Post Study Work Permits for Indian Students in France

No matter what your reason is, if you are looking to study abroad, you are also aspiring to look for full-time employment after completing your education. Studying in the same country can add precious experience to your resume and help you find a permanent place in the country. Jobs might take time and every country has different rules regarding the same for international students. This article explains the rules and guidelines as pertinent for Indian students studying in or planning to study in France.

Post Study Work Permit on France Student Visa

There are different kinds of student visas available for France and each kind of student visa has built-in eligibility for post-study work permissions. Here’s a quick look at the same.

Simply put, students who are planning to take up small and short-term courses in France cannot stay in France. Only students who are taking up long-term courses like bachelor's and master's and have a Visa de Long Sejour Etudes or Long Stay Study Visa for France get permission to stay in the country after completing the course.

Tenures Allowed

A student, upon completing studies in France, must as per the immigration rules of the country, leave France. She/he can, however, apply for a residence permit for France if she/he has paid employment. This is applicable for both bachelor's and master’s programmes and students will have to apply for a work permit.

For master’s students, however, there is good news. While bachelor's degree holders can stay on only if they have a work permit, the students pursuing Masters's from France get an added advantage. On completing the master’s course, a student can apply for and get a temporary residence permit – APS, for a period of 24 months.

What is important to understand is that this extended residence permit allows a student only to take up part-time employment of up to 964 hours – as allowed to students already studying in French Universities. This relates to about 60% of full employment. If a student, with a work permit, is able to find employment that is more than 1.5 times the minimum wage guarantee, she/he must then apply for a Work Permit. So when deciding on which country to study in, keep these advantages of French opportunities in mind.

Those who hold a ‘passport talent’ residence permit along with the ‘EU Blue Card’, can get an EU long-term residence permit after staying for uninterrupted stay for five years in the EU. Also, candidates need to reside in France continuously for the last two years.

Related Articles

• French Student Visa Guide
• Part Time Work Options in France
• Campus France - What is it?

Useful Links

• Student Guide to France
• Explore Universities in France