If a French company wants to hire you and pays at least €39,582 a year, there is a fast lane past the usual work-permit procedure: the talent - salarié qualifié card. Your employer files no work authorisation, the job is not tested against the French labour market, and you can get a residence permit of up to four years straight away.
Key facts
| Legal name | Carte de séjour pluriannuelle "talent - salarié qualifié", art. L421-9 CESEDA |
| Formerly called | Passeport Talent - salarié qualifié / entreprise innovante / salarié en mission |
| Three routes | French master's graduate, employee of an innovative company, intra-group mission |
| Salary | At least €39,582 gross a year |
| Validity | Length of the employment contract, up to 4 years |
| Employer side | No work authorisation, no tax on hiring a foreign worker |
| French language | Not required for this card |
| Family | Spouse and children get a "talent (famille)" card |
| Fee | €350 for a first card, plus the consular visa fee if you apply from abroad |
| Long term | 10-year card after 5 years of legal residence; citizenship possible after 5 years |
Who this card is for
One card, three different routes. You qualify through one of them:
- The French graduate. You finished a master's, or a degree labelled by the Conférence des grandes écoles, at a French institution, and a company in France hires you.
- The start-up hire. A young innovative company or a company recognised as innovative hires you for a role linked to its R&D or its development. No degree condition applies.
- The internal transfer. You have worked for a group abroad for at least three months, and its French entity signs an employment contract with you.
If none of these fits, look at a neighbouring card:
| Your situation | Card to look at |
|---|---|
| Degree obtained abroad, salary of €59,373 or more | Talent - EU Blue Card |
| Lower salary or no qualifying degree | "Salarié" card, with a work authorisation filed by the employer |
| Group posting while staying on the foreign contract | "Salarié détaché ICT" card |
| You will run the group's French entity | Talent - legal representative |
| You want to start your own company | Talent - company founder |
Conditions
The common rule: salary. Whatever the route, your gross annual pay must be at least €39,582, the reference amount set in August 2025. Only salary counts, not savings or other income.
Then the condition of your route:
| Route | Specific condition |
|---|---|
| French graduate | Master-level degree obtained in France, or a degree labelled by the Conférence des grandes écoles, and a contract of more than 3 months |
| Innovative company | The employer is a young innovative company or recognised as innovative, and your role is linked to its R&D or development |
| Intra-group mission | At least 3 months' seniority in the group abroad and a contract with the French entity |
If your job is a regulated profession in France, you must also meet its French practice conditions.
Close to the threshold, or unsure which route your contract falls under? A short consultation is enough to check before the employer signs.
Documents and procedure
The file combines your documents and the employer's: identity and address, the employment contract and an employer's certificate, and the evidence specific to your route (French diploma, proof that the company is innovative, or proof of seniority in the group). The exact list depends on where you apply and on your route.
If you live abroad, the French consulate decides and issues a long-stay "talent" visa. If you already live in France legally, for example as a student finishing a master's, the préfecture of your place of residence decides on the change of status. A first card costs €350 in tax stamps.
The timing matters, especially between the end of a student permit, the job offer and the start date. From 30 October 2026, a préfecture that stays silent for 90 days after a complete application is treated as having refused (what the new 90-day rule changes).
Your rights and what comes next
- Work. The card covers the salaried job that justified it. It is tied to that activity, not a general work permit.
- Family. Your spouse and children get a "talent (famille)" card running until your card expires, without family reunification.
- No integration contract. No A2 test or civic exam for this card.
- Losing your job. For the graduate and innovative-company routes, an involuntary job loss does not lead to the card being withdrawn, and renewal follows your unemployment insurance rights. The intra-group route does not have this protection.
- Tax. People recruited from abroad may also qualify for the French impatriate regime, which can exempt part of their pay from income tax for up to 8 years. Graduates who studied in France often fail its non-residence test.
- Ten years and citizenship. After 5 years of legal residence you can apply for the 10-year card (French at B1 and a civic exam). Naturalisation requires B2.
When it gets complicated
The conditions fit in one table. These are the situations where files most often go wrong:
- The job description. How duties are worded in the contract and the employer's certificate often decides whether the route is accepted, especially for the innovative-company route.
- Salary just above €39,582. Bonuses, variable pay and part-time contracts raise the question of what counts toward the threshold.
- A degree from abroad. The graduate route requires a French degree. A foreign master's points to the EU Blue Card or the ordinary employee card, each with its own trade-offs.
- Changing employer. The card is tied to the job that justified it. A new employer, a new role or a break between contracts needs to be handled before, not after.
- Switching from a student card. The window between the end of studies, the job offer and the expiry of the student permit is tight.
- A previous refusal. A new application has to answer the reasons for the first refusal.
Frequently asked questions
What is the minimum salary for the French talent card?
For qualified employees, €39,582 gross a year, set in August 2025. The EU Blue Card requires more: €59,373.
Can I get this card with a master's degree from my home country?
Not through the graduate route, which requires a degree obtained in France. A foreign degree can still work through the innovative-company or intra-group routes, which have no degree condition, or through the EU Blue Card.
Does my employer need a work permit for me?
No. The employer files no work authorisation and pays no tax on hiring a foreign worker.
Can I bring my partner?
Your spouse and children get a "talent (famille)" card without going through family reunification. The text covers a married spouse; an unmarried partner needs another route.
Related reading
- France talent card: which category fits you
- EU Blue Card in France
- Talent family card
- The French impatriate regime
- The new 90-day deadline for residence permits
Two ways to move forward
Check your situation. If you want to know whether your contract and profile fit this card, or which card fits better, book a consultation.
Have the application handled. If you or your employer want the file prepared from start to card, describe the 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.