France Tightens Immigration Rules with New Retailleau Circular
Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau replaces the 2012 Valls Circular, increasing residency requirements for undocumented immigrants seeking regularization.
- The new circular raises the minimum residency requirement for undocumented immigrants seeking regularization from five to seven years.
- Applicants must demonstrate integration through social and family ties, adherence to republican principles, and proficiency in the French language.
- The directive aims to reduce annual regularizations from approximately 30,000 under the Valls Circular to around 20,000.
- Critics, including some government allies, argue the stricter measures could harm sectors facing labor shortages and penalize well-integrated individuals.
- Retailleau defends the policy as necessary to combat illegal immigration and ensure regularizations remain an exceptional measure.
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