Late on Tuesday night, France’s parliament passed the long-contested immigration bill, with the adopted version being notably further to the right than the original that was first sent to the Assemblée Nationale last week.

You can find a full breakdown of the text HERE.

The original bill contained no specific changes for foreign students, but the revised bill contains a clause that tightens up the rules on getting a student visa.

As a result, non-EU citizens looking to study in France will now be required to submit a deposit – amount to be specified later by France’s Conseil d’État – when applying for the first time for a student visa. 

The bill states that “the first issue of a temporary residency permit bearing the mention ‘student’ is conditional upon the foreign national submitting a deposit”

The foreign student would be able to get the deposit back “if he/she leaves France on the expiration of the ‘student’ residency permit, if he/she renews the permit, or if he/she obtains a new French residency permit with a different title/ status.” 

However, the new law states that “the deposit [will be] definitively withheld if the foreign national has evaded enforcement of a removal order.”

The law will also require that those with multi-year student residency permits prove annually that they are enrolled in a ‘real and serious’ educational programme. 

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Additionally, the legislation seeks to produce more information about the student residency permits granted, by introducing the requirement of a yearly report detailing how many applications were rejected, with information on the applicants’ country of origins and personal qualifications, as well as the time taken to process paperwork and the number of students who drop out of their courses.

In terms of when these changes will come into effect, the law will first need to be looked over and approved by France’s constitutional council and then several requirements will need to be given further detail by the Conseil d’État, which ought to be specified in the days and weeks to come.

Ultimately, it will be up to the French government to decide when it will be put into effect, so there was not a clear timeline for enforcement as of December 2023.

Why the changes?

These weren’t part of the original immigration bill – which was more focused on better integration of immigrants and filling skills gaps in certain sectors – but were added at a later stage by senators. 

Senator Roger Karoutchi, from the right-wing Les Républicains party, in an interview with Les Echos, said that student residency permits “have clearly become a means of immigration”.

“A number of university presidents have told us that many students registered under this scheme do not turn up for their exams or even go to lectures. This residence permit does not allow illegal immigration, but rather a diversion from its original purpose.”

However, the proposal has been slammed by higher education leaders.

The leaders of renowned French business schools ESSEC, ESCP, and HEC together spoke out against the changes, saying that the “bill will threaten France’s international competitiveness.”

They added that the new deposit requirement “goes against the principles of republican equality and (…) will reduce the proportion of international students in our schools and universities.”

The leaders also added that the new law would “destroy the government objective of doubling the number of international students by 2027,” referencing a goal of French President Emmanuel Macron’s administration to increase the country’s international competitiveness, particularly in the field of research.

What is not changing?

Students will continue to have access to housing aid (CAF). They were listed as an exception to the new rules laid out by parliament for foreigners benefiting from government benefits. 

The law also does not change the right of students to work up to 964 hours per year (60 percent of the annual working year).

Similarly students will still be able to travel freely in the Schengen zone during their studies.

The changes also will not affect pre-existing requirements for most foreigners to initially apply for their visa using the Campus France (Etudes en France) system. 

As for those who obtained a degree in France, the law does not change the ability to apply for the ‘job-seekers’ permit afterwards, nor does it change the shortened residency requirement students benefit from when applying for citizenship.

READ MORE: Ask the expert: How students can remain in France after finishing their degree

The deposit scheme does not affect people already studying in France – it is only required for a first-time student visa. 

What about the details?

Key details of the scheme – such as the amount required for the deposit, how it will be paid and exactly what proof is required of ‘serious study’ are still to be confirmed.

Speaking on Wednesday, government spokesman Olivier Véran said that each article of the bill would now need to be “studied and clarified”.

The bill also needs to be approved by the Conseil Constitutionnel, which can require sections to be altered or removed.