The New List of Jobs in Short Supply is Officially Published: A Major Issue for Employment and Immigration
The highly anticipated updated list of jobs in short supply was officially published in the Official Journal on May 22, 2025, marking a crucial milestone for the French labor market. This publication, made possible by the application of the immigration law, aims to better meet the needs of companies struggling to recruit in certain key sectors.
As reported by The Parisian, This new list includes a range of professions from nurses to cooks to roofers. These occupations are identified as being in high demand for labor, with an insufficient number of candidates to fill available positions. This situation creates difficulties for businesses and hinders growth in these sectors.
The Ministry of Labor, Employment, and Integration emphasized the importance of this update, stating that this list is the result of an in-depth analysis of labor market needs. It will, in particular, allow for the adjustment of vocational training policies and facilitate access to employment for applicants, whether nationals or foreigners.
L’Express highlights the significance of this publication in the context of the immigration law. Indeed, one of the aspects of this law aims to simplify access to residence permits for qualified foreign workers wishing to work in a profession in shortage. This measure should help to alleviate the shortage of personnel in these sectors and support economic activity.
The list of jobs in short supply is a dynamic tool that will be regularly reassessed to adapt to changes in the labor market. It represents an essential lever for improving the match between job supply and demand in France.
What is the advantage of recruiting an expat for an activity covered by the list of jobs in short supply?
Hiring an expatriate for a job listed on the list of jobs in short supply in France offers several significant advantages for businesses, particularly in a context of skilled labor shortages. Here are the main benefits:
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Response to Skilled Labor Shortages:
The main advantage is the ability to quickly fill vacancies in sectors where recruitment is difficult in the domestic market. Expatriates, often with specific skills or international experience, can provide valuable and immediately operational expertise.
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Simplified regularization process:
The 2023 Immigration Act and subsequent decrees aim to facilitate access to residence permits for foreign workers wishing to fill in-demand jobs. For businesses, this means a potentially smoother and less burdensome recruitment and administrative integration process than for other categories of foreign workers. In some cases, even undocumented workers already in the country can be regularized if they can demonstrate experience in a job in demand.
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Diversification of skills and perspectives:
Expatriates bring not only technical skills but also different cultural and professional perspectives. This diversity can stimulate innovation, improve problem-solving, and enrich the work environment, benefiting the entire company.
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Improving competitiveness:
By having access to a wider talent pool, companies can maintain or even improve their production and service levels. This allows them to remain competitive in their market and avoid project delays or customer losses due to staff shortages.
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Strengthening the employer brand:
A company that can recruit talent internationally, even in difficult sectors, can strengthen its image as an attractive and open employer, which can attract other talent in the future.
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Long-term integration potential:
By making it easier to obtain permanent residence permits, France encourages the long-term settlement of foreign workers and their families. This reduces turnover and allows companies to benefit from the long-term loyalty and commitment of their employees.
What are the simplified formalities in the hiring procedure for Job in short supply?
Hiring formalities for jobs in demand in France have been significantly simplified for employers wishing to recruit foreign workers (outside the EU/EEA/Switzerland), whether they already reside in France or abroad. The major simplification lies in the exemption from the opposability of the employment situation.
Here is an overview of the simplified formalities in the hiring procedure:
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Exemption from the enforceability of the employment situation:
- The key principle: This is the most significant simplification. Unlike the standard procedure, the employer does not have to prove that they have conducted unsuccessful searches for a candidate on the French or European labor market (via France Travail, for example). The fact that the profession appears on the official list of occupations in shortage is sufficient to attest to the need for labor.
- Consequence for the employer: This significantly reduces the time and effort involved in posting job offers and justifying unsuccessful applications.
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Facilitated work permit procedure (for foreign workers):
- Online application: The application for a work permit is made exclusively online on the dedicated platform of the Ministry of the Interior (ANEF).
- Priority processing: Files concerning professions in demand generally benefit from priority processing by the competent services, which can result in reduced processing times (some sources mention a timeframe that can be reduced to around 2 weeks, compared to 2 to 3 months for a standard procedure).
- Required documents (for the employer):The employer must provide the usual documents for a work permit application, including:
- The employment contract (permanent or fixed-term) or the promise of employment.
- The company’s Kbis extract.
- A URSSAF vigilance certificate less than 6 months old proving that the company is up-to-date with its social security contributions.
- The CV and diplomas or proof of qualifications and experience of the foreign employee.
- The foreign employee’s passport.
- Conditions to be met by the company:
- The position must correspond to a real need.
- The proposed remuneration must be at least equal to the minimum wage or the minimum salary provided for by the applicable collective agreement.
- The company must be in legal and financial standing.
- Simplification for the regularization of workers already in France (including undocumented workers):
- The immigration law has established a specific and temporary system (until December 31, 2026) for the regularization of illegal immigrants who work in a job in demand.
- For the employer, this measure secures the employment of an already operational and trained worker, without the risks associated with undeclared employment. The regularized worker will obtain an “employee” or “temporary worker” residence permit.
Points of vigilance for the employer:
- Checking the list: Make sure that the occupation in question is on the latest list of occupations in shortage, as this may be revised (and it was on May 22, 2025). It is also important to note that the list is now territorialized for certain occupations, which means that an occupation may be in shortage in one region and not in another.
- Quality of the file: Even if the procedure is simplified, the quality and completeness of the file remain essential to avoid delays.
- Accompaniment :For companies unfamiliar with the procedures for hiring foreign workers, it may be wise to seek support from firms specializing in international mobility or lawyers specializing in immigration law.
In short, recruiting an expatriate in a job in demand is a win-win strategy: it allows companies to overcome their recruitment difficulties while offering qualified foreign workers a simplified and secure access route to the French labor market. The major simplification for the employer when hiring a worker in a job in demand is the elimination of the obligation to prove the unavailability of local labor, which considerably speeds up and streamlines the procedure.
To consult the official publication, please refer to the order on the updated list of professions in shortage: https://travail-emploi.gouv.fr/publication-de-larrete-sur-la-liste-des-metiers-en-tension-actualisee