France’s Directorate-General for Foreign Nationals (DGEF) has released its annual immigration statistics and the headline number is striking: 4.54 million valid cartes de séjour were in circulation on 31 December 2025, 3 % more than a year earlier and the highest figure ever recorded. The growth reflects both an historically large cohort of new arrivals and the fact that more expatriates are choosing to renew their permits rather than move on. (connexionfrance.com)
First-issue residence permits jumped 11.2 % year-on-year to 384,230. Student titles remained the biggest single category (about 118,000) as French universities continue to court fee-paying talent from Asia and Africa, while family-reunification permits accounted for roughly one-third of the stock. Short-stay Schengen visas also climbed, confirming that business and leisure travel have fully rebounded from the pandemic. (connexionfrance.com)
Whether you are a student securing your first titre de séjour or an HR manager coordinating multiple work visas, VisaHQ’s online platform can streamline the paperwork. Their France-specific portal (https://www.visahq.com/france/) lets applicants check requirements, order necessary translations, and track applications in real time, cutting down on costly delays and repeat visits to the préfecture.
![France reaches record 4.5 million valid residence permits, Interior Ministry data show]()
For global mobility managers the numbers matter. Every extra permit represents a newcomer who needs housing, a bank account, social-security registration and often schooling for children—services that relocation providers will be asked to deliver. Employers should also note that processing volumes at préfectures are running well above 2019 levels, so lead times for renewals remain volatile across departments.
Politically, the record underscores the pressure on President Macron’s government to tighten controls before the 2027 elections. Opposition parties on the right are already citing the figures as proof that France is "too attractive," while business lobbies warn that any freeze on legal immigration would leave critical skills gaps. The Interior Ministry has hinted that a Canadian-style quota system could be debated later this year, but no bill is on the table yet.
Practical takeaway: companies planning to assign non-EU staff to France in 2026–27 should factor in longer appointment wait-lists—often six to eight weeks in the Paris region—and prepare complete digital dossiers (ANEF portal) to avoid rejections under stricter document checks.
First-issue residence permits jumped 11.2 % year-on-year to 384,230. Student titles remained the biggest single category (about 118,000) as French universities continue to court fee-paying talent from Asia and Africa, while family-reunification permits accounted for roughly one-third of the stock. Short-stay Schengen visas also climbed, confirming that business and leisure travel have fully rebounded from the pandemic. (connexionfrance.com)
Whether you are a student securing your first titre de séjour or an HR manager coordinating multiple work visas, VisaHQ’s online platform can streamline the paperwork. Their France-specific portal (https://www.visahq.com/france/) lets applicants check requirements, order necessary translations, and track applications in real time, cutting down on costly delays and repeat visits to the préfecture.
For global mobility managers the numbers matter. Every extra permit represents a newcomer who needs housing, a bank account, social-security registration and often schooling for children—services that relocation providers will be asked to deliver. Employers should also note that processing volumes at préfectures are running well above 2019 levels, so lead times for renewals remain volatile across departments.
Politically, the record underscores the pressure on President Macron’s government to tighten controls before the 2027 elections. Opposition parties on the right are already citing the figures as proof that France is "too attractive," while business lobbies warn that any freeze on legal immigration would leave critical skills gaps. The Interior Ministry has hinted that a Canadian-style quota system could be debated later this year, but no bill is on the table yet.
Practical takeaway: companies planning to assign non-EU staff to France in 2026–27 should factor in longer appointment wait-lists—often six to eight weeks in the Paris region—and prepare complete digital dossiers (ANEF portal) to avoid rejections under stricter document checks.
