France to Implement Stricter Residence Permit Rules in 2025
Key Takeaways
1. France is set to tighten rules for residence permit applications, focusing mainly on language requirements.
2. These changes will involve expanded language testing categories, with the government considering including more applicants in the exams.
3. A French minister is advocating for an early trial, which could speed up the implementation.
Starting in 2025, France will enforce stricter language proficiency requirements for residence permit applicants, including those from French-speaking countries like Morocco, Algeria, and Tunisia.
Under the new immigration bill, passed in 2024, passing a French language test will become mandatory for certain types of residence permits. Applicants seeking multi-year residency cards (Cartes de séjour pluriannuelles) will need to demonstrate an A2 conversational level in French. For a ten-year residence permit, candidates must have a B1, or lower-intermediate, proficiency. Those applying for French citizenship will need to reach B2, or upper-intermediate, language skills.
Early Rollout for Testing Purposes
French State Secretary for Citizenship and Anti-Discrimination, Othman Nasrou, has suggested introducing the stricter regulations on July 1, 2025—six months earlier than originally planned—for an experimental phase. Nasrou emphasized that this adjustment is aimed at improving the country’s integration process.
“The engine of integration has broken down. We need to get it going again and to do that, we are going to be more demanding in terms of integration. The more demanding we are…, the more the cohesion of our country will be preserved, and the more the people we welcome will really be able to integrate,” Nasrou stated.
The revised two-part exam will cover aspects of French history, including secularism, ensuring applicants comprehend the material beyond basic reading skills. Nasrou also indicated his intention to broaden the requirements to include additional categories, such as asylum seekers.
Decline in Residence Permits Issued
In 2023, France issued 36,340 residence permits—a drop of over 9% from 2022, according to data from the French Interior Ministry. The stricter language rules are anticipated to impact millions of applicants, particularly from Morocco, China, and India, who rank among the top applicants for French residence permits.
In 2023, the top ten nationalities granted residence permits included Moroccans, Algerians, Tunisians, Chinese, Americans, Ivorians, Afghanis, Senegalese, Indians, and Brazilians.