🇫🇷 France — Work & Study Visas, Wages & Jobs

EU Blue CardUnconfirmed figure — verify before relying on it

Delivered as part of France's 'Passeport Talent' (Talent Passport) family. Requires an employment contract of at least 12 months matching qualifications, via either a 3+ year higher-education degree or 5 years of equivalent professional experience. No labor market test is required.
Threshold/salary: 1.5x the average gross reference salary in France = €53,836.50/year gross (figure dated 'since January 2017' on the EU Immigration Portal — needs 2026 re-verification)
Duration: 1-4 years depending on contract length; permanent contract grants a 4-year renewable permit

official source

National work visa/permitUnconfirmed figure — verify before relying on it

Temporary or permanent salaried-worker permit ('salarié'/'travailleur temporaire') — requires a work contract submitted by the employer for approval to the regional labor administration (DREETS, formerly DIRECCTE), which checks qualifications and labor-market conditions for the role.
Threshold/salary: Reported at €1,521.22/month gross, but sourced from a 2019 reference point — likely outdated and should be cross-checked against the current SMIC

official source

Job Seeker VisaUnconfirmed figure — verify before relying on it

France has a 'recherche d'emploi ou création d'entreprise' (job search or business creation) residence permit category, generally available to holders of a French Master's-level qualification and as an extension for some Talent Passport categories. Exact standalone eligibility for job-seekers arriving from abroad (without a prior French degree) could not be confirmed.

official source

Digital Nomad VisaUnconfirmed figure — verify before relying on it

Does NOT exist as a distinct product — no dedicated digital nomad visa was identified. The closest options are the Talent Passport 'Profession libérale'/self-employed categories or the standard freelance permit, which require establishing a registered activity/business in France rather than remote work for a foreign employer.

official source

Student Permit

Non-EU students need a 'student' long-stay visa equivalent to a residence permit (VLS-TS), validated online within 3 months of arrival, plus proof of funds tied to the French government scholarship maintenance-allowance rate.

official source

Post-Study Job Search Permit

Holders of a French Master's-level qualification can obtain a residence permit to stay and seek employment or start a business; the same 964-hour/year work cap that applies to students continues to apply during this period.
Duration: 12 months

official source

Researcher/PhD Permit

Implements EU Directive 2016/801 via the 'Passeport Talent - Chercheur' route, requiring a hosting agreement with a préfecture-accredited institution. Under 12 months of research gets a 1-year VLS-TS; over 12 months gets a Talent Passport extendable up to 4 years.
Duration: Up to 4 years, renewable

official source

Salarié residence card — yes

Can hold multiple jobs simultaneously without needing separate work authorization for the second job — the residence title itself is the work authorization for salaried activity generally, not tied to one named employer. Main constraint is a duty of loyalty (obligation de loyauté) toward the primary employer, a labor-law principle rather than an immigration restriction.

EU Blue Card / Passeport Talent — conditional

Combines work permit and residence permit in a single card; specific rules on Blue Card holders taking a second/side job were not found from an official French source and should be verified directly before publishing.

Take-home pay: a gross salary of €60,000 leaves about €41,149 a year (€3,429 a month, 68.6% kept) for a single employee in France — confidence: high.

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• EU Blue Card thresholds · Pensions for migrants · Work–life balance · Job-seeker visas · Skilled vs low-skilled visas