The creation of a new French Golden Visa talent medical and pharmacy profession made to respond to the lack of health professionals in France marks a significant step in the evolution of French immigration and public health policy.
J2M Law Firm explores in detail the contours of the law of January 26, 2024 to control immigration, improve integration by highlighting the benefits it offers to foreign medical professionals and healthcare professionals under the new Article L.421-13-1 of CESEDA. Eligibility conditions, advantages and prospects offered by this Golden Visa for medical professions are explained here.
New legal landscape to remedy medical deserts and fill the shortage of doctors and health professionals
France is facing a shortage of health professionals, general practitioners, specialist doctors, surgeons, dentists and dental surgeons, nurses, midwives and even pharmacists.
The immigration law of January 26, 2024 partially addresses this problem. It introduces for non-European health professionals a residence permit specifically designed for them: the residence permit talent — medical and pharmacy profession planned for theArticle L. 421-13-1 of CESEDA.
This initiative aims to remedy medical deserts and fill the deficit of qualified personnel in hospitals and medico-social establishments.
It also aims to simplify the professional integration of targeted foreign health professionals.
Creating the map talent-medical and pharmacy profession
The new legal framework allows doctors, surgeons – dentists, midwives, pharmacists qualified outside the European Union to practice their profession in France without requiring an additional work authorization which remains mandatory outside this framework.
The talent medical and pharmacy profession, provided for by the new Article L. 421-13-1 of CESEDA, is a multi-year residence permit including a work authorization and for a maximum duration of 4 years for foreign health professionals qualified outside the European Union.
Who is concerned?
This authorization can take several forms such as:
- an assignment decision;
- a certificate allowing temporary exercise;
- authorization to practice.
In practice, health professionals who can apply for this residence permit are practitioners who have successfully completed the knowledge verification tests (EVC).
Are thus specifically concerned by the residence permit talent — medical and pharmacy professions :
- foreign doctors ;
- dental surgeons ;
- midwives ;
- pharmacists.
Eligibility and conditions for issuing the golden visa talent — medical and pharmacy profession
The eligibility conditions for this residence permit are precise.
In order to obtain the issuance of the residence permit talent — medical and pharmacy profession, the healthcare professional must meet several conditions:
- Hold a diploma issued by a state that is not a member of the European Union, or is not a party to the agreement on the European Economic Area;
- Have received an assignment decision or a certificate allowing temporary exercise on French territory;
- Justify compliance with a remuneration threshold set by decree of the Council of State (threshold still to be set);
- Sign the charter of values of the Republic and the principle of secularism.
These conditions are cumulative.
Duration of title and renewal
The maximum validity period of the residence permit talent — medical and pharmacy profession is of 4 years.
Now, like all residence permits, this permit is renewable 3 times consecutively maximum (new Article L.433-1-1 of CESEDA), provided that the delivery criteria continue to be respected.
Family of cardholders talent — medical and pharmacy profession does not access the card talent — family
Family members of the cardholder talent medical and pharmacy profession do not automatically benefit from the right to be issued with a residence permit as a talent family.
In fact, the article L. 421-22 of CESEDA relating to members of the securities family talent is not modified by the immigration law of January 26, 2024 to include the new article L.421-13-1 relating to the title talent — medical and pharmacy profession.
Thus, for any installation in France of family members of the holder of the residence permit talent — medical and pharmacy profession, the latter are required to follow the classic family reunification procedure.
Only the delivery to the health professional of a title talent European blue card planned for theArticle L. 421-11 of CESEDA would allow his family to benefit from a card talent-family.
The possibility of applying for naturalization after 5 years
Once the practitioner meets the eligibility conditions for obtaining the residence permit talent medical and pharmacy profession and he finds himself holding this title, it is entirely possible for him to request naturalization, that is to say the acquisition of French nationality after having resided on French territory. for at least 5 years.
To do this, however, it must satisfy a series of relatively restrictive conditions:
- Continuously reside in France for at least 5 years under the cover, in this case, of the multi-year card talent renewed;
- Have a valid residence permit at the time of submitting the application;
- Remain in France for the duration of the entire procedure or at least have residence in France.
- Prove your professional integration;
- Strong command of the French language and sufficient knowledge of French history, culture and society;
- Adherence to the principles and values of the French Republic;
- Non-polygamy;
- Absence of criminal conviction in France and other countries in the last ten years;
- Absence of tax debt or debt to the administration;
- Proof of health insurance.
If all of these conditions are met, the application is accepted and the naturalization applicant must undergo a naturalization interview.
If the application is accepted, the applicant obtains their passport within 6 months to 2 years after acceptance of their application.
It should be noted that minor children are also automatically naturalized French upon request.
However, in the event of important or particularly important services rendered to France, a lighter naturalization procedure may be initiated. However, the cases are very limited.
The importance of a lawyer and legal advice
Faced with the complexity of the procedures and requirements imposed for this new title, the assistance of a lawyer specializing in immigration law and international mobility can prove crucial.
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