Tunisian nationals in France: residence permits and the 1988 agreement

Are you Tunisian and planning to work, stay or change status in France? Tunisian nationals benefit from a bilateral agreement of 1988 that adapts part of the rules. The rest follows the general immigration rules. A lawyer checks your file in 20 minutes on Avocat20min.fr.

Tunisian nationals and the 1988 agreement in brief

The Franco-Tunisian agreement dates from 17 March 1988. Two amendments changed it, on 19 December 1991 and 8 September 2000. A framework agreement signed in Tunis on 28 April 2008 then supplemented it. That text was published in the Journal officiel by a decree of 24 July 2009.

Unlike the Algerian text, this agreement does not settle everything. Its article 11 refers to French law on every point it does not address. As a result, the CESEDA, the French immigration code, still applies to many permits for Tunisian nationals.

What the agreement covers, and what the CESEDA covers

The table below sums up the split.

Situation	Applicable text	Key point
Salaried job of one year or more	Agreement, article 3	One-year "employee" permit, approved contract
Occupation on the 2008 list	2008 framework agreement	No labour market test
Ten-year card	Agreement, articles 3 and 10	After three years, or as of right in some cases
End of studies	2008 framework agreement	Six-month residence authorisation
Private and family life	CESEDA, through article 7 quater	Same conditions as the general rules
Student, talent, entrepreneur, visitor	CESEDA	Same conditions as the general rules

The procedure, moreover, remains that of the CESEDA: filing on ANEF, receipt, deadlines and fees.

The "employee" permit and the list of occupations

Article 3 covers Tunisian nationals who want a salaried job of at least one year. After the medical check and on presenting an approved contract, they receive an "employee" permit. It lasts one year and is renewable.

The 2008 framework agreement adds a major advantage. Its annex lists 77 occupations open to Tunisian nationals. For those jobs, the labour market test does not apply anywhere in France. The list covers in particular construction, hotels, restaurants and mechanics.

The national list of shortage occupations also benefits you, since the agreement refers to the general rules. Compare both lists before filing.

Watch out for short contracts. A contract of less than one year falls outside article 3. It then leads to the CESEDA "temporary worker" card.

The ten-year resident card: a shorter route for Tunisian nationals

The agreement opens the ten-year card earlier than the general rules.

• After three years of lawful stay: employees may apply for it. The prefect considers their working conditions and their means.
• Other permit holders: they may also apply after three years of lawful residence, depending on their resources.
• As of right (article 10): spouse of a French national married for one year, parent of a French child, industrial injury pension of at least 20 %.
• Also as of right: lawful stay for more than ten years, or five years under certain one-year permits.

These cards are renewed as of right and allow you to work in any profession. The general rules, by contrast, require five years of stay, level B1 French and a civic exam. Our article on the ten-year resident card details those conditions.

After graduation: the six-month authorisation

The 2008 framework agreement sets a specific regime for young Tunisian graduates. It covers a degree at least equivalent to a master's or a vocational bachelor's, obtained in France. Some degrees awarded in Tunisia in partnership with a French institution also count.

The graduate receives, as of right, a six-month residence authorisation, renewable once. During that time, they may look for and take a job paid at least 1.5 times the minimum wage. That means €2,800.53 gross a month since 1 June 2026.

Then, with a job or a job offer at that level, they obtain a work permit. The labour market test does not apply to them.

Status change for Tunisian nationals: agreement and CESEDA

A Tunisian student's status change combines both texts. The "student" permit falls under the CESEDA, while the "employee" permit falls under the agreement. Your employer applies for the work authorisation on ANEF.

In practice, three routes are open:

1. A contract of at least one year: the "employee" permit of article 3.
2. An occupation on the 2008 list: the same permit, without the labour market test.
3. A job paid at least 1.5 times the minimum wage after a master's: through the six-month authorisation.

The Conseil d'État held on 26 April 2024 that the CESEDA long-stay visa requirement applies to Tunisian nationals applying for an "employee" permit. A student who already holds a permit does not, in principle, face that difficulty. For the rest of the procedure, see our article on the student to employee status change.

As for cost, a first card costs €350 since 1 May 2026. Our article on residence permit fees details the rates.

The "skills and talents" card, a closed chapter

The 2008 framework agreement mentioned the "skills and talents" card. It planned 1,500 cards a year for Tunisian nationals, valid for three years and renewable once. That card no longer exists in French law since the law of 7 March 2016.

Today, a qualified Tunisian aims for the CESEDA "talent" card, on the general conditions. The framework agreement also set annual targets: 3,500 "employee" permits, 2,500 seasonal permits and 1,500 young professionals.

Regularisation: the limits of the agreement

The agreement provided a permit as of right after ten years of habitual residence. Since 2009, that right only applies to people who already met the condition at that date. It therefore no longer helps newcomers.

Moreover, the Conseil d'État held on 2 March 2012 that a Tunisian national cannot rely on exceptional leave to remain for an "employee" permit. The agreement already governs that permit. The prefect nevertheless keeps a discretionary power to regularise. Exceptional leave on family or humanitarian grounds, by contrast, remains open. Our article on exceptional leave to remain sets out the criteria.

When to consult a lawyer

A lawyer checks whether the agreement offers you a faster route than the general rules. They also check the list of occupations and the length of your contract. If you are refused, our article on residence permit refusal sets out the remedies.

An immigration lawyer answers within 20 minutes. The framework agreement can be read on Légifrance.