Background information

The law aims to control routes of residence and combat illegal immigration and to ensure better integration of foreigners through work, language and the adhesion to the republican values. It also improves the system for the removal of foreigners representing a threat to the public order, increases sanctions for the exploitation of foreigners and reinforces control borders. It also reforms structurally the asylum system. The following major changes are included: * the creation of a list of jobs in demand, * introduction of an administrative fine in the case of illegal employment of foreign workers * French language training for foreign workers * reform of the “talent passport” residence permit * merger of several "talent employees" resident permits; * new talent residence permit for medical and pharmacy profession.

Content of measure

The Law No. 2024-42 of 26 January 2024 introduces a temporary residence permit for undocumented workers in sectors facing labor shortages. Eligible applicants must have:
resided in France for at least 3 continuous years,
worked for at least 12 months (cumulative) in the past 24 months in a listed shortage occupation (excluding student or seasonal contracts),
no criminal convictions,
a commitment to respect the principles of the Republic.
The application is submitted by the worker, and issuance is discretionary by the prefect. The measure is experimental until 31 December 2026.

There is no direct financial support allocated to employers or applicants under this measure. However, penalties for illegal employment have been reinforced: - up to €20,750 per undocumented worker or €8,300 if the employer pays owed wages and indemnities. * criminal fines can reach €30,000 (or up to €200,000 in cases of organized offenses), plus potential imprisonment.

Use of measure

No information.

Target groups

Workers	Businesses	Citizens
Applies to all workers	Applies to all businesses	Does not apply to citizens

Actors and funding

Actors	Funding
National government	No special funding required

Social partners

Social partners' role in designing the measure and form of involvement:

	Trade unions	Employers' organisations
Role	Consulted	Consulted
Form	Any other form of consultation, institutionalised (as stable working groups or committees) or informal	Any other form of consultation, institutionalised (as stable working groups or committees) or informal

Social partners' role in the implementation, monitoring and assessment phase:

• No involvement
• Main level of involvement: Sectoral or branch level

Involvement

There were consultations of social partners regarding the list of jobs in demand: the trade union CFDT was consulted. The government has launched consultations with social partners on the list of professions in shortage proposing to include all agricultural professions falling under four "professional families". The employers' organsiation of the hospitality and restaurant GHR demanded to have jobs in the hospitality and restaurant sector added to the list of jobs in demand as foreign workers represent approximately 20% of this sector. The new list of jobs in demand has been forwarded to the social partners, for the CGT it "does not meet expectations", and FO and the estimated that "this list is just a list of difficult jobs, apart from "surveyors".

Views and reactions

Trade union's are opposed to this measure: FO ""denounces a gas factory which aims to restrict any regularization and a measure which reinforces arbitrariness, further weakening the situation of undocumented workers." The CFDT denounces a policy of exclusion and precariousness of foreign workers. The employer's organization UMIH: requests a specific ministerial decree "like the agricultural sector, so that all essential professions in the hotel and catering industry are systematically recognized throughout metropolitan France." Also, the GHR president asked to have professions in their professions included in the list of professions in shortage as foreign labor represents 20% of the sector's workforce. All of these organizations support foreign workers and are critical of this measure. The U2P is demanding the regularization of foreign workers that worked for years in France.

Sources

• 15 November 2023: Liaisons sociales : Projet de loi immigration : FO dénonce une logique de dégradation continue des droits des étrangers (www.liaisons-sociales.fr)
• 26 January 2024: Loi n° 2024-42 du 26 janvier 2024 pour contrôler l'immigration, améliorer l'intégratio (www.legifrance.gouv.fr)
• 30 January 2024: Liaisons sociales : Immigration - l’U2P plaide pour régulariser les personnes qui travaillent depuis des années (www.liaisons-sociales.fr)
• 27 February 2024: Liaisons sociales : Ouverture d’une consultation sur l’ajout des métiers agricoles à la liste des métiers en tension (www.liaisons-sociales.fr)
• 20 June 2024: Liaisons sociales : Législatives - l’emploi des étrangers, sujet sensible dans les restaurants (www.liaisons-sociales.fr)
• 25 February 2025: Liaisons sociales : … mais ne satisfait ni la CGT ni FO (www.liaisons-sociales.fr)
• 03 March 2025: Liaisons sociales : Métiers en tension : le compte n’y est pas encore pour l’hôtellerie-restauration (www.liaisons-sociales.fr)
• 04 March 2025: Liaisons sociales : Liste des métiers en tension et circulaire Retailleau, la CFDT se montre très critique (www.liaisons-sociales.fr)