Temporary worker to employee: from fixed-term to permanent contract

You work in France on a fixed-term contract, with a "temporary worker" card. Your employer finally offers you a permanent contract? That is good news, but your permit does not follow on its own. A lawyer checks your file in 20 minutes on Avocat20min.fr.

Temporary worker to employee: two different cards

The CESEDA, the French immigration code, distinguishes two work cards. They look alike, yet their effects differ a great deal.

Point	"Temporary worker" card	"Employee" card
Contract	Fixed-term contract or posting	Permanent contract (CDI)
Legal basis	Article L.421-3 of the CESEDA	Article L.421-1 of the CESEDA
Duration	Length of the contract, 1 year at most	1 year
Multi-year card afterwards	No, for the same purpose	Yes, subject to conditions
Involuntary job loss	Little protection	Renewal possible

The move from temporary worker to employee therefore changes your outlook. It opens the way to a long permit, then to the resident card.

Why switch cards?

The "temporary worker" card stays tied to a specific contract. When the fixed-term contract ends, you must show a new contract to renew it. Moreover, it never leads to the multi-year card for the same purpose.

The "employee" card, by contrast, offers more stability. After a year, you can apply for a multi-year card. In addition, if you lose your job involuntarily, the prefecture may renew it while your unemployment rights last.

A new work authorisation

The temporary worker to employee switch starts with the employer. They file a new work authorisation for the permanent contract. They apply online only, on ANEF.

This rule also applies when your current employer turns the fixed-term contract into a permanent one. Any change of contract indeed requires a fresh application. The prefectures' foreign labour units process it.

The administration has two months to answer. Its silence then counts as a refusal. It examines in particular:

• The labour market situation: a shortage occupation, or a vacancy advertised for three weeks with France Travail without a suitable applicant.
• The employer: compliance with social security and tax duties.
• The salary: at least the minimum wage, that is €1,867.02 gross a month since 1 June 2026, or the collective agreement floor.
• Your profile: a post connected to your qualifications and experience.

A shortage occupation escapes the labour market test. The list in force dates from an order of 21 May 2025, region by region.

The status change at the prefecture

Once the authorisation is granted, you apply for the "employee" card. For a temporary worker to employee file, the procedure follows the channel your prefecture indicates, most often ANEF.

Timing matters a great deal. File your application between four and two months before your current card expires. A complete file lodged in time entitles you to a certificate of extended processing. Our article on the residence permit receipt explains that document.

As a rule, prepare the following documents:

• your passport and current card;
• the work authorisation granted for the permanent contract;
• the signed employment contract;
• your latest payslips;
• a recent proof of address.

Can you start the permanent contract straight away?

Caution is essential. Your current card only covers the fixed-term contract for which it was issued. Starting the permanent job without a new authorisation therefore means working without the right permit.

The risks are serious. The employer faces five years' imprisonment and a €30,000 fine per employee. You, for your part, risk a refusal. It is therefore better to set the start date of the permanent contract after the administration's answer.

The Conseil d'État also found another problem on 5 May 2026. The ANEF favourable decision certificate does not clearly mention the right to work. It ordered the State to correct it within six months, that is around November 2026.

How much does the switch cost?

Since 1 May 2026, a first card costs €350 in principle: €300 of tax and €50 of stamp duty. A renewal then costs €250. Filing late adds €180.

Step	Cost
First "employee" card	€350
Renewal	€250
Late filing	€180 extra

After the employee card: the multi-year card

After a year on an "employee" card, you can apply for a multi-year card. Its length follows your contract, up to four years. That is the main benefit of going from temporary worker to employee.

Since 2026, this card requires level A2 in French in principle. You must also pass the civic exam, "multi-year card" level. Our guide to the civic exam covers registration and exemptions.

Finally, after five years of lawful stay, the ten-year resident card becomes available. It then requires level B1.

What if the work authorisation is refused?

A refusal does not cancel your current card. Your "temporary worker" card stays valid until it expires. You can therefore continue your current fixed-term contract.

Two options then remain. Your employer can challenge the refusal within two months, through an informal appeal or before the administrative court. They can also file a new application, with a better suited salary or post.

Failing that, renew your "temporary worker" card with a new fixed-term contract. The move from temporary worker to employee then remains possible later.

Mistakes to avoid

Some errors come up again and again in these files.

• Signing another fixed-term contract while expecting the "employee" card: only a permanent contract leads to it.
• Starting the permanent job too early: wait for the work authorisation.
• Changing employer halfway: a new application becomes necessary.
• Filing too late: you lose the extension certificate and pay €180 more.
• Neglecting French: prepare level A2 from the first year.

When to consult a lawyer

A lawyer secures your temporary worker to employee transition. They check the contract, the salary and the timing before filing. If you are refused, our article on residence permit refusal sets out the remedies.

An immigration lawyer answers within 20 minutes. The official conditions also appear on the service-public multi-year card page.