Multidimension :
Against a backdrop of persistent tensions in the French labour market, marked by chronic shortages in many sectors, the government took a key step forward with the publication on 22 May 2025 of the decree of 21 May 2025 establishing the list of occupations and geographical areas characterised by recruitment difficulties. This text, published in the Official Journal, updates for the first time since 2021 the famous ‘list of professions in short supply’, established by the immigration law of 26 January 2024. The aim is to meet labour needs in certain sectors by facilitating the recruitment of foreign workers from outside the European Union and allowing the regularisation of certain employees in an irregular situation via exceptional admission to residence (AES), without increasing administrative procedures.
A lever for economic immigration and attracting talent
For employers, this is a relief: in these listed professions and areas, work permits for non-EU foreigners are issued without prior verification of the job offer on Pôle Emploi, speeding up recruitment. This particularly targets SMEs in rural or peri-urban areas, where shortages are hampering growth.
For foreign workers, access to the French labour market is opening up more widely, favouring ‘employee’ or ‘temporary worker’ residence permits. However, conditions remain: compliance with minimum wages, equivalent qualifications and no fraud. The list, which is updated annually, could evolve with data from France Travail.
To obtain this residence permit, several conditions set out in Article L. 435-4 of the Code on the Entry and Residence of Foreigners and the Right of Asylum (CESEDA) must be met:
- provide proof of 3 years of uninterrupted residence in France;
- produce 12 payslips from a profession in short supply, consecutive or otherwise, over the last 24 months;
- provide proof of employment equivalent to at least half-time monthly work;
- provide proof of good integration (community or volunteer work, family presence in France, proof of friendships and social ties, etc.);
- have no criminal record and adhere to the values of the Republic.
To illustrate the diversity of professions in short supply by sector, here is a non-exhaustive overview, taken from the appendix to the decree:
Towards a more resilient labor market?
The decree of May 21, 2025, is not just an administrative document: it embodies a commitment to immigration as an economic asset. By making France more attractive to foreign talent, it could ease social tensions surrounding employment. Its impact remains to be seen: the next update, scheduled for 2026, will reveal whether this list has truly streamlined recruitment. In the meantime, employers and international candidates have a valuable tool to navigate the intricacies of labor law.
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