submits the complete file on the ANEF Employer platform.

Step 2: Review by DREETS

DREETS examines the application within 2 months.

Silence = acceptance: if no response after 2 months, authorization is deemed granted.

Step 3: Obtaining a long-stay visa

Once authorization is granted, you apply for a long-stay visa valid as residence permit (VLS-TS) at the French consulate in your country.

Step 4: Entry to France and validation of VLS-TS

You enter France and validate your visa on the ANEF platform within 3 months.

Step 5: Renewal as residence card

At the end of the first year, you apply for renewal as an employee residence card.

From France (status change)

If you are already in France with another permit (student, visitor, private and family life), you can apply for a status change.

Additional conditions:

Demonstrate regular presence in France
Have a legitimate reason for change (completion of studies, new family situation, etc.)

Procedure: identical to that of a first application (employer applies for work authorization + you submit permit application at prefecture).

⏳ Processing times

Work authorization (DREETS): maximum 2 months
Long-stay visa (consulate): 15 days to 3 months
Residence permit renewal (prefecture): 2 to 6 months

Total: between 3 and 11 months depending on your situation.

💶 Cost of employee residence permit

Tax stamp: €225 (first application and renewal)
- Including €75 residence tax
- And €150 stamp duty
Employer tax (for work authorization):
- €55 for a permanent contract
- €300 for a fixed-term contract of 12 months or more

🔄 Renewal of employee residence permit

Renewal is done 2 to 4 months before expiration of the permit.

Renewal conditions:

Employment contract still in effect (or new contract)
Pay slips from recent months
Employer certificate

After 3 to 5 years of holding the employee card, you can apply for a multi-year residence card (4 years) or a permanent resident card (10 years), subject to integration conditions.

❌ Common grounds for refusal

For work authorization

Opposability of employment situation: French or European job seekers are available for the position
Insufficient salary (< minimum wage)
Employer in financial difficulty
Occupation not eligible for professional immigration
Job offer not posted for 3 weeks (if occupation subject to opposability)

For residence permit

Irregular entry to France (without visa)
Threat to public order
Incomplete or fraudulent documents
Non-compliance with initial conditions (job loss, insufficient salary)

Appeals

Administrative appeal to DREETS or prefect
Legal appeal to administrative court (2 months)

🔑 Differences between employee permit and talent passport

| Criteria | Employee permit | Talent passport | |---------|---------------|------------------| | Minimum salary | Minimum wage | 2 times minimum wage (qualified employee) | | Duration | 1 year (renewable) | 4 years (renewable) | | Procedure | Via DREETS + prefecture | Directly at prefecture (for certain categories) | | Employer change | Requires new work authorization | More flexibility | | Family reunification | Possible after 18 months | Immediate |

🤝 VisaPref supports you

Obtaining an employee residence permit requires coordinating employer and administrations (DREETS, prefecture, consulate). Any error can delay or compromise your project.

At VisaPref, we support you to:

Verify your eligibility and that of your employer
Compile a complete file (employee and employer)
Track your work authorization and residence permit application
Maximize your chances of approval

👉 Contact us for personalized support.

❓ FAQ – Employee residence permit

1. Can I change employers with an employee permit?

Yes, but you must apply for a new work authorization for the new job, unless you have a permanent resident card.

2. Can my spouse work with my employee permit?

If your spouse joins you through family reunification, they will obtain a "private and family life" permit allowing them to work without additional authorization.

3. What happens if I lose my job?

Your permit remains valid until expiration, but you must find new employment before renewal, otherwise you risk refusal.

4. Can I start my own business with an employee permit?

No, the employee permit only allows salaried work. To start a business, you must apply for a status change to entrepreneur/self-employed professional.

5. After how long can I apply for French citizenship?

After 5 years of regular residence in France with an employee permit, you can apply for naturalization (subject to integration, language and financial resource conditions).