A decree published in the Journal Officiel on April 25, 2026, completes France’s transposition of the EU Blue Card Directive (2021/1883). It introduces a long-awaited short-term intra-EU mobility exemption and paves the way for an experience-based pathway to the French European Blue Card.
Work Permit Exemption for Intra-EU Mobility
The decree amends Article R. 5221-2 of the French Labour Code, adding a new paragraph (21°) to the list of categories exempt from the obligation to hold a French work permit. The following individuals may now enter France to take up paid employment for up to 90 days within any 180-day period without a work permit:
- Holders of a European Blue Card issued by another EU Member State under Directive (EU) 2021/1883; and
- Holders of an EU long-term residence permit bearing the notation “Former holder of a European Blue Card”, issued by another EU Member State.
This provision was foreseen by the 2021 Directive but was omitted when France transposed the wider Blue Card reform in May 2025. The April 2026 decree closes that gap.
The French wording stands out: where equivalent short-term Blue Card mobility rules in several other Member States are ambiguous, or in practice limited to business-visitor type activities, France is explicit that salaried work is exempt — not only meetings or other business-related activity.
Clarification on the Experience-Based Pathway to the French European Blue Card
Since the May 2025 reform, Article L. 421-11 of the CESEDA has allowed applicants for the “talent – European Blue Card” residence permit to qualify on the basis of three years of relevant professional experience acquired in the seven years before the application, in lieu of a higher education degree. The April 24, 2026 decree introduces Article R. 421-21 C of the CESEDA, under which the list of eligible professions will be set by a separate ministerial order (arrêté). That order has not yet been published, and this pathway is therefore not yet operational.
What this means for employers
- Short-term assignments to France are significantly simpler for highly qualified third-country nationals already employed under an EU Blue Card in another Member State.
- Compliance certainty is improved by the explicit wording.
- Plan against the 90-in-180-day cap. Beyond 90 days, standard work permit rules apply; employers should monitor cumulative time spent across France and the wider Schengen area.
- The home-country EU Blue Card and underlying employment must remain valid for the duration of the French assignment.
- The experience-based Blue Card pathway in France remains pending until the ministerial order listing eligible professions is published. Newland Chase will issue a further alert at that point.
This immigration update is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for legal or scenario-specific advice. Readers are encouraged to reach out to Newland Chase for case- or company-specific assessments.
