Overview

• 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.