From 30 October 2026, a French préfecture has 90 days, not 4 months, to decide on a residence card application. If it stays silent for 90 days after a complete application, the application is treated as refused. This is the main change of decree n° 2026-1001 of 26 October 2026, published in the Journal officiel on 29 October. The same decree also makes it easier to change employer and adjusts the EU Blue Card.
In short
- 90 days instead of 4 months for most cards, counted from a complete application; up to 30 more days for complex files.
- Silence = refusal after 90 days, so the clock to react starts earlier.
- Changing employer: the risky period after a first work authorisation drops from 12 to 6 months.
- Fixed-term workers keep their card through up to 3 months of involuntary unemployment.
- EU Blue Card: easier move from another EU state and protection if the employer breaks the rules.
- Intra-company transfers now need a salary of at least €39,582 a year.
Before and after
| Topic | Until 29 October 2026 | From 30 October 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Decision on a residence card | 4 months for most cards; silence = refusal | 90 days from a complete application (+30 for complex files); silence = refusal after 90 days |
| Changing employer early | Risk at first renewal if the contract ended within 12 months | 6 months; no refusal for involuntary job loss or serious breach by the employer |
| "Travailleur temporaire" card | No specific protection | Not withdrawn for up to 3 months of involuntary unemployment |
| EU Blue Card from another EU state | 18 months in the first state | 12 months; 6 months from the second move |
| Intra-company transfer (ICT) cards | No salary threshold | At least €39,582 gross a year |
| UK service providers | Work authorisation needed | Exempt in listed sectors, up to 12 months |
1. The 90-day deadline: what it really means
Not every card is affected in the same way. Several cards already had a 90-day deadline and keep it, without the 30-day extension, and a few have shorter deadlines of their own:
| Card | Deadline from a complete application |
|---|---|
| Most residence cards: talent categories, "salarié", visitor, private and family life and others | 90 days instead of 4 months; +30 days possible for complex files |
| EU Blue Card, ICT cards, student, job-seeking or business creation after studies, seasonal worker, au pair, trainee | 90 days, as before; no 30-day extension |
| Researcher | 60 days |
| EU Blue Card holder coming from another EU state | 30 days, +30 days possible |
| Family of an EU Blue Card holder | 90 days; 30 days when the holder comes from another EU state |
Everything turns on two words: "complete application". The 90 days only start once the préfecture considers the file complete. Requests for missing documents push the start date back, and this is where most real delays happen. Keeping proof of what you filed and when has never mattered more.
The other side of the coin: an implicit refusal now arrives sooner. Deadlines to challenge it run from that date, so a pending application needs to be tracked, not just waited on. If your préfecture has already gone silent, see what to do when the préfecture is not responding.
Filed an application and not sure when the 90 days started, or whether the préfecture's silence has already turned into a refusal? A short consultation is enough to check your dates.
2. Changing employer: 6 months instead of 12
Until now, the first renewal of a work authorisation could be refused if the employment contract ended within 12 months of hiring. That period is now 6 months, and a new exception protects employees whose employer seriously breached the employment relationship. The new job still has to meet the usual work authorisation conditions.
3. Fixed-term workers who lose their job
Holders of the "travailleur temporaire" card, issued for fixed-term contracts and postings, can no longer lose their card because of up to 3 months of involuntary unemployment, and can stay while a new work authorisation is processed.
4. EU Blue Card
- Moving from another EU state: 12 months on a Blue Card in the first state are enough (6 months from the second move), instead of 18.
- Employer breach: if the card is at risk because the employer broke its legal obligations, the holder gets at least 6 months to find a new job, extended to the end of unemployment rights, with the right to work meanwhile.
- Card length: with a contract of 2 years or more, the card matches the contract, up to 4 years.
For the full picture, see our guide to the EU Blue Card in France.
5. Intra-company transfers and UK service providers
The "salarié détaché ICT" and "stagiaire ICT" cards now require gross pay of at least €39,582 a year, the same reference salary as the talent qualified-employee card. Staff of UK companies posted to France to provide contractual services can be exempt from a work authorisation for up to 12 months, in sectors still to be listed by arrêté.
What to do now
- Application pending? Work out when your file became complete and when the 90 days end. How the new rule applies to files filed before 30 October is still an open question.
- Thinking of changing jobs? Check where you stand against the new 6-month period before you resign.
- Employer using ICT or Blue Card hires? Check salary packages and contract lengths against the new rules.
Frequently asked questions
How long does a French préfecture have to decide on a residence permit?
From 30 October 2026, 90 days from a complete application, with up to 30 more days for complex files. Some cards have shorter deadlines.
What happens if the préfecture does not answer within 90 days?
The silence counts as an implicit refusal, which can be challenged. The time limits to act run from that date.
Can I change employer after 6 months on a French work permit?
The contract ending after 6 months is no longer a ground to refuse the first renewal of your work authorisation. The new job must still meet the usual conditions.
Related reading
- Préfecture not responding? What to do when your permit is stuck
- EU Blue Card in France
- Talent card for qualified employees
- France talent card: which category fits you
Two ways to move forward
Check your situation. If you have an application pending, plan to change employer, or hold a Blue Card or ICT card, book a consultation to see how the new rules apply to you.
Have the application handled. If you want your file prepared, followed up under the new deadlines, or a refusal challenged, describe your situation and you will receive a proposal for full assistance.
General information under French law as at 29 October 2026. It is not legal advice for your situation.