ONE OF France’s 12 senators for French people abroad has come up with a list of 50 ways to make it easier for French expats to come back to France.
Hélène Conway-Mouret, who was also minister for expats until last year, says it is “harder to come back than to leave” – a situation she hopes to remedy with a report she has submitted to the prime minister today.
At least two million French people are thought to live abroad (compared to more than five million Britons), with most of them being in Europe, especially the UK, Germany and Belgium.
For those who come back, Ms Conway-Mouret says things tend to be more complicated the longer they have been away, with a ‘culture shock’ element as well as administrative complications – hence the report, which aims to smooth the way, including some ideas that would also help Britons in France, such as only requiring translation of foreign documents where “strictly necessary”.
The report found just under half of French expats (47%) come back after more than six years. Their biggest concerns, it says, are getting back into the health system (57%), finding a job (54%) and finding somewhere to live (54%).
Out of 798 returning expats questioned, 59% said their return was for reasons linked to work, such as a contract coming to an end or a new job opportunity in France. “Family reasons” like a birth or marriage was the next most common (21%).
Ms Conway-Mouret also addresses negative stereotypes of expats, saying too often people think of them in terms of ‘exile’ or ‘fleeing’ the country and they have an image of being privileged, which she says is not necessarily the case.
The report quotes one expat as saying that when they come back expats are not welcomed, and people “treat us like thieves”, adding “coming back to France isn’t coming out of jail”.
On the other hand it also states that an Ipsos survey last year found 92% of French people had a good image of people who move abroad, 91% would encourage moving abroad and 70% thought that French people becoming expats was an asset for France.
Connexion is also interested in hearing from our English-speaking readers who have moved back after spending time in France, or made plans to do so, as to whether it was simple or difficult for you. Please email on news[at]connexionfrance.com
The report’s suggestions include:
• Better information for homeowners moving abroad on how to let out their French home
• Requiring landlords to accept a wide range of documents to prove someone’s financial resources (ie. not just French payslips)
• Creating an interactive online service to help expats prepare their return, including helping them work out rights to unemployment benefit. Training Pôle Emploi staff specifically to help expats settling back in and making it possible for expats abroad to talk to an adviser at a distance to prepare their return.
• Creating a ‘coming back’ guide, updated annually
• Seeking European help in putting in place practices that help new arrivals benefit from French healthcare based on social security contributions elsewhere before they become entitled by right of residence (which is after three months for French citizens) – similar to the old ‘temporary S1 forms’ which the UK abolished last year.
• Letting expats looking to come back ‘pre-register’ with Cpam so as to speed up their reintegration in the system
• Enabling consulates of the country the person is leaving to stamp documents acquired in that country as valid to be presented in France on their return. Also, limiting the requirement for translation of foreign documents to what is “strictly necessary”.
• Allowing people to register children for school using a French work address of a parent or even the mairie address of the commune where the family will live (ie. if they do not yet have proof of a permanent French address). Generally, for administrative purposes, allowing people to give a mairie as their address on a temporary basis.
• Looking at ways to make the most of language skills acquired abroad by children from returning expat families and allowing children who have studied in foreign systems to take the educational level tests that are required for entry to a French school at a distance
• Making sure all prefectures are following the same guidelines in terms of exchange of foreign driving licences
• Making sure all official bodies have phone numbers that are accessible from abroad
Photo: HcmMFE
