Talent passport for France: requirements and salary

France's multi-year "talent" residence card (passeport talent) is the usual route for tech hires from outside the EU. Two of its categories fit most tech jobs: the EU Blue Card, and the qualified employee card for people with a French master's-level degree or a job at an innovative company.

Checked against the official sources below on 2026-10-26. Rules and thresholds change, so confirm on the official page before you apply.

  • EU Blue Card salary: €59,373 gross a year (1.5 times the average salary)
  • Qualified employee salary: €39,582 gross a year
  • Length: Up to 4 years, matching the contract
  • Fee: €350 (€50 stamp duty + €300 tax)

Visa-sponsored jobs in France

16 visa-sponsored tech jobs in France on The Stack right now, from 6 companies, the latest posted on 2026-10-22. See all visa sponsorship jobs in France

Companies sponsoring

Who qualifies

  • EU Blue Card: a diploma showing at least 3 years of higher education, or 5 years of professional experience at a comparable level in the field. For some professions set by decree, 3 years of experience in the last 7 years is enough.
  • EU Blue Card: an employment contract of at least 6 months and a gross salary of at least €59,373 a year.
  • Qualified employee: a master's-level degree obtained in France (or a level 1 diploma from a Conférence des Grandes Écoles school), an employment contract of more than 3 months and a gross salary of at least €39,582 a year.
  • The same €39,582 threshold applies if you are hired by a young innovative company, or a company the Ministry of the Economy recognises as innovative, to work on its research and development project.

How it works

  • From abroad, you apply for the visa at the French consulate in your country of residence. From inside France, you apply online on the ANEF website.
  • The card is valid for the length of the employment contract, up to 4 years. For an EU Blue Card with a contract shorter than 2 years, it is the contract plus 3 months, up to 2 years.
  • Your spouse and minor children can get a "talent-family" card through a simplified procedure, without going through family reunification.

Official sources

Visa guides for other countries