ExpatBriefing: France Urged To Do More To Support Immigration

By Hans Esser, for ExpatBriefing.com 03 January, 2018

A new report from the OECD says France's work permit system is unnecessarily complex, with regional disparities, and there is not enough transparency for employers.

The report is intended to review the efficacy of France's current immigration policies. It says that only 16 percent of newcomers come from outside the European Union, a figure that is low by international standards.

While France was encouraged to improve its policies to make it easier for non-residents from outside the EU to emigrate to the country, it was noted that France has one of the highest levels in the OECD of foreign students looking to remain in the country after completing their studies.

According to the OECD, the recently introduced "passeport talent system" has improved France's attractiveness internationally for prospective foreign investors and start-ups.

Overall, the report suggested modernization of the current system to attract more foreign talent. While commending France's appeal to foreign students, the OECD recommended that extra guidance should be offered to further improve their integration into the labor market. Also, the list of "shortage" occupations that are given more flexibility has not been updated since its introduction in 2008, the OECD noted, with just 15 percent of the listed occupations still being in high demand.

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