For artists, scientists, and entrepreneurs, France offers a unique opportunity to live and work: the “talent passport.” This visa, which is intended to stimulate the economy, permits non-EU citizens to live and work in France for a maximum of four years, with the option for extensions. Since its launch in 2017, it has expanded to include investors and highly compensated workers in addition to highly trained international workers.

The French talent passport is available to non-EU citizens who have the potential to significantly impact France’s economy or culture. This encompasses highly skilled and highly rewarded persons, such as Master’s degree-holding researchers, artists, performers, and people well-known in academic, scientific, literary, artistic, athletic, or other professions.

Entrepreneurs and investors making a minimum investment of €30,000 are also qualified, as long as they fulfill certain requirements, such holding a Master’s degree or having five years of work experience. Those who support the growth of the local economy in approved locations may also be eligible. Additionally, those who work for or are the founders of well-known creative businesses, foreign company personnel stationed in France, and legal agents managing affairs in France are eligible to apply for the talent passport.

Although certain residency cards need language competency, the talent passport is exempt from these restrictions. The passport holder’s family members can accompany them; spouses and children have multi-year residency permits, which let adults over the age of 18 work in the nation.

The length of the talent passport depends on the job agreement and stays longer than three months. Highly skilled workers need to be under contract for a minimum of a year. Upon arrival, candidates have two months to apply for a multi-year residence visa, which can be extended up to four years and is renewable every four years as long as the requirements for work type and remuneration are satisfied.

Each category has a different wage requirement for the talent passport. Workers engaged in “innovative economic projects” or those enhancing the country’s or the world’s reputation are required to make at least the French minimum wage. Employees of multinational corporations should be paid 1.8 times the minimum wage, whilst researchers and developers for “new innovative enterprises” should be paid twice the minimum. Corporate appointees should be paid three times the minimum pay, highly competent employees should be paid 1.5 times the average gross salary in France, and performers should be able to show that they have the financial resources necessary to cover 70% of the minimum wage each month in France.