French Work Visa For Canadian Citizens - Lomelono Travel Solutions

Many Canadian citizens are looking for opportunities to have a better life in Europe with better pay and benefits. It is no secret that living conditions in France are among one of the best in the world, also with great cultural diversity and economic stability. However, if you are one of those people who appreciate the hard-working traditions of Canada, as well as being quite comfortable with the culture and language, obtaining a work visa from France is a challenging task.If your immigration is all set and you have procured a job, the next step is to apply for French work visa for Canadian citizens. The procedure is quite easy, when you have all the required documents with you.

As a Canadian, you can qualify for a Work Visa France if you’re from Quebec or anywhere else in Canada. However, obtaining a French work visa is more difficult for Canadian citizens than European Union (EU) citizens. Canada is not part of the Schengen Area, which makes it difficult to visit or even live in France. Canada’s Federal Skilled Worker Program is a point tested immigration program which allows Canadian businesses to hire foreign workers on a permanent basis. If you want to live and work in Canada permanently, the Federal Skilled Worker Program may be the right program for you.

French Work Visa For Canadian Citizens

Find out if you’re eligible

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France—Young Professionals

Description: The Young Professionals category is designed for French citizens, particularly post-secondary graduates, who wish to further their careers by gaining professional work experience in Canada. Participants must have a signed letter of offer or a signed contract of employment before submitting their profile to a pool (up to 24 months).

Note: As a French citizen, you may participate in the Young Professionals categories only once. If you meet the eligibility criteria, you may participate in IEC one more time through the International Co-op (Internship) category.

If you participated in IEC only once before 2015, you are eligible for a second participation of up to 24 months in the category of your choice. Those who have already participated in IEC more than once before 2015 are not eligible.

French citizens participating in the Volontariat international en entreprise (VIE) program to Canada must apply for their work permit through the IEC program. You must submit your profile to the Young Professionals, with VIE, pool. VIE participations before 2015 do not count as IEC participations.

To be eligible for the Young Professionals category, you must:

be a French citizen
have a valid French passport for the duration of your stay in Canada
- Your work permit in Canada can’t be valid longer than your passport
be between the ages of 18 and 35 (inclusive)
have a minimum of CAN$2,500 to help cover your expenses in Canada
have health insurance for the duration of your stay
- You may have to present evidence of this insurance when you enter Canada
not be inadmissible to Canada
have, before departure, a round-trip ticket or demonstrate that you’ll have the financial resources to purchase a departure ticket at the end of your authorized stay in Canada
have a signed letter of offer or contract of employment in Canada
- The employment offer must be in your field of expertise (through schooling or work experience) and contribute to your professional development
not be accompanied by dependants
pay the fees

If you are participating in the Volontariat international en entreprise (VIE) program, you must also submit your letter of acceptance to VIE from the Government of France.

Note: The cost of living varies depending on where you decide to settle in Canada. Prepare financially by finding out how much it costs to live in the city and province or territory where you plan to stay.

Learn how to complete your IEC profile online.

Who can participate

To participate

your country or territory of citizenship must have a Youth Mobility Agreement with Canada or
you may be able to use a recognized organization

Some countries only allow you to participate once. Others allow you to participate twice, but in different categories. Because each country is different, it’s important that you check to see if you’re eligible to apply.

Even if you’re issued an invitation to apply, you can’t participate more times than your country allows. After you submit your application, an officer will assess your eligibility, including your past participations. Make sure you read and understand all the requirements before you submit an application.

Even if you hold a refugee travel document issued by a country that has a youth mobility agreement with Canada, you’re not eligible to participate.

Dependants

Your dependants can’t come with you to Canada under the IEC program. However, they may apply to visit, study or work in Canada. We’ll look at your application separately from theirs.

Find out more about how dependants can come to Canada.

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What are the Categories of the French Work Visa?

These are visas for people who intend to come to France and remain for a period longer than 90 days, with the single purpose of engaging in a paid activity.

French Salaried Employees Visa

For people who wish to work in France for up to one year. When applying for this type of visa, one must present a work contract duly endorsed by the DIRECCTE.

French Work Visa for Creating and running a business or company

If you wish to create and run a business or company in France, then you will have to apply for this type of visa, whether this will be your personal initiative or in collaboration with another company. Do not forget that you will be asked for extra documents than usually required, as showing proof you have the financial means to create the planned business.

French Work Visa for Professionals and independent workers

There are some professions, which are not authorized to the non-EU nationals as bailiffs, notaries, judicial administrators and insurance general agents, etc. Others as doctors, lawyers, architects, etc. will need authorization from the relevant professional body. Therefore make sure to check what you will need to do to engage in your profession in France, before applying for this type of visa.

French long stay Sports visa

Every sportsman or sportswoman that wish to enter and remain in France for up to one year have to follow some procedures in order to be permitted to engage in sports activities. If the applicant is employed and will receive a salary for the activity they are engaged in, they will have to apply as a “salaried employee”.

On the other hand, when the applicant will not be receiving a salary, he or she must apply as a ‘visitor’/ however, in this case, the sports club or institution must sponsor applicant’s stay in France, including their accommodation, insurance, transport, etc.

French long stay visa for Volunteer work

This is a visa for people who wish to engage in humanitarian work in France, for up to one year and more than three months. If you are planning to obtain such a visa, keep in mind that you will have to start the visa application process through a French Foundation or Association recognized by the French authorities as registered charity / public utility.

French International Organization work visa

Applicants who will be taking an official assignment in France with an international organization will have to apply for this type of visa.

How to Apply for a France Work Visa?

Every applicant will have to go through some certain steps in order to fully and successfully complete the application process for a France long-stay Work Visa.

Find out whether you need to apply for a French work visa

Whether you need a France long-stay Work Visa or not, it all depends on your nationality and the part of France you wish to visit.

There are some categories of internationals who wish to enter France under work purposes and remain for more than three months that do not need to obtain a long stay visa in order to be permitted to stay.

Every other national, no matter which part of France is planning to visit, will have to obtain a long-stay visa in order to be permitted to enter and remain in the country.

However, in order for one to be able to work, a residence permit and a work permit must be obtained in almost every case.

Decide under which category of the French Long Stay Work Visa you fall

Check out all the categories of the Work Visa and find out under which category you fall. Then get ready to start the application process.

Complete the file of documents

The requirements might change from country to country, though the changes cannot be many; therefore take care to collect the documents according to the requirements in your home country. The documents you need to submit to apply for a French work visa are the following:

Completed French Work Visa Application Form. Make sure you complete the form correctly and honestly.
Two Photos. You should submit two photos alongside with the other documents. They must be no older than three months.
Your valid passport. Before you apply, check your passport for its validity and date of issuance. It must have been issued within the last 10 years and valid for a minimum of 3 months after the end of your planned stay in France. The passport must have at least two blank pages in order to be able to put the visa sticker on it.
Proof of financial means. The French authorities want to know how you will be financing yourself while in France. That is why you should submit the following documents that apply to your situation, as a part of this requirement:
- Recent bank statements.
- Employment contract stating your salary, if you will be working in France.
- Income from rented property.
- Retirement benefit plan.
- A letter of declaration from a sponsor stating the readiness to cover your costs for the period of stay, accompanied by documents that confirm possession of money of such sponsor (i.e. bank statements of last 3 months, other).
- Other documents that prove you have the means to support yourself for the whole duration of stay in France.
Certificate of criminal record showing that you have ha no open crime case involvement.
Proof of paid French work visa fee.

Additional documents for salaried employees’ visa

OFII form. Which is a form completed to apply for a residence permit in France, for stays longer than three months
Work contract. The original work agreement alongside with a copy of it must be submitted, approved by the DIRECCTE. Once approved, the OFII will inform the employer, and then forward the approval to the competent French consulate.
Police certificate. A National Criminal History Record Check, which you will have to obtain at your home country, and must not be older than three months.

Requirements for the French Creating & Running a business visa

Evidence of financial resources and status. Including three last months of bank statements and detailed transaction lists, as well as three last pay slips if the applicant is employed. These documents should be backed by supporting evidence of applicant’s socio-professional situation (degrees, curriculum vitae, portfolio…).
French tax clearance. Issued by the French Inland Revenue if the applicant has been a resident in France within the last 10 years.
If you are setting up a personally owned business – Portfolio presenting the business plan with a provisional budget over several years (in French).
- Certificate of guarantee, issued by a registered bank or insurance company established in France or a certificate of a credit balance from a bank account in your name issued by a bank registered in France.
- Rented business agreement + certificate of registration from the French Company Register

Requirements for French Professionals & Independents visa

Evidence of financial resources and status. Which includes the three last months’ bank statements and detailed transactions list, as well as three last pay slips if the applicant is employed.
Supporting evidence of your socio-professional situation (degrees, CV, employment certificates, portfolio…)
Statutory declaration. Sworn statement duly endorsed by a justice of the Peace of non-bankruptcy in the last 10 years in all the countries the applicant has lived, as well as a statement of non-conviction of the applicant in all these countries.
Police certificate. A National Criminal History Record Check, which you will have to obtain at your home country, and must not be older than three months.

French Sports visa requirements

OFII form. Which is a form completed to apply for a residence permit in France, for stays longer than three months
Work contract. The original work agreement alongside with a copy of it must be submitted, approved by the DIRECCTE. Once approved, the OFII will inform the employer, and then forward the approval to the competent French consulate.
Police certificate. A National Criminal History Record Check, which you will have to obtain at your home country, and must not be older than three months.
If you are minor: parental authorization + copies of parents’ passports