The French Tech Visa: an opportunity for talent from around the world

Lauren Pinel

Regularly cited as a driver of employment, is the start-up ecosystem really recruiting? The emblematic French Tech, whose the scoreboard shows 18,000 companies employing 353,000 people, indicates that employment within start-ups represents a 1.8% share of French private salaried employment. In a phase of strong growth, the development of these companies involves international expansion and a significant need to welcome and integrate new international employees.

What type of visas are required to enter France?

♦ The easiest way: the French Tech visa

The French Tech visa is a simplified procedure for investors, founders and employees of non-European startups who want to settle in France.

Its main advantages: the visa is available for the spouse and dependent minor children. Moreover, this visa is valid for four years and renewable. Finally, diplomas are not taken into account for certain categories.

For the host company

The company must take the necessary steps to be an innovative company, and therefore be eligible for the French Tech visa:

The company must be registered in France and have a SIRET number
It must have; one of the following: the status of "Young Innovative Company (YIC)", specific public funding for innovation, been supported by a French or foreign VC, been incubated / accelerated in France or abroad. Finally, it can be part of the current promotion of the Pass French Tech
Apply online, for a processing fee of €324, and then pay a fee once the visa has been validated.

For the applicant

If the applicant is an employee : He/she will need an employment contract of at least three months with a French company eligible for the French Tech visa, as well as a gross annual salary of at least twice the minimum wage. Once the contract is signed with the employer, the company will provide the applicant with a certificate. This certificate will enable the applicant to apply for a long-stay visa (three months before arrival in France) and then a residence permit. Supporting documents will be requested, and the total cost of the visa and residence permit is €368.

If a founder : He or she will need official admission to one of the incubators, accelerators of the French Tech visa. They will also need financial resources or a gross annual salary corresponding to at least one year's salary at the minimum wage. It will then be necessary to apply for a long-stay visa at the embassy or consulate no earlier than three months before arrival in France. The founder can then obtain a residence permit.

If it is an investor: Once selected, the partner will send a letter from the DGE certifying that the company is an innovative enterprise. It will then be necessary to apply for a long-stay visa at the embassy or consulate three months before arrival in France. The local prefecture will then issue a residence permit. This allows you to live and work in France for 4 years, renewable.

In these three cases, the applicant's family In these three cases, the applicant's family (spouse and dependent minor children) benefit from a simplified "accompanying family" procedure. The spouse automatically obtains the "Passeport Talent - famille" residence permit. Dependent children under the age of 18 do not need a residence permit. However, the applicant must obtain a "minor foreigner" circulation document.

Want to know more about international procedures?

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A visa is not enough for a successful settlement

Permanent accommodation: it is not always easy for a foreign employee to present a joint and several guarantee to obtain rented accommodation. Don't panic, solutions exist and our Ambassadors can set them up directly with your employees.
Social security: Allow about half a day for all the players to set up and complete the formalities for registration with the CPAM. The aim is to obtain a social security number, the key to health care in France!
The treating doctor:Finding a doctor who is willing to take on a new patient is often complex. If the doctor has to be English-speaking, it can sometimes be a real challenge. Our ambassadors are trained to explain how the French health system works. They use their local knowledge to find solutions.
The driving licence : Reciprocity agreement, online procedure and very, very long processing time...the exchange of driving licences is one of the most dreaded procedures for our employed newcomers...With method and anticipation (before leaving) we always end up getting the elements!
Opening a French bank account: Obligatory to rent an accommodation or to make certain administrative steps, the opening of a bank account is prepared even before the arrival of the employee. Debit card, credit card, cash payment, deferred payment, international transfers... opening a bank account can now be done online in a few minutes. However, you will have to take into account cultural differences, but also find an English-speaking bank contact. This will be a much better option in the long run!

To sum up, the person accompanying a new expatriate employee on French soil must take care of a few essential steps to integrate the newcomer in France. From health care to transportation, including banking procedures, the person accompanying the employee (HR or ambassador) must take care of several aspects of the installation so that it goes smoothly. Once the administrative part has been organised, do not forget the integration part: French lessons, spouse's job, children's schooling...

Let's recap...

Our Ambassadors are the local reference for your employees, guiding and accompanying them at every stage: informing, advising, explaining, helping to gather the right documents, establishing a step-by-step plan that you can follow on our platform, reassuring, reminding... they will be at their side to apply for their French Tech visa. A precious help for all the newcomers on the French territory.

Switch-Up offers you a complete and quality service. We enable new employees to settle in peacefully near their place of work thanks to our local ambassadors. They are experts in welcoming, settling in and integrating new employees.