For work
Working in France: how long to residence and citizenship
The thing a visa list won't tell you
A French Master's-level diploma reduces the naturalisation requirement from five years to two. The diploma, not the years, is the lever.
Your ladder
- 5 years
Work permit
✓ counts toward citizenship
Permanent residence at
5 years
Citizenship assessed at
5 years
Still to serve after these rungs
0 years
Sources
- · Salarié / passeport talent residence; counts toward the naturalisation period (2026)
- · Carte de résident after 5 years of regular residence (2026)
- · 5 years' residence; 2 years with a French Master's-level diploma
Keep going
- All study and work routes →
- Studying in France instead →
- How to find a regulated immigration lawyer in France →
- What buying a home in France actually costs →
Not immigration advice. Orientation only. Immigration rules change often and decisions are discretionary — nothing here is a promise of residence or citizenship. Check your case with a licensed immigration adviser. Rules reviewed 2026-07. (2026-07)