Options for staying in France after a Working Holiday Visa

One or two years in France on a Working Holiday Visa flies by. You’ve established a new routine and created new bonds, and these are not easy to leave behind.

If you want to stay a bit longer, there are some other visa options that may allow you to extend your stay. Let’s look at them together, as well as their conditions. This is not an exhaustive list of all possible visas.

1. Visa-exempt tourist

At the end of your Working Holiday Visa, you may be able to stay another 90 days as a tourist (assuming your citizenship is visa-exempt). You will, however, need to leave the Schengen Area for at least 24 hours, by going to the UK, for example. When you re-enter France, you will have 90 days on the territory. Remember that visa-exempt tourists can only stay in the Schengen Area for up to 90 days in any rolling 180-day period.

As the name suggests, it is not possible to work under this status.

2. Long-stay visitor visa

This permit allows you to stay in France for up to one year. It is not possible to work for a French employer while on this permit. Among other things, you will be asked to show proof of sufficient funds to support yourself, as well as adequate private medical insurance. Learn more.

3. Jeune Professionnel

In addition to the Working Holiday Visa agreements, France also has agreements with 18 countries (including Canada, Argentina, and New Zealand) that allow French employers to hire young foreigner workers. If your country has an agreement with France and you meet the conditions, you can work in France for up to 18 or 24 months, depending on your nationality.

To be eligible, you must have a work contract with a French employer, be 18-35 years old, and be from one of the 18 partnering countries. Learn more.

4. Student visa

This visa is available to those who are 18 years of age and above. Once you’ve been accepted into your chosen program, you can apply for a student visa. Applicants from most countries will go through the online EEF procedure. Learn more.

Note that you may only work part time as a student. Your program should also be degree-granting, not a language class, for example.

5. Visa salarié/travailleur temporaire

This is a closed visa intended for those who have an offer from a French employer.

• If the offer is a CDD, then the relevant visa is the visa travailleur temporaire.
• If it is a CDI, then it is a visa salarié.

There are several steps and conditions for you and your employer to follow, but broadly your employer needs to first obtain an autorisation de travail on your behalf.

Once that is approved, you can apply for a visa salarié/travailleur temporaire on france-visas.gouv.fr from your home country, and you will be asked to provide the aforementioned autorisation de travail as a supporting document.

6. Carte de séjour vie privée/familiale

If your partner is a French national, you may be eligible for a Carte de séjour vie privée/familiale. This route is possible if you are legally wedded or Pacs’d (French civil partnership). This permit grants you work authorization.

According to the official website,

• If you are married, you should apply online via ANEF. Your prefecture will process your application. If you are a Canadian with an autorisation provisoire de séjour, you can use the foreigner number on your document to login to ANEF. All other working holiday makers likely do not have a foreigner number to access ANEF with. In that case, contact your prefecture for alternative instructions.
• If you are Pacs’d, you should book an appointment at the prefecture to submit your application.

Note that the requirements differ for married and Pacs’d couples, so read the website carefully.

7. Carte talent

The carte talent is designed to attract high-potential individuals with in-demand skills. There are several types of cartes talent.

Two popular categories of the carte talent are Salarié qualifié and Carte bleue européenne.

1. Salarié qualifié: this is for if you have a job offer from a French company. Additionally, you must hold a masters degree from a French university and the gross annual salary of your offer must be at least €39,582 (figure subject to change). Learn more.
2. Carte bleue européenne: this is also for if you have a job offer from a French company. However, you must have at least 3 years of post-secondary education or 5 years of equivalent work experience. The gross annual salary of your offer must be at least €59,373 (figure subject to change). Learn more.

If you live in France and already have access to ANEF thanks to a foreigner number (the case for Canadians who hold an autorisation provisoire de séjour in year 2 of their working holiday), you can apply online. Otherwise, you must apply through the French consular authorities in your home country.

8. Carte de séjour entrepreneur/profession libérale

This option is geared towards individuals who want to freelance or be business owners.

There are several steps involved, but broadly you need to first open your business on INPI, followed by registration on Urssaf.

You’ll also need to prepare a business plan proving that your project is financially viable; there are minimum earning requirements.

Once your dossier is ready, you can make an appointment to submit your application at your prefecture. Certain prefectures might allow you to apply online via démarches simplifiées – check whether this is the case for your prefecture.

Read more on this visa.