What's changed

The April 25, 2026 decree completes a two-tranche transposition of Directive (EU) 2021/1883 that began with LOI n° 2025-391 du 30 avril 2025, the EU adaptation law that took effect on May 2, 2025, and continued with Décret n° 2025-539 du 13 juin 2025 governing Talent residence-permit issuance.

Under the cumulative package, applicants now qualify for the French EU Blue Card with three years of relevant professional experience accrued within the previous seven years, without requiring a higher-education degree — extending eligibility beyond the prior route of a three-year diploma or five years of equivalent experience. The minimum employment contract duration falls from twelve months to six, and contracts under two years yield a Blue Card valid for three months beyond contract duration up to a 24-month cap. Intra-EU long-term mobility requires twelve months of prior residence in another Member State rather than eighteen, with a six-month alternative after twelve months in a first Member State. Time spent on certain other residence permit categories now accrues toward the five-year threshold for the EU Long-Term Residence Permit. The April 25 decree adds the short-term mobility right of 90 days within any 180-day period for Blue Card holders issued elsewhere in the European Union, alongside holders of an EU Long-Term Residence Permit bearing the notation "Former holder of a European Blue Card."

Who's affected

The cumulative changes apply to third-country skilled workers seeking a French EU Blue Card, including high-volume corridors from India, China, Brazil, Morocco, Algeria, and Tunisia. The April 25 short-term mobility provision additionally covers Blue Card holders from any EU Member State and EU Long-Term Residence Permit holders carrying the "Former holder of a European Blue Card" notation. The salary threshold for issuance, previously held at €53,836.50 under a 2016 Conseil d'État decree, was raised to €59,373 by a separate 2026 decree.

When it takes effect

LOI n° 2025-391 entered force on May 2, 2025, and Décret n° 2025-539 du 13 juin 2025 followed in mid-June 2025. The short-term mobility provisions under Décret n° 2026-308 took effect upon Journal Officiel publication on April 25, 2026. Employers seconding Blue Card holders from another Member State must notify French labour authorities before the 90-day period begins; beyond 90 days, standard work permit rules apply, and time accrued across France and the wider Schengen Area must be tracked cumulatively.