Setting Up in France
France Welcomes Expatriates
Setting Up in France
France is renowned for its quality of life, the wealth and variety of its culture and the excellence of its health and education systems which all help to make it a leading destination for international investment. France also offers attractive conditions to those who choose to come and work in the country.
The “Skills and Expertise” residence permit
This is a multi-year residence permit (valid for three years on a renewable basis) enabling the holder to live and work in France (as a salaried employee or on a commercial basis).
The “Expatriate Employee” residence permit
This residence permit enables seconded and expatriate employees working within companies of the same group or establishments of the same company (“intra-group mobility”) to hold a multi-year residence permit (valid for three years).
The “European Blue Card”
The “European Blue Card” may be requested as from January 2012. This permit will allow highly skilled foreign nationals to work in France and then, 18 months later, in other EU Member States without completing any further formalities. This residence permit is valid for one to three years and may be awarded to employees with at least five years’ experience in a specific sector or at least three years of higher education. Their monthly gross pay must exceed around €4,000.
The residence permits above offer any accompanying family members (spouses, children) full entitlement to the “Private and Family Life” residence permit, which also enables them to seek employment without having to seek a work permit.
Short-term assignments
For short-term assignments, a new 12-month work permit enables foreign nationals working within a multinational group of companies to spend up to 90 days in France in each six-month period.
Long-stay visa
The long-stay visa acts as a residence permit: since June 2009, certain foreign nationals (students and temporary workers in particular) can be granted a visa acting as a residence permit, valid for up to one year. They are no longer required to request a temporary residence permit from the local Préfecture (local national government office in each département in France).
10-year residence permit
A 10-year residence permit for exceptional economic contributions, introduced in 2009, may be attributed to executives of foreign subsidiaries established in France who create or safeguard 50 jobs in the country, or make an investment of over €10 million.
An advantageous tax system
Expatriates engaged in employment in France benefit from one of the most advantageous tax systems in Europe:
- Tax exemption on income earned abroad: employees can opt for exemption from income tax on up to 50% of their total income (expatriation bonus plus a fraction of remuneration received for work carried out abroad).
- Wealth tax exemption: Exemption from paying a wealth tax on assets or estates held outside France for five years.
- Reduction in capital gains tax: A tax exemption of 50% on income from “passive” sources such as dividends, interests and fees and on capital gains on equity transfers from foreign sources.
