France Updates Salary Thresholds for Talent and EU Blue Card Permits

France has lowered and reset key pay rules for foreign professionals, with new France salary thresholds taking effect on August 29, 2025. The update sets the minimum annual gross salary at €39,582 for the Talent – Qualified Employee residence permit and €59,373 for the EU Blue Card. The Ministry of the Interior confirmed the change through a ministerial order (NOR: INTV2520646A) published in the official journal. The order applies to all new applications in mainland France, and for the EU Blue Card also in Saint Barthélemy and Saint Martin.

Officials say the move brings French policy in line with EU rules while making entry routes clearer and more competitive.

Why the change matters

The government based these levels on the national average annual gross salary, replacing older formulas that tied thresholds to the minimum wage (SMIC) or past averages. That shift matters because it:

• Provides a stable, transparent reference that is easier to verify on offer letters and payroll records.
• Lowers the bar for the Talent – Qualified Employee category by about 8%, according to analysis by VisaVerge.com, addressing employer requests to fill high-skill roles outside top pay bands.
• Anchors the EU Blue Card at 1.5× the reference salary, aligning with EU Directive 2021/1883, transposed via Decree No. 2025-539 of June 13, 2025.

The Talent – Qualified Employee threshold of €39,582 covers a range of profiles: engineers, researchers, senior managers, employees on assignment, hires by young innovative firms, and young graduates — provided degree and experience requirements under French law are met.

Officials emphasize the change is immediate for new filings and will be applied by prefectures nationwide. They also stress that compliance checks will continue: if a salary falls below the set threshold after approval, Article L.432-5 of CESEDA allows the state to withdraw the permit.

Important: New applications filed on or after August 29, 2025 must meet the revised gross annual salary thresholds.

Policy changes — quick overview

• The ministerial order repeals the 2016 thresholds and confirms the new pay floors as of August 29, 2025.
• Talent – Qualified Employee
  • Minimum: €39,582 gross per year
  • Requires: master’s level qualification or equivalent
  • Validity: up to 4 years, renewable
• EU Blue Card
  • Minimum: €59,373 gross per year
  • Requires: university degree of at least 3 years (or 5 years relevant experience)
  • Contract: employment contract valid for at least 12 months
  • Long-term: May qualify for EU long-term residence after 5 years of continuous legal stay in the EU (subject to allowed absences)

The Interior Ministry and Ministry of Overseas Territories present the measures as part of a plan to attract global talent while protecting fair labor standards. Business groups generally welcomed the drop in the qualified employee threshold; immigration lawyers advise strict record-keeping to prove pay compliance over time.

Historically, the mix of SMIC-based and older average-pay formulas made the landscape confusing and sometimes out of step with EU practice. Using the national average salary as the reference should reduce confusion: the Talent – Qualified Employee and EU Blue Card now rest on a common reference but use different multipliers and skill checks.

Impact on applicants and employers

For non-EU professionals:
– Check the employment offer against the new thresholds.
– Confirm the offer meets the required degree or experience standards.

Talent – Qualified Employee:
– Suits applicants with at least a master’s degree or comparable qualification.
– Covers employees sent by a group company and hires by start-ups designated as young innovative enterprises.

EU Blue Card:
– Best for high-level roles with salary ≥ €59,373, backed by a multi-month contract and strong academic/professional proof.
– Offers EU mobility advantages and smoother access to dependent status for families.

Practical notes:
– Workers outside France: start with a long-stay visa request, then move to the residence permit after arrival.
– Those already in France: usually file at the prefecture with contract, degree, and proof of salary.
– Blue Card holders moving from another EU state to France: apply for a French Blue Card within one month of arrival.

Processing varies by prefecture. Authorities will check:
– Job title and field of work
– Salary line (gross annual amount)
– Degree or experience required by law

Common reasons for refused or delayed filings:
– Missing transcript or diploma
– Unsigned contract copy
– Salary stated only as net instead of gross

Employers should:
– Budget for payroll charges and plan onboarding timelines around permit issuance.
– Prefer raising base pay rather than relying on variable pay if a bonus scheme risks dropping guaranteed base below the threshold.
– Keep a clear HR policy and compliance checklist, especially start-ups that adjust pay as funding shifts.

If conditions are not met after approval, the state can refuse renewal or withdraw the permit. This is particularly important for companies that change pay or role classifications.

Application steps and compliance checklist

Follow this sequence:

1. Get a qualifying offer that meets the correct pay floor.
2. Gather documents: contract, degree or experience proof, ID, and any professional licenses.
3. If outside France, apply for a long-stay visa.
4. After entry, file for the Passeport Talent – Qualified Employee or EU Blue Card at the prefecture.
5. If holding an EU Blue Card from another EU country, apply for a French Blue Card within one month of arrival.
6. Wait for review while the prefecture checks pay, duties, and qualifications.

Compliance tips:
– Keep copies of every diploma and certified translations if needed.
– Provide a clear breakdown of gross annual pay on the contract.
– If the company uses a 13-month pay system, explicitly state the annual total (including the extra month) so the officer can see a figure at or above €39,582 or €59,373.
– Attach intra-group assignment letters for employee-on-assignment cases.

Legal reference: The ministerial order and related decree can be consulted on Légifrance, the government’s official legal portal.

Real-world examples

• A data engineer with two years’ experience and a master’s degree receiving an offer of €40,000 in Lyon would have struggled last year; under the new rules, that offer can meet the Talent – Qualified Employee pay line.
• A biotech researcher with a PhD and a €62,000 offer in Paris fits the EU Blue Card track and gains a smoother path to longer-term EU rights.
• A scale-up hiring foreign managers can now structure offers just above €39,582 to secure skills the French market lacks, using bonuses to reward performance without risking the base pay floor.

Renewal, validity, and political outlook

• Cards can be granted for up to 4 years, but prefectures may issue shorter validity tied to the contract.
• Start renewals early to avoid gaps in work authorization.
• Employers should maintain a calendar of permit expiry dates and salary reviews, document changes to duties or location, and update files if role changes affect classification or pay.

These thresholds are set for 2025 unless a new order updates the reference salary. Any change would be published by the government. Political debate ahead of the 2027 elections may influence future levels: some parties call for tighter labor migration and more “national preference,” while others argue France needs skilled workers for industry, health services, and digital projects.

For now, the practical message is clear: check the gross annual figure, confirm degree or experience standards, and file a clean, complete application under either the Talent – Qualified Employee track or the EU Blue Card as appropriate.