Below is a summary of the ten most important points included in the new immigration draft law, which sparked widespread controversy in France, and Parliament approved it on Tuesday, December 19, 2023, with a majority of 349 votes against 186 opposing votes, which sparked relief from the right and discontent among the left.
Announcement
The French left denounced the “vote of shame,” while the associations condemned what they considered “the ideological victory of the extreme right,” or even “the most reactionary text in 40 years.” Compared to the initial version presented by the government, the law was significantly tightened in Parliament, and consists of About 100 articles and includes many controversial items, the most important of which are as follows:
1. Settlement of workers’ status without papers
A residence permit will be issued for one year, provided that the worker has resided in France for at least three years and has a clean criminal record. This applies to professions in which France suffers from a labor shortage, such as construction professions, restaurants, social services, etc. The decision excludes jobs for students and seasonal workers.
2. Social aid
To benefit from social assistance, unemployed foreigners must prove their residence in France for at least 5 years. The period will be reduced to 30 months for workers, and assistance for persons with disabilities will not be affected by this measure. In the past, a non-European foreigner was entitled to receive this aid immediately.
3. Aid to pay for housing costs (APL)
Working foreigners can benefit from aid to pay housing costs (APL) 3 months after their arrival in France, while non-working foreigners can benefit from rental support after five years, while non-European foreigners were entitled to this aid immediately upon their arrival in France, especially students. These new restrictions do not apply to international students or refugees.
4. Government medical assistance
State medical assistance for illegal immigrants will not be cancelled, however, the law includes restrictions on obtaining a residence permit for a “sick alien.” Health insurance coverage will also be excluded if the applicant has sufficient resources.
5. “Right to Land” Law
Parliament has ended the automatic acquisition of French citizenship upon reaching the age of majority for people born in France to foreign parents, and they will now have to apply for citizenship between the ages of 16 and 18, provided they have not committed any crimes before. While dual nationals who commit crimes against security forces can be stripped of their French nationality.
6. Family reunification
The Senate voted to tighten the conditions for family reunification. From now on, the applicant must prove his residence on French territory for a period of 24 months (compared to 18 previously), with the necessity of having a sufficient and regular source of income. The minimum age for the foster spouse has also been raised in Family reunification up to 21 years.
To claim to join their family in France, people invited through family reunification must prove “knowledge of the French language” that enables them to communicate in simple sentences.
7. Commitment to the “Principles of the Republic”
To be granted a residence card (ten years) and to obtain French citizenship, foreigners must prove a minimum knowledge of the French language (the list of required skills will be determined by decree).
The residence permit of a foreigner may also be withdrawn or denied if he refuses to sign a “contract committing to respect the principles of the Republic.” In this contract, the foreigner pledges to respect “personal freedom, freedom of expression and conscience, equality between women and men, respect for human dignity, and respect for the emblem and symbols of the Republic.”
8. Administrative detention centers
The ban on placing foreign minors under the age of 16 in detention centers appears in the final settlement. This is a procedure that is consistent with international law. She was found guilty by the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR). France 10 times for detaining minors in administrative detention centers.
9. The crime of illegal residence
Illegal residence will be considered a “criminal offense”, punishable by a fine of 3,750 euros and a ban from entering the territory for three years.
It is also possible to deport individuals who were under 13 years old when they arrived in France, and foreign parents whose children hold French citizenship can also be deported.
10. Student “deposit”.
The law stipulates that financial guarantees are required from foreign students who come to France for education, with the aim of covering possible “return costs”. The amount of this deposit will be determined taking into account the “Scholarship Eligibility Criteria for Students”.
This sponsorship will be returned to the foreign student when he leaves France after the expiration of the residence permit. It may be “kept permanently in the event that the foreigner evades the implementation of the deportation decision.”
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2023-12-21 09:33:24
