Franck Riester, minister for foreign trade and economic attractiveness, is keen to promote France's 'talent visa' which allows entrepreneurs, innovators and tech experts and their families to move to France from outside the EU.
The talent visa is part of a concerted effort from France to attract more foreign businesses and tech expertise into the country, along with the Welcome to France programme that aims to make setting up new businesses in France easier for foreigners.
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Riester, who was appointed the 'minister for economic attractiveness' in July's government reshuffle, tweeted that France “will need the talents of the whole world” to relaunch its economy after the recession caused by the pandemic and lockdown.
Le passeport talent, c’est la possibilité pour les investisseurs, entrepreneurs et cadres étrangers de s’installer & travailler en France avec leur famille. C’est encourager les talents du monde entier à choisir notre pays pour y développer la croissance & l’emploi. #attractivité
— Franck Riester (@franckriester) August 18, 2020
France is on course for its worst recession since 1945 after its economy contracted by more than 13 percent, although it has so far not been as badly hit as Spain or the UK, which has seen the biggest shrinkage in Europe.
The minister added that he hoped that the talent visa will “encourage talents from around the world to choose our country for growth and employment”.
From 2021 it is likely that British people will also need visas to move to France to work, in the same way that non-Europeans such as Americans, Canadians, Australians and Indians do now.
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France has been keen to attract British talent to the country, and in 2019 launched a website in English with a guide to setting up a business in France with information on French business laws, tax rates and residency rules, as well as a section on the grants, loans and funding that is on offer to businesses moving to France.
The passeport talent (talent visa) was launched in 2015 and offers a four-year visa to workers with particular skills and their families.
You can find out more about the talent visa here.
Hmmm…there is no shortage of talent already in France (native and immigrant) who are hamstrung by byzantine red tape and incomprehensible tax laws…the issues with the economy and work in general in France won’t go away until they significantly overhaul and simplify both systems.
Preventing foreigners who own property in France from accessing their investments does not encourage capital investment. France and the EU need to adopt Covid testing to permit entry rather than ban most of the world .
I have owned a beautiful home in France for 20 years which I restored. I pay taxes, make purchases and employ people. I continually have problems with France losing my paperwork for a Visa and they don’t care. I was promised a 5 or 10 year Visa and lost my paperwork and I could only stay for 3 months without the visa. The visa process was a nuisance and my home is for sale.