I Hold a 4 years Passport Talent work permit which is due to expire in October and in parallel I have switched my job and I have a CDI with a French company. I am confused if I must renew my card with a "Passport Talent" or "Salarié" Which has more benfits. I intend to live and work in France with all the benefits of an employee in France.
1 Answer
Passeport talent is typically considered more attractive, especially as a first residence permit. The main benefits for you as a holder are:
- A 4-year card instead of a 1-year card. A salarié residence permit needs to be renewed, which means some fees and formalities after one year, more risk if you lose your job, possibly a period of time when you cannot travel outside of France because you are waiting on your new residence permit.
- An easier procedure for the spouse and immediate family to join you in France. Getting a passeport talent (famille) permit is easier than regroupement familial.
Those benefits may be less significant if you already live in France with your family as you may be able to get a multi-year salarié card and a residence permit for your family more easily than if you were applying from abroad (not sure about the details, though).
There is also a major difference for the employer. If an employee qualifies for a passeport talent (which means meeting the threshold for salary, qualifications, etc.) the employer doesn't need to apply for an autorisation de travail spécifique. Getting such a permit may entail proving that the job cannot be filled by someone who is already on the French job market (whether a French or EU citizen or a third-country citizen who already has a permit) by publishing an offer through official channels and waiting several months, which is a big hassle.
I am not sure any of this has any impact on you, as you are already present in France and working for your new employer. Still, if you meet the salary requirements, it seems that a passeport talent would be the more logicial choice. A run-of-the-mill renewal also ought to be easier than a change of status.
Importantly, after one more year (so working for 5 years in France in total under either statuses), you should be eligible for a a long-term resident EU status, making the distinction moot. I highly recomment applying for this as it is a much safer status (path to “résident permanent”, no restriction on the type of work you are allowed to do, no need to renew it frequently or show your job qualifies). If you speak French and are interested in that, you could also consider applying for French citizenship.