Fresh figures released late on 23 December reveal that France approved just 11,012 ‘admissions exceptionnelles au séjour’ (AES) between January and September 2025—down from 19,001 a year earlier, a 42 percent decline. The fall follows the January ‘Retailleau Circular,’ which lengthened residency requirements for undocumented migrants from five to seven years and introduced compulsory French-language tests.
Labour-market regularisations have been hardest hit: only 702 permits were issued nationwide under the new worker-shortage pathway, once touted as a fast track for cleaners, carers and kitchen staff. Prefects are now instructed to issue an automatic Obligation de Quitter le Territoire Français (OQTF) if an AES request is denied, increasing the legal stakes for applicants and their employers.
For employers and individual migrants trying to navigate these shifting rules, VisaHQ can cut through the complexity. The firm’s France specialists track every regulatory change, help assemble compliant documentation, and can even book prefecture appointments on your behalf—saving critical time and reducing the risk of costly refusals. Learn more at https://www.visahq.com/france/.
![Interior Ministry Data Show 42 % Drop in France’s ‘Exceptional Stay’ Permits After New Rules]()
For multinational companies, the stricter rules raise compliance risks. Hiring subcontractors who cannot prove legal status now carries fines of up to €18,750 under CESEDA amendments. HR departments must therefore tighten right-to-work audits, extend lead times for in-house status changes and prepare appeal budgets.
Trade unions argue the policy deters eligible migrants from coming forward and will worsen labour shortages in hospitality and logistics. The Interior Ministry counters that harmonising practices across prefectures restores “public confidence” in the system. A parliamentary review has been scheduled for March 2026, and business lobbies are already pushing for clearer nationwide timelines.
Immigration lawyers suggest submitting tightly documented files before possible further restrictions next spring, noting that some prefectures still accept appointments booked under the old criteria if evidence predates 1 January 2025.
Labour-market regularisations have been hardest hit: only 702 permits were issued nationwide under the new worker-shortage pathway, once touted as a fast track for cleaners, carers and kitchen staff. Prefects are now instructed to issue an automatic Obligation de Quitter le Territoire Français (OQTF) if an AES request is denied, increasing the legal stakes for applicants and their employers.
For employers and individual migrants trying to navigate these shifting rules, VisaHQ can cut through the complexity. The firm’s France specialists track every regulatory change, help assemble compliant documentation, and can even book prefecture appointments on your behalf—saving critical time and reducing the risk of costly refusals. Learn more at https://www.visahq.com/france/.
For multinational companies, the stricter rules raise compliance risks. Hiring subcontractors who cannot prove legal status now carries fines of up to €18,750 under CESEDA amendments. HR departments must therefore tighten right-to-work audits, extend lead times for in-house status changes and prepare appeal budgets.
Trade unions argue the policy deters eligible migrants from coming forward and will worsen labour shortages in hospitality and logistics. The Interior Ministry counters that harmonising practices across prefectures restores “public confidence” in the system. A parliamentary review has been scheduled for March 2026, and business lobbies are already pushing for clearer nationwide timelines.
Immigration lawyers suggest submitting tightly documented files before possible further restrictions next spring, noting that some prefectures still accept appointments booked under the old criteria if evidence predates 1 January 2025.
