You just graduated? Congratulations!!
Don't forget to register on Campus France's professional social network, France Alumni.
This network will give you access to the address book of international students who have graduated in France, and give you contacts in the companies that interest you!
Once you graduate, you can pretend to a change of status in order to stay in France and start your professionnal life.
Do not hesitate to contact the International Student Desk if you need help and/or if you are facing difficulties with these procedures.
Once
Graduated
- Residence permit / Temporary residence permit “Job seeker/ new business creator”
- Residence card "Employee" or "Temporary employee"
You just graduate and you want to stay in France and work or set up your own business ? You can ask for the residence permit or temporary residence permit (Attestation Provisoire de Séjour – APS) “Job seeker/ new business creator” / “Recherche d’emploi – Création d’entreprise” (RECE).
This (temporary) residence permit allows international students or researchers who obtain a French higher education diploma (vocational or Master degree) to stay in France and look for a job, work full time or set up their company.
Caution: It is not possible to reapply for a “Student” residence permit after obtaining a RECE card/APS.
Residence permit or temporary residence permit (APS) ?
The residence permit “Job seeker/ new business creator” is available to international students who have a “Student” or “Researchers” long stay visa or residence permit.
The temporary residence permit (APS) is available to international students/researchers who are citizens of countries that have concluded migration flow agreements with France: Benin, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, Gabon, India, Mauritius, Republic of Congo (Brazzaville), Tunisia.
CAUTION: European and Algerian students/researchers cannot require a “job seeker/new business creator” residence card.
When and how apply ?
You are in France : Before your “Student”* or “Researcher” residence permit expires and upon your graduation, you can ask for your (temporary) residence permit online: https://www.demarches-simplifiees.fr/commencer/pref-rhone-demande-titre-sejour-recherche-emploi. Caution: This website is only available to students/researchers living in Rhône department. Students/Researchers living in other department have to ask their Prefecture about the process.
*If you « Student » visa/residence card expire before you receive your diploma or certificate of achievement: you have to request for a “Attestation de Prolongation”. To do so, follow the instructions in the section “The visa and residence permit renewal” above. Instead of the transcript of records and the scholarship certificate, upload a certificate from your faculty/school/institute indicating the date of issue of the pass certificate of achievement (to be requested in advance).
You are abroad: within a maximum of 4 years after obtaining your diploma, you may ask for a long-stay visa “job seeker/new business creator” at the French consulate. Caution: This visa can’t be obtained if you are member of a country that have concluded migration flow agreements with France.
More info about:
To obtain a residence permit as “Employee” (Salarié) or “Temporary employee” (Salarié temporaire) after holding a visa/residence permit as a “Student”, you have to meet the following conditions:
- Hold a valid visa/residence permit as “Student”;
- Have a French higher education diploma recognized by the French State;
- Have a (temporary) working permit (Autorisation de travail).
The conditions to obtain a residence permit as “Employee” or “Temporary employee” vary according to:
- Your degree (Bac+2/Licence/Licence professionnelle/Master or equivalent)
- Your nationality
Licence Degree
General case: you can obtain a residence permit as “Employee” or “Temporary employee” if you meet all of the following conditions:
- You signed a working contract or you have a promise of hiring;
- You have a working permit (Autorisation de travail)
CAUTION: To obtain the working permit, your work has to be part of the list of sectors facing recruitment difficulties* OR 3 weeks after publishing the work offer on public employment service’s websites, no one respond to the offer.
Specific case: You are member of a country that conclude migration agreements with France: Benin, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, Congo (Brazzaville), Gabon, Georgia, Mauritius, Senegal, Tunisia: your work has to be part of the list of sectors facing recruitment difficulties*.
*Consult the lists on the Public Service website (only available in French) > Licence
Master degree or equivalent**
You can obtain a residence permit as “Employee” or “Temporary employee” if you meet all of the following conditions:
- You signed a working contract 2 months before your visa/residence permit as “Student” expired or you have a promise of hiring;
- Your work is in relation to your studies and diploma;
- Your remuneration is at least 2.650,38€/month (gross);
- You have a working permit (Autorisation de travail).
If your remuneration is at least of 42.406€/year (gross) and your working contract lasts more than 3 months, you can ask for the residence permit as “Passeport Talent”
**List of degrees equivalent to the Master degree: click here.