A proposal to regularize foreign workers in key sectors faces challenges after a failed experimental program yielded far fewer results than expected.
Proposal aims to regularize foreign workers
A proposal by Céline Hervieu, a socialist deputy, seeks to regularize foreigners working in essential or tension-filled professions. The proposal was submitted to the National Assembly on October 4 and follows an experimental program that began two years ago.Experimental program has limited success
The experimental program, which aimed to admit foreigners working in tension-filled professions such as agriculture, has resulted in only 1,655 regularizations. This is far below the 10,000 the government had anticipated.Critics point to program flaws
The authors of the proposal criticize the program’s implementation, citing its discretionary nature and the complex relationship between immigration and work in French law. They argue that the system requires workers to be regularized to work and to work to be regularized.New proposal outlines specific permit
The new proposal aims to create a residence permit specifically for foreigners working in essential or tension-filled professions. This permit would be a right, not an exceptional admission, and would differ from the current experimental program, which ends in December 2026.Permit conditions and duration
The proposed permit would apply to both professions with recruitment difficulties and those in essential sectors for national continuity. It would be a multiannual title, valid for up to four years, but would still require a prior work authorization.
