France does something unusual and generous for foreign graduates: after your studies, it hands you a full residence permit with the right to work while you look for a job — no sponsoring employer required. It is called the carte de séjour temporaire « recherche d'emploi ou création d'entreprise » (RECE), the "job search or business creation" permit. It lasts 12 months and, if you land a qualifying job during that year, it converts smoothly into a standard work permit without you leaving France. This guide explains exactly who qualifies, what you can and cannot do on the RECE, how to apply at the prefecture, and how the change of status works when an offer arrives.
French immigration rules, salary thresholds, and prefecture procedures change frequently — 2026 brought new SMIC figures and tighter integration requirements (language level and a civic-values exam). Always verify the current rules with your prefecture, Campus France, or service-public.fr, and consider the French consulate's guidance final. This guide is information only, not legal advice.
What the RECE permit actually is
The RECE is a temporary residence permit issued to non-EU graduates of French higher education so they can stay in France after their studies to find skilled work or start a business. It is valid for 12 months and is, as a general rule, not renewable. There is one notable exception: under the 2018 France–India migration and mobility partnership, Indian master's graduates can renew it once, giving them up to 24 months. (Algerian graduates fall under a separate 1968 agreement and use a different provisional authorisation instead — a different process applies to them.)
Crucially, the RECE is not just a visa to look for work: it carries real work rights. That makes it one of the most graduate-friendly post-study permits in Europe — compare it with Germany's Opportunity Card in our EU Blue Card vs national work visas comparison to see how it stacks up.
Who qualifies
You are eligible if you are a non-EU national who, within the last 12 months, obtained one of the following in France:
- A master's degree (or equivalent master-level diploma) from a French institution
- A Mastère Spécialisé, an MSc labelled by the Conférence des Grandes Écoles (CGE), or a grande école engineering diploma
- A licence professionnelle (professional bachelor's degree)
- Completed doctoral-level research in France (researchers may also qualify)
You apply within 12 months of receiving the diploma. If you have already left France, you can still apply from abroad within four years of graduating — useful if you went home first and later decided to return. The permit is issued by your local prefecture (préfecture), and in practice you should file about two months before your student residence permit expires, because you must maintain continuous legal status while the application is examined.
What you can and cannot do on the RECE
| Allowed | Not allowed / limits |
|---|---|
| Stay in France for 12 months to job-hunt or build a business | The 12 months are non-renewable (except the Indian-graduate exception) |
| Work full-time without the usual employer work authorisation, if the job relates to your field of study and pays at least ~1.5× the SMIC | Jobs unrelated to your training, or below the salary threshold, do not count as qualifying employment |
| Before signing a definitive contract: work up to 964 hours per year (the same as student status, roughly 20 hours per week) | You cannot exceed the 964-hour limit while still on "job-seeking" status |
| Prepare and launch a business in a field matching your training | You cannot take up employment that requires a separate authorisation you do not hold |
| Travel within the Schengen area on your valid card | The permit does not guarantee visa-free travel everywhere — check destination rules |
The 1.5× SMIC threshold is the number that shapes your whole job search. The French minimum wage (SMIC) is revalued regularly — monthly SMIC reached €1,823.03 gross in January 2026 and rose again mid-year, so 1.5× SMIC sits at around €2,800 gross per month in 2026 (roughly €33,600 per year). Target roles that clear this bar: it is realistic for most master's-level hires in tech, finance, engineering, and consulting. Check which sectors pay best in our highest-paying jobs in France 2026 guide.
Applying at the prefecture: the process
Step 1: Prepare your file before your student permit expires
Typical documents include your passport, current residence permit, diploma (or proof you will receive it), proof of address in France, and passport photos. Some prefectures add requirements, so check your prefecture's website for its exact list — they differ, and an incomplete file is the most common cause of delays.
Step 2: File online via ANEF
Most applications now go through ANEF, the national online portal for residence-permit applications. File in the two months before your student permit expires to keep your status continuous. You will receive a receipt (récépissé) proving your application is under examination — keep it on you, because it documents your legal stay while you wait.
Step 3: Pay the fee and wait
The permit fee is in the low hundreds of euros (reported at around €150 in 2026, paid via fiscal stamps — confirm the current amount, as these are updated periodically). The prefecture has four months to respond; if that deadline passes with no answer, the application is legally deemed refused. In practice most complete files are processed faster, but the silence-means-refusal rule is why you should file early and respond to any request for extra documents immediately.
Step 4: Use the year strategically
Do not treat the 12 months as a holiday. The year works best with two tracks running in parallel: a disciplined job search aimed at offers that clear the 1.5× SMIC threshold in your field, and (if entrepreneurial) a founder project that could carry you into a Talent route. Our guide to applying for jobs in France from abroad covers the application culture, and how French work-visa sponsorship works explains what employers need to do on their side.
How the RECE converts to a work permit
Before the 12 months expire, you apply for a changement de statut (change of status). The right target depends on the job you landed:
- Salarié (employee permit): for a job in your field of study paying at least ~1.5× the SMIC. Because you already hold the RECE, your employer is exempt from the usual work-authorisation application — this is the big advantage of the route. Your contract and salary are the main evidence.
- Talent – salarié qualifié: if your salary reaches the higher Talent threshold (a flat €39,582 gross per year in 2026), you can jump to a four-year Talent permit, which is more prestigious and more stable. See our full France Talent Passport guide for the details.
- EU Blue Card: for highly qualified roles paying at least €59,373 gross per year in 2026 — the premium route with EU-wide mobility benefits.
- Entrepreneur / business routes: if you built a real business during the year, a temporary entrepreneur/profession libérale permit or a Talent – business creation permit may fit.
The prefecture examines whether you meet every condition of the target category — salary, contract, and status rules — so do not assume approval is automatic. File the change of status as soon as the job is confirmed, well before the RECE expires, and never let the card lapse while waiting.
What if the year runs out without a job?
The RECE cannot be renewed (with the Indian exception noted above), so have a plan before month ten. Options include switching to another permit category you qualify for, the entrepreneurial route if you have a viable project, or leaving France and re-applying from abroad within the four-year diploma window. What you must not do is overstay: an expired permit with no pending application ends your legal status and jeopardises any future French visa. If your search is struggling, widen it — our moving to France relocation checklist and French work culture guide help you understand how French hiring actually works.
Alternatives worth knowing
The RECE is excellent but not the only door. If you studied outside France, the Talent Passport routes (especially salarié qualifié) are the closest equivalent for direct entry with a job offer, and the EU Blue Card offers the highest salaries and mobility. Some graduates also qualify for the salarié route directly through employer sponsorship without ever holding a RECE. Read the Talent Passport guide linked above and the Blue Card comparison to map your best option before committing to a path.
France built the RECE for one purpose: to keep the talent its universities trained. Twelve months, full work rights, no employer sponsorship hurdle, and a clean conversion to long-term permits — it is one of Europe's most graduate-friendly deals. File on time, aim above the salary threshold from day one, and start your search on the France country page.