“Researcher – talent” visas and residence permits (“scientist – researcher” visas and residence permits for Algerians) authorize you to work without any additional steps in you process.
Nevertheless, please note that your scientist status or “researcher – talent” does not authorize you to hold just any professional position in France. It only authorizes you to carry out the research or hold the teaching position that was specified in the hosting agreement that was issued by the host establishment.
When you arrive in France with a “researcher” visa, you may begin working as soon as you arrive as stipulated in the hosting agreement, without waiting to obtain your residence permit.
If you are already in France and are considering working in a different capacity, you must request a change of status.
Aside from Algerian students who are required to request a provisional work permit (autorisation provisoire de travail), all international students holding an “étudiant” (student) residence permit or a long-stay visa that is valid as a residence permit (VLS TS) designation “étudiant” can freely hold a part-time professional activity on an incidental basis throughout their studies after their employer declares it with the prefecture of police. The right of international students to salaried work is guaranteed by their residence permit or student VLS TS which is to be presented to their employer.
The practice of a part-time professional activity is limited to 60% of the standard legal number of working hours, meaning 964 hours per year. The reference period for calculating these 964 hours is the length of validity of the residence permit or the long-stay visa that is valid as a residence permit. In exceptional circumstances, certain students (for example, employed PhD students in the context of their thesis program and students with apprenticeship or professionalization contracts) may work more than 964 hours per year, after having applied for a provisional work permit (APT).
Algerian students are subject to a provisional work permit, limited to a half-time yearly job (822,50 hours per year).
Since April 6th, 2021 you must apply for your work permit on ANEF web site instead of Work In France, here: https://administration-etrangers-en-france.interieur.gouv.fr/particuliers/#/
For all additional requests for information regarding the terms and conditions for employers hiring an international student or regarding the process for requesting a work permit, don’t hesitate to contact your acc&ss center!
Spouses of researchers from non-European countries
While the scientist is staying in France with a “researcher – talent passport'” or “scientist-researcher” residence permit, their partner (spouse) may obtain a specific residence permit authorizing them to carry out a professional activity in France during the researcher’s stay. It is called a:
- “family – talent passport”
- or “Private Life and Family” residence permit (for Algerian spouses)
However, if the PhD student is staying in France with a “student” residence permit, their spouse may only apply for a “visitor” residence permit which does not authorize them to work in France. If the spouse already plans to carry out a professional activity or study in France, it is best that they apply for a visa based on their own reasons for coming to France (student, employee…) because it will not be possible for them to modify their residence permit once they are in France.
Spouses of Researchers from the EU / EEA / Switzerland
In situations in which the scientist is a citizen of a country in the European Union, the European Economic Area, or Switzerland, their partner (spouse) will receive a “family member of a citizen of the EU / EEA / Switzerland” residence permit. This card authorizes the free exercise of professional activities.