France Work Permits From UAE

Overview

France offers a whole host of different work visas and work visas for those travelling into the country to complete business activities.

To facilitate their employees to work in France, overseas employers must first obtain a valid work visa and then, upon the visa holder’s arrival in France, obtain a work permit.

In most cases, the employer must initiate the application for a work visa and work permit, and pay any relevant fees. Work visa types include:

Short Stay Work Visa

French short stay work visas are issued to employees of businesses who are visiting France either to undertake short term work or to take part in a business trip. Short stay work visas of this type are non-renewable and valid for up to a period of 90 days, to be taken within a six-month period of the visa being granted. Typically a short stay visa for work will stipulate the exact allowed duration of stay, equivalent to that of the work assignment.

Short stay work visas are usually fast-tracked by the French Consulate and so a decision can be expected within two to three weeks. This is just a guide, however, and applications can be made no more than three months prior to the intended arrival in France.

Temporary Work Visa

Where an employer requires a temporary job to be completed but its intended duration is over 90 days, a temporary work visa (known as a ‘traveilleur temporaire’) can be applied for. This type of work visa can be valid for any duration between three months to a year and is most commonly granted for models, modelling assistants, language teachers and teaching assistants.

Again, this type of work visa is considered a fast-track option but should be applied for no sooner than three months before the intended arrival in France.

To apply for a short stay work visa or a traveilleur temporaire, the application must include the following supporting documents:

• A valid passport for the applicant (expiring no sooner than three months after the intended end date of the stay in France)
• 3x standardised passport photos
• A signed employment contract for the assignment giving details of the dates for its completion, the relevant role of the applicant and the place of work
• Proof of health insurance providing a minimum of €30,000 coverage for the entire duration of the work permit
• Proof of accommodation (usually a hotel reservation, but if the employer provides accommodation, details of this)
• Proof of return travel (usually a flight reservation).

Long Stay Work Visa

A long stay visa for work can be applied for if an employee is required to work in France for over a year. A renewable option that is valid for any period between one and three years (on occasion four years), a long term work visa is usually only issued for senior management employees, medical professionals and those working for firms considered ‘innovative’ by the French authorities.

Long stay work visas are more difficult to obtain than short stay ones, and it’s likely that French authorities will request further evidential documents to support applications. However, the following documents are considered standard:

• A valid passport for the applicant (expiring no sooner than three months after the intended end date of the stay in France)
• 3x standardised passport photos
• A signed employment contract for the assignment giving details of the dates for its completion, the relevant role of the applicant and the place of work
• French ‘extrait kbis’ corporate documents including organisational charts demonstrating the French brand of the international organisation or the relationship between a French third party and the employer
• Receipts of social security payments made by the employer
• Proof of health insurance providing a minimum of €30,000 coverage for the entire duration of the work permit
• Proof of accommodation (a hotel reservation, details of employer-provided accommodation, or a rental agreement)

On average, it takes between six to eight weeks to receive a decision on a long stay work visa for France.

Special Case Work Visa

Where an employer requires an employee to work on a voluntary basis (either through the European Voluntary Service, or for an association-based cause), or intends to hire a new employee fresh from studies in a relevant role (usually medical students into their chosen discipline) in France, they may be able to apply for a special case work visa.

Application requirements for this type of work visa depends on the individual circumstances of each case and so there are no set criteria. It is always recommended in these instances that companies seek specialist advice – such as that from Total Law, who are contactable on +44 (0)333 305 9375.

Overview

An EU Blue Card is a work permit that is often considered the European equivalent of an American Green Card. Open to highly skilled workers, it acts as a joint work and residence permit for professional assignments of between one and three years.

The EU Blue Card is a work permit that’s valid for not just France but a full 25 out of the 27 European Union member states (with just Denmark and Ireland excluded).

To be eligible for an EU Blue Card, the worker must:

• hold a degree or diploma attesting to at least three years of higher education; OR
• have a minimum of five years professional experience in their ‘highly skilled’ field; AND
• hold an employment contract valid for at least a period of one year; AND
• earn a monthly salary at least 1.5x the French average gross annual salary

An EU Blue Card is the ideal work permit option for employers who may need their posted employees to travel around other EU states.

Expatriate employee work permit

Where an employee is being relocated to either the French brand of their employer or to a French company within their employer’s corporate group, an expatriate employee work permit may be applied for. To be eligible for this class of work permit, the employee must have been employed for the company for a minimum of three months in their current country of residence and earn at least 1.8x the French minimum wage.

Expatriate employee work permits are valid for a period of up to three years, but in some circumstances can be extended thereafter.

Exceptional economic contribution work permit

Where an employer is investing large sums of money into French business or is planning to create at least 50 jobs in France, they may apply for an exceptional economic contribution work permit. A representative of the company will be eligible for this work permit, which is valid for a period of up to 10 years and is also valid as a residence permit. The spouse and dependents of the permit holder are also covered by this work permit – making it another attractive offer for businesses looking to recruit specific talent for such a post.

Scientists and researchers’ work permit

A temporary work permit, the scientists and researchers’ work permit is designed for employees who hold either a master’s degree or equivalent higher educational qualification. The permit holder must be in France to carry out research work at at least a university level.

The validity duration of a scientist and researchers’ work permit depends on the research project being undertaken and decisions on validity are granted on a case-by-case basis.

Seasonal workers work permit

Where an employee is being relocated to France for a seasonal work contract that lasts over three months, a seasonal workers work permit is available. Proof will be required that the role to be undertaken is only seasonal and it is therefore unlikely that any extensions will be granted.

Extended stay research scholar work permit

If an employee is present in France under a visa allowing them to study, the employer may apply for an extended stay research scholar work permit. This permit only allows the holder to work in an educational establishment or training company on a one-year employment contract that constitutes no more than 964 working hours between September 1st and August 31st.

Overview

Employers from the UAE or looking to move Emirati employees to France to be posted into employment need to apply for and obtain a work visa, work permit and residence permit. There are several steps to doing so, for which the employer is responsible.

The exact visa application process varies dependent on the employer and employee circumstances, but the following can be considered a standard application procedure.

It is always recommended that businesses appoint a legal representative for the visa, work permit and residence permit application process. Posting employees to France also involves numerous legal responsibilities pertaining to the employment contract and working conditions once the employees are in the country on assignment.

For guidance and support on the entire process to ensure everything is above board, completely legal and up to industry best practice, contact Total Law on +44 (0)333 305 9375.

Declare intention to post employees to French authorities

The first step an employer must complete is to notify the French authorities of their intention to post an employee or employees from the UAE to France. This declaration is known as a ‘SIPSI declaration’ and consists simply of an online form detailing the employee’s information, the employer’s corporate information and an outline of the work to be completed in France.

This declaration has to be made ahead of the employee arriving in France. If it has not been, the employee can expect to be delayed upon their arrival and in their ability to start work, and the employer can expect to be liable to pay a large administration fine.

Apply for work visa

The relevant work visa class should be applied for by the employer. Once the employer has filed the application, the employee will be contacted to provide their own information and submit the relevant personal supporting documents.

In most cases, the applicant employee will need to attend an in-person interview at their local French Consulate or Embassy. In the UAE, this will either be at the Embassy of France in Abu Dhabi (found at Etihad Towers, Office Tower #3, Corniche W St, Abu Dhabi) or at the French Consulate General in Dubai (found at Habtoor Business Tower, 32nd floor, Dubai). These interviews are pre-booked and the employer can choose whether or not to send a company representative along with the employee.

Visa validated online

Depending on the visa class granted, the employee may need to validate their visa online. This notifies the French immigration authorities of their intention to travel imminently and ensures that the visa flags up as ‘live’ on the relevant systems upon the employee’s arrival in France.

Travel to France

Once the work visa has been validated (if required), the employee is free to travel to France. Their details may need to be checked upon arrival in France, but in most cases will not be subject to any further checks at the border.

Depending on the requirements of the work visa, the employee or employer may need to then apply in-person at the local prefecture (police station) for a work permit and/or residence permit. If this is the case, such a requirement will be stipulated on the visa documentation so that those involved may be aware well ahead of any arrival in the country.

For a French work visa and/or work permit, the employer is responsible for the payment of any relevant visa application fees. There may be indirect costs to the employee during the visa application process such as money spent on printing and copying. It is for the employer and employee to decide jointly whether such sums may be claimed in expenses.