Amendment n°001468 to the draft 2026 Social-Security Finance Bill, tabled at 02:00 on 23 October by deputy Xavier Breton, would make URSSAF—the social-contributions agency—responsible for verifying the identity papers and work authorisations of foreign employees.
Currently, the duty sits with employers, who must copy the residence permit and check its validity with prefectural online tools. Many SMEs find the process opaque and risk fines of €15,000 per undocumented worker. Transferring the verification to URSSAF would centralise expertise, reduce employer liability and, supporters argue, improve detection of forged permits.
Payroll specialists note that URSSAF already collects nationality data via the Déclaration Préalable à l’Embauche but does not perform document authenticity checks. The amendment would require significant IT upgrades and additional staffing—costs to be offset by a new surcharge on tobacco excise.
For global-mobility managers, the proposal could simplify onboarding of intra-company transferees and local hires in France. However, critics in the employers’ federation MEDEF warn that URSSAF response times must be guaranteed within 48 hours to avoid hiring delays, particularly in seasonal sectors such as hospitality and agriculture.
Currently, the duty sits with employers, who must copy the residence permit and check its validity with prefectural online tools. Many SMEs find the process opaque and risk fines of €15,000 per undocumented worker. Transferring the verification to URSSAF would centralise expertise, reduce employer liability and, supporters argue, improve detection of forged permits.
Payroll specialists note that URSSAF already collects nationality data via the Déclaration Préalable à l’Embauche but does not perform document authenticity checks. The amendment would require significant IT upgrades and additional staffing—costs to be offset by a new surcharge on tobacco excise.
For global-mobility managers, the proposal could simplify onboarding of intra-company transferees and local hires in France. However, critics in the employers’ federation MEDEF warn that URSSAF response times must be guaranteed within 48 hours to avoid hiring delays, particularly in seasonal sectors such as hospitality and agriculture.
