A foreign student who has just obtained a French diploma at least equivalent to the master’s degree, a professional licence degree, or any diploma listed in the arrêté may stay in France after completing their studies to gain initial work experience or create a business, by applying for a temporary residence card « Recherche d’emploi Création d’entreprise » (job search/ business creation) also called RECE, a card valid for one year.
Students from countries that have bilateral agreements with France can apply for a provisional residence permit « autorisation provisoire de séjour » also known as APS) for the same reason. The duration of the APS and conditions for the delivery will depend on the agreement. Countries with such a bilateral agreement are : Bénin, Burkina Faso, Maurice, Tunisia, Cape Verde, the Republic of Congo (Brazzaville), Gabon and India.
Beware : Students of Algerian nationality do not benefit from this « Recherche d’emploi Création d’entreprise » card option.
Important note : Former students who have left France can also request for a RECE visa in their country within a maximum of four years after graduating in France.
This residence permit RECE is issued upon graduation and cannot be renewed. Therefore, a student residence permit cannot be requested again once a RECE residence permit has been granted.
Quick tip
If you hold a student residence card and you wish to change your status towards a RECE residence permit or an APS but you do not have all the necessary documents in your possession yet in order to complete the request, first apply for a renewal of your student residence permit between 4 and 2 months before your residence permit expires, explaining your situation in the “observations” section. You will receive an « attestation de prolongation d’instruction » for the period you need to gather the necessary document to process your request for RECE or APS.
Procedure and documents to be provided
Procedure for filing the application
Students living in Paris (75) must submit their application online on the démarches simplifées web page. The documents to be provided must be uploaded on the plateform as PDF documents only. After checking the on line application, if the file is approved, the préfecture will invite the student to go to the préfecture, with an appointment, in order to obtain a paper application and check the original documents, and for the student to collect a récépissé. On the day of the appointment, the student must bring a copy and the original of every required document.
For students living outside of Paris, they will have to consult the web site of the local prefecture in order to check the way to applly for this card or contact acc&ss Paris Centre explaining their request and specifying their home address in France.
Documents to provide :
- Valid « étudiant » (student) residence permit or visa + confirmation of online validation of the visa ;
- passport (pages related to identity information, validity dates, and entry stamps) ;
- proof of home address less than 6 months old :
- if tenant: electricity bill (or gas, water, landline telephone or Internet service bill) or rental lease agreement less than 6 months old or rent receipt or housing tax statement;
- if staying at a hotel: hotelier’s certificate and bill;
- if staying with an individual: dated and signed statement from the host (« attestation d’hébergement » ) , copy of his/her identity card or residence card, deed of ownership (or the host’s statement of residence tax or copy of the rental lease agreement or the host’s electricity, gas, water, landline telephone or Internet service bill). A sample of « attestation d’hébergement » can be found here ;
- diploma at least equivalent to a master’s degree ;
After checking the online application, if the file is approved, the préfecture will invite the student to go to the préfecture, with an appointment, in order to obtain a paper application file and and check the original documents, and for the student to collect a récépissé.
Quick tip
On the day of the appointment and before leaving the prefecture, check the récepissé issued to make sure it allows you to work. It should be written “autorise son titulaire à travailler” at the bottom.
After submitting the application file
The récépissé obtained after the checking and approval of the file by the préfecture allows the applicant to work without having to request a work permit.
The « Recherche d’emploi – Création d’entreprise » (job search/ business creation) residence card holder is allowed to work full-time as long as they work in their field of studies or research and earn a gross salary of at least 1,5 times the SMIC (€2 650,38 per month in July 2024). They can carry out more than one contract during the resident permit validity period.
When the residence card is ready to be collected at the prefecture, a text message is sent to the applicant’s mobile phone. In most prefectures, it is necessary to make an appointment on the prefecture’s website before going to collect the residence permit. Students living in Paris can find more information about collecting a residence card in Paris and making the required appointment on the web site of the préfecture de Police de Paris here. When collecting the residence cars on the day of the appointment, the original of the passport and a €75 printed tax stamp will be requested. Tax stamps can be bought on the tax department’s website. There is no tax to be paid for the APS.
Quick tip
The residence card must be collected before it expires because no new application for a new residence card will be possible if the card has not been collected before. If the student has not received a text message within 2 months after collecting his/her récépissé,, they can write to the prefecture to ask if the residence permit is ready to be collected and/or make an appointment to collect it.
It is recommended to have booked for an appointment to collect the card before the expiry date of the récépissé. If the card is not ready to be collected, the prefecture will have to give a new récépissé.
Purchase of the tax stamp
On line on https://timbres.impots.gouv.fr/ (please save and print your receipt)
Right for working
The « Recherche d’emploi – Création d’entreprise » (job search/ business creation) residence card holder is allowed to work full-time as long as they work in their field of studies or research and earn a gross salary of at least 1,5 times the SMIC (€2 650,38 per month in July 2024). They can carry out more than one contract during the resident permit validity period.
Before the expiry date of the VLS TS or RECE residence card or APS, the young graduate having found a job will have to apply for a change of status towards a professional status, according to their situation (« salarié », « travailleur temporaire », « talent »,…) in order to extend the stay in France. The residence permit to be applied for will depend on the nature of the employment and the amount of the income. Only a change of status is possible. The RECE card is not renewable.
Quick tip
The process for applying for a change of status should be started if possible 3 months before the expiry date of the RECE card (between 4 and 2 months if the application is made on the ANEF). The RECE card or APS must be still valid at the time of submitting the request.
All the useful and updated pieces of information are available on the Service public web site