Latest legislative developments Home Conseil Immigration September 2025

The recent publication of Decree No. 2025-539 of June 13, 2025, relating to “Talent” residence permits, and a supplementary order of August 29, 2025, relating to the average gross annual reference salary, introduce substantial changes to “Talent” residence permits – Skilled Employee“ and ”Talent – European Blue Card,“ ”Job Search-Business Creation,“ and ”Entrepreneur and Liberal Profession" residence permits.

The decree of June 13, 2025

A decree published in the Official Journal on June 13, 2025 introduces several changes relating to residence permits granted for professional or research purposes.
This text implements certain provisions of the immigration law of January 26, 2024, and transposes into domestic law the provisions of Directive (EU) 2021/1883 of the Parliament and of the Council of October 20, 2021, on the conditions of entry and residence of third-country nationals for the purposes of highly qualified employment.

The major changes introduced by the text are as follows:

The disappearance of the term “Passeport - Talent”, the merging of grounds, and the creation of a new status:

• The name has been changed from “Talent Passport” to “Talent”.
• Several former “Talent” titles have been grouped together under simplified names: 
  • “Talent – Skilled Employee” replaces the former statuses “Skilled Employee”, “Innovative Start-up”, and “Employee on Assignment.”
  • “Talent – Project Leader” combines the former statuses (“Business Creation”, “Innovative Economic Project” and “Economic Investment”).
• New designations are planned for multi-year “Talent – European Blue Card” permits: for example, beneficiary of international protection. Long-term resident cards - EU issued to former European Blue Card holders will bear the mention “Former European Blue Card holder.”
• The creation of a new multi-year residence card with the mention “Talent - medical and pharmaceutical profession.”

Updated processing times:

• Establishment of a maximum processing time of 90 days for applications for residence permits marked “Talent - European Blue Card” and “Talent - Family.”
• Harmonization of processing times for “Talent - Family” permits with the processing of the main permit holder's application.
• For holders of a European Blue Card who are mobile: the text provides for the issuance of a provisional authorization valid for 6 months after applying for a French European Blue Card no later than 30 days after the application is submitted.
• Introduction of a 30-day deadline for holders of a “European Blue Card” from another European Union country. This deadline may be extended by 30 days if necessary.

Details regarding other statuses:

• Clarification of one of the criteria for the “Job Search-Business Creation” residence permit:  to be eligible, applicants must now have obtained their French degree within the last 12 months.
• For entrepreneur and self-employed status:
  • Introduction of a requirement to prove the economic viability of the self-employed activity for which a residence permit marked “Entrepreneur - Self-employed” is being sought.
  • Extension of the economic viability checks carried out on foreign labor platforms to cases of integration and resumption of commercial, industrial, and craft activities.

The decree of August 29, 2025

Supplementing the decree of June 13, the Minister of the Interior published a decree in the Official Journal on August 31, 2025, amending the eligibility requirements for “Talent – Skilled Worker” and “Talent – European Blue Card” status.

Previously, for the “Skilled Employee” these thresholds were calculated in relation to the minimum wage and therefore increased each time it changed.
Following the decree of June 13, they are now set by the order of August 29, 2025; this change aims to avoid overly frequent increases in the thresholds, which made these statuses difficult for young graduates to access. Many applicants were forced to apply for “Salaried Employee” or “Temporary Worker” status, which is more complex and takes longer to obtain. A significant increase can also be noted for the “Talent – European Blue Card” status. The salary required for this status had not changed since its creation in 2016.

The new thresholds are as follows:

• “Talent – Skilled Employee” status, comprising “Skilled Employee,” “Employee on assignment,” and “Employee of an innovative company” statuses: 
  • “Skilled Employee”: Reduction in the threshold from €43,243 to €39,582.
  • “Employee on assignment”: Increase in the threshold from €38,918.88 to €39,582.
  • “Employee of an innovative company”: Reduction in the threshold from €43,243 to €39,582.
• “Talent – European Blue Card” status: Increase in the threshold, now calculated on the basis of the above threshold and representing 1.5 times that amount: from €53,836.50 to €59,373.

These threshold changes are effective immediately and must be taken into account for future applications. For applications submitted prior to the publication of the decree, the latter should not have retroactive effect. For applications submitted after the decree, the latter applies. 

Our Immigration Department is available to provide further information and remains in contact with the relevant authorities regarding the status of applications initiated before the publication of these changes but submitted under the new regulations.

Sources:

https://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/jorf/id/JORFTEXT000051736256
https://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/jorf/id/JORFTEXT000052158119