Jobbatical’s immigration blog confirmed on 6 February that the French government will maintain its recently-indexed salary thresholds for the country’s flagship work-authorisation routes throughout 2026. The reference wage for the “Talent – Qualified Employee” permit stays at €39,582 gross per year, while the EU Blue Card threshold remains €59,373.
The figures, introduced by Ministerial Order on 29 August 2025, replaced a moving SMIC-based (minimum-wage) formula with a stable average-salary benchmark. For employers, the predictability simplifies budgeting—especially for mid-sized tech firms in Paris and Montpellier that struggled with bi-annual SMIC revaluations.
Although the Blue Card threshold is 1.5 × the reference wage, it is still below Germany’s €60,768 and the Netherlands’ €62,800, giving France a competitive edge in luring senior software engineers and data scientists. Relocation providers say inquiries for French assignments jumped 11 % in Q4 2025 after the new benchmarks were announced.
![France Confirms 2026 Salary Benchmarks for ‘Talent’ and EU Blue Card Permits]()
For companies that lack in-house immigration expertise, VisaHQ can step in to manage the end-to-end visa process. Through its France portal (https://www.visahq.com/france/), the platform helps employers and foreign hires verify eligibility, assemble bilingual document packs, and book consular appointments, providing up-to-date guidance on fees and processing times.
HR teams should update global mobility cost projections: social-security contributions add roughly 45 % to gross salary, meaning a Blue-Card holder costs employers about €86,000. The order applies nationwide, including overseas collectivities Saint-Martin and Saint-Barthélemy for Blue Card filings.
Legal experts caution that prefectures will still demand proof that remuneration is “consistent with the employee’s qualifications,” so offering the bare minimum may invite scrutiny. Employers are advised to draft offer letters in both French and English and to upload payslips of comparably-paid French staff where possible.
The figures, introduced by Ministerial Order on 29 August 2025, replaced a moving SMIC-based (minimum-wage) formula with a stable average-salary benchmark. For employers, the predictability simplifies budgeting—especially for mid-sized tech firms in Paris and Montpellier that struggled with bi-annual SMIC revaluations.
Although the Blue Card threshold is 1.5 × the reference wage, it is still below Germany’s €60,768 and the Netherlands’ €62,800, giving France a competitive edge in luring senior software engineers and data scientists. Relocation providers say inquiries for French assignments jumped 11 % in Q4 2025 after the new benchmarks were announced.
For companies that lack in-house immigration expertise, VisaHQ can step in to manage the end-to-end visa process. Through its France portal (https://www.visahq.com/france/), the platform helps employers and foreign hires verify eligibility, assemble bilingual document packs, and book consular appointments, providing up-to-date guidance on fees and processing times.
HR teams should update global mobility cost projections: social-security contributions add roughly 45 % to gross salary, meaning a Blue-Card holder costs employers about €86,000. The order applies nationwide, including overseas collectivities Saint-Martin and Saint-Barthélemy for Blue Card filings.
Legal experts caution that prefectures will still demand proof that remuneration is “consistent with the employee’s qualifications,” so offering the bare minimum may invite scrutiny. Employers are advised to draft offer letters in both French and English and to upload payslips of comparably-paid French staff where possible.
