Change of status: a process shortened thanks to the suppression of the OFII medical exam
In the past few months, the Ministry of Interior has implemented several measures aiming to reduce the number of visits to the Préfecture/ OFII for the foreigners, and thus to improve the welcoming conditions.
On March 12, 2015 the Ministry of Interior rolled out a new directive[i] (unpublished) addressed to all Préfecture and OFII. It removes for the foreigner asking for a change of status the obligation to undergo an OFII medical examination for a second time.
For instance, for a foreigner arrived in France as a student, and being granted with a French work permit, passing the OFII medical check again is no longer required to get the “employee” resident permit.
This reform puts an end to a costly procedure, with “virtually no benefit in terms of public health care”.
The timeframe between obtaining the work permit and collecting the “employee” resident permit will be appreciably shortened since foreigners often had to wait 1 to 2 months to get the appointment for the OFII medical examination.
The number of applications for a change of status is growing and this changeover shall further encourage potential employers.
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