Work permit

If you hold a visa court séjour "scientifique-chercheur", you can work full-time within the framework of your convention d’accueil (hosting agreement) and within the boundaries of your research. Seeking out other employment is not allowed.

If you hold a VLS-TS or carte de séjour passeport-talent, you can work full-time within the framework of the convention d’accueil (hosting agreement) and within the boundaries of your research. Seeking out other employment is not allowed.

If you hold a VLS-TS étudiant or or a carte de séjour étudiant and are enrolled at a French higher education institution for at least one year, you are allowed to work:

Part-time (“activité salariée à titre accessoire”) under certain conditions:
You can work up to 964 hours per year. It is imperative that you respect the maximum hour limit, otherwise your visa and residence permit will be withdrawn.
NB: You will need to provide a photocopy of your validated VLS-TS visa to your employer.

Full-time under certain conditions:

• You are allowed to work full-time in France strictly within the framework of your studies (i.e. language assistants, apprenticeships, etc.).
• In order to be legally eligible to work in France, you will need to ask for an Autorisation provisoire de travail – APT (provisional work permit) at the local office of the Direccte (labor department) of your place of residence. On the day of your appointment, you will need to provide several supporting documents. Please note: Before undertaking any administrative measure by yourself, we strongly advise you to contact your employer.

Please note: If you hold a VLS-TS étudiant and are enrolled at a French higher education institution, you are allowed to work within the framework of an internship. You won't need to undertake administrative measures regarding your residence permit provided that an internship agreement (convention de stage) has been signed between the company, your higher education institution and yourself.

If you hold a VLS-TS étudiant and are staying in France for less than a year (within the framework of an exchange program), you are allowed to work:

• Part-time (“activité salariée à titre accessoire”) under certain conditions:
  • The amount of working hours is strictly proportional to the length of your stay (i.e. 482 hours maximum for a 6-months stay). It is imperative that you respect the maximum hour limit, otherwise your visa and residence permit will be withdrawn.
  • In order to be legally eligible to work in France, you will need to ask for an Autorisation provisoire de travail – APT (provisional work permit) at the local office of the Direccte (labor department) of your place of residence. On the day of your appointment, you will need to provide several supporting documents. Please note: Before undertaking any administrative measure by yourself, we strongly advise you to contact your employer.

Your family members have been granted a VLS-TS or a carte de séjour passeport-talent famille (passeport-talent residence permit for family members of a scientist or researcher)

The carte de séjour and the VLS-TS passeport-talent famille enables its holder to work full-time without having to undertake any administrative measure.

The carte de séjour and the VLS-TS passeport-talent famille enables its holder to work full-time without having to undertake any administrative measure.

As a national of the EEA or Switzerland, you can travel, live and work full-time in France for an unlimited period of time. You do not need a visa, a residence permit nor a work permit. You only need a valid passport or ID.

You will only need your visa (visa court séjour mention stagiaire or VLS-TS stagiaire) and internship agreement to be legally able to work in France. Please note that you are not allowed to apply for an actual paid job.