François Hollande has introduced a series of measures to enhance the attractiveness of France on February 17 at the “Strategic Council for Attractiveness “. Those measures, designed primarily to attract foreign capital also introduce advances in immigration policy to attract international talents, strengthen the status of foreign students in France and address social issues.
The French Minister of the Interior sent new instructions to the prefects to improve the reception of foreigners Prefecture and efficiency of case processing in an unpublished circular of January 3, 2014.
A series of measures are proposed to reduce the processing time and reduce appearances at the prefectures.
Internal and unpublished instruction sent to local Labour authorities (DIRECCTE) facilitates the processing of short term (less than 3months) training, otherwise regulated by the circular NOR IMI09000079C.
Croatia entered the European Union on 1st of July and became the 28th Member. In this context, France has decided to implement the first phase of transational period (July 1st, 2013 to June 30th, 2015) to limit access to the Labor market by Croatian nationals.
The Interior Minister confirmed by the Circular of 21st, June 2013 his desire to relax the criteria for naturalization.
The Act of 22 July 2013 on higher education and research amends several sections of the Code of Entry and Stay of Aliens and Asylum ( CESEDA ) with respect to the duration of the provisional admission, also known as APS and multi annual residence issued to foreign students. The law also now allows the application to scientists and researchers the notion of involuntary deprivation of employment. The circular of July 30 provides for the implementation of these new provisions.
The Act of May 17, 2013 modifies the civil code section 143 to read: “Marriage is contracted by two persons of opposite sex or the same sex.” France joins the few countries that have legalized marriage between same sex (Belgium, Spain, Canada, some states in the United States and Brazil, the Netherlands, Sweden, New Zealand, South Africa, Mexico (Federal District), Argentina, Norway, Denmark, Portugal, Iceland and Uruguay). Henceforth, in France, the marriage will give rise to the same rights in French immigration procedures, whether the spouses are of different sex or the same sex.
The progressive deployment of biometrics in all French departments has the effect of modifying the procedures for applying for a residence permit and require additional appearance at the Prefecture for fingerprinting.
The Laws of June 16th, 2011 and December 31st, 2012 transpose the dispositions contained in the “Return” and “Sanctions” EU directives into national law applicable in the event of illegal work or illegal stay. The enforcement plan against illegal work that was adopted at the end of 2012 provides the enforcement guidelines, whereas the circular of November 28th, 2012 states how the new administrative sanctions may be implemented.