France: Shortage Occupations List Updated

• New/deleted occupations. The shortage occupations list contains occupations that are difficult to fill with the local workforce. Occupations on the shortage list now include those in the catering, cleaning, healthcare and agricultural sectors as well as for skilled and unskilled industrial workers. Most engineer and technician jobs, except in Île-de-France and some other regions, were removed from the list.
• Application to different immigration situations. The list is used in the following immigration situations:
  • Labor market test exemption. The list allows employers to hire third-country nationals without proving the absence of a local candidate. In practice, this means that employers hiring foreign nationals in professions on the list are exempt from the labor market test requirement, leading to faster processing.
  • Regularization of undocumented migrants. The list also allows undocumented third-country nationals to apply to regularize their immigration status without the involvement of their employer, if they have been employed in a shortage occupation for at least 12 months and have resided in France for at least three years. This rule applies until December 31, 2026.
  • Unemployed third-country nationals. French Prefectures must direct unemployed third-country nationals legally residing in France to trainings on how to work in shortage occupations.

The new shortage occupations list better reflects current French labor market needs.

• Impact of low salary levels. However, since the salary level of most of the targeted professions (catering, cleaning, skilled and unskilled industrial workers, etc.) is relatively low compared to the potential costs of hiring workers from abroad, the new list will likely to be utilized for regularization and orientation of unemployed third-country nationals (as explained in Impact above) rather than for hiring foreign nationals abroad.
• Impact on foreign students. The removal of most engineering and technician jobs will likely narrow foreign students’ possibilities to quickly obtain work authorized status in France using the “change of status” process, since prior to the change of the list, these students could benefit from a labor market test exemption in some professions that were considered labor shortage occupations. As a result, only students with a French master’s degree, a job in line with the curriculum and a salary over the required amount are now exempt from a labor market test.

The shortage occupations list contains occupations that are difficult to fill with the local workforce.

France’s previous shortage occupation list was adopted in 2021 and was criticized by various employer and employee organizations for not being adapted to the needs of the French labor market. The new list seems to better address the needs of sectors suffering from critical workforce gaps.

The shortage occupations list is expected to be updated at least once a year after consultation with representative employer and employee organizations and will be regularly adjusted to the needs of the French labor market.