Studely
December 4, 2025

Can you work in France with a long-stay visa?

While studying in France has become more accessible for foreign students, access to work for them is subject to several conditions, in particular those governed by long-stay visas. Many are therefore wondering if it is possible to work in France with a long-stay visa.

The long-stay visa to work in France

For a stay in France exceeding 90 days, obtaining a long-stay visa is essential, unless your nationality does not exempt it. Regardless of the length of your stay in France, the long-stay visa (VLS) is valid for 3 to 12 months. Once this period has passed, you will have to apply for a residence permit from the prefecture.

During its validity, the VLS is equivalent to a Schengen visa, allowing you to travel and stay outside France.

Each new employment contract will require a work permit. The long-stay visa, which is equivalent to a residence permit (or residence card) for temporary workers, allows the exercise of the activity specified in the employment contract, under the specific employer and in a defined geographical area.

What is a work permit and how do I get one?

A work permit is a foreign document allowing a person to work as an employee in France. To obtain a work visa, a company that wishes to hire a foreigner in France must request a work permit from the DIRECCTE. This request will then be added to your visa application file.

However, your employer is not required to request a work permit in the event that your mission is linked to a sporting, cultural, artistic or scientific event, business tourism, film and audiovisual production and distribution, film and audiovisual distribution, phonographic publishing, etc.

What type of visa do I need to apply for to work in France?

First of all, your visa must correspond to the nature of your contract (CDD or CDI):

  • If your work assignment lasts 90 days or less, spread over a total period of 6 months, you should apply for a short-term visa.
  • If your contract is longer (lasting a minimum of 3 months and a maximum of 1 year), you must apply for a long-stay visa, also called a “type D” or “national” visa. This long-stay work visa must be validated within 3 months following your arrival in France. Beyond one year, you will have to apply for a residence permit to extend your stay in France.

Special cases

If you are seconded by your employer to a French company located in France or if you are an employee of a group of companies abroad who must carry out an assignment in France or follow a training course in the French establishment of this group, you will need to obtain a visa adapted to the duration of your mission.

In the case of a VLS request, it will include the mention 'temporary worker'. If you are a trainee, you will apply for a long-stay visa marked 'ICT Trainer', to be validated within 3 months following your arrival in France.

For managers who need to carry out a high-level management or expertise mission, the request will be a 3-year long-stay visa marked 'posted ICT' employee. Within 2 months following your arrival in France, you must apply to the prefecture for a multi-year residence permit.

Documents to provide to obtain my work visa for France

To apply for a visa, you will need the following documents:
A visa application form, dated and signed, accompanied by its France-Visas receipt.

  • ID photographs in ICAO format.
  • A passport issued less than 10 years ago, with at least 2 blank pages. It must be valid for at least 3 months after the date of your departure from the Schengen Area. In case of a long stay, it must remain valid for at least 3 months after the expiry of your visa.
  • If you currently live in a country of which you do not have a nationality, you will need to attach proof of your legal residence in that country (residence permit, etc.).
  • A visa insurance certificate.
  • A work authorization obtained by your employer from the DIRECCTE (Cerfa form No. 15187*02), sent directly to the embassy or consulate of your country of residence by the French Office for Immigration and Integration (OFII).
  • A copy of your diplomas, certificates of qualification and work certificates.

    • The conditions for working in France with a long-stay visa

    Here are some of the general conditions for working in France with a long-stay visa:
    Have a VLS adapted to the professional objective
    The type of visa you have must be in accordance with your professional goals.

  • Your employer's agreement
    Often, an agreement or a job offer is requested to justify why a foreigner should fill this position.
  • Compliance with the conditions associated with each type of visa
    Each category of long-stay visa involves specific conditions that must be respected. For example, student visas with work authorization may be limited to a certain number of hours of work per week during the academic year.
  • Follow the administrative procedures
    Legal procedures must be followed, such as obtaining a residence permit, or a work permit in addition to the visa.
  • Be in good standing
    After obtaining your long-stay visa, it is important to respect the deadlines and conditions established by the visa and/or residence permit granted.
    • Studely
    December 4, 2025