France cuts jobs for non-EU workers

THE NUMBER of jobs open to non-EU citizens wishing to work in France has been slashed by more than half, under new measures designed to reduce immigration.

The interior ministry has published a shortened list of job categories in the Journal Officiel, reducing the areas where visas will be issued from 30 jobs to just 14.

Various construction-related jobs have been removed from the list, as have those relating to computing.

The categories that have survived are areas where there remains a shortage of French workers.

They include chemical, pharmaceutical and mechanical engineering, tele-sales, wood construction, glass work and financial auditing.

The reduced list does not affect people who have already settled legally in France, and does not apply to countries with whom France has signed an immigration agreement.

France issues about 20,000 working visas each year. EU citizens are free to move here without any formalities.

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