France: Jobs Open to Immigrants

A "preparatory" document, according to Hortefeux's office. The lists of jobs that the Ministry of Immigration plans to open to foreign workers from the EU and outside the EU are "a preparatory document, subject to discussion, which still needs to be adjusted at the interministerial level," it was stressed on Monday, October 29th, in Brice Hortefeux's office. Last week, the Ministry of Immigration submitted to trade unions and employers' organizations a list of 30 jobs it intends to open to foreign workers from countries outside the EU and another longer list (152 jobs) open to EU nationals. "This is a preparatory document, ongoing interministerial work between the services of Christine Lagarde (Economy and Employment) and Brice Hortefeux (Immigration) and is being discussed with the unions," the Minister of Immigration's office assures us.

"The list still needs to be adjusted" and a decision should be made in November during a forthcoming interministerial committee for immigration control (CICI), it is specified. The list(s) will then be the subject of an order which will be published in the Official Journal. Most of the jobs accessible to nationals of third countries (outside the EU) are highly skilled jobs such as surveyor, computer scientist or draftsman and require higher education diplomas. The jobs open to nationals of the new EU member states, however, require little or no qualification: cleaning staff, restaurant server, window cleaner... The Ministry of Immigration stresses that the aim is to bring in "very controlled economic immigration in a few sectors under pressure".

Published October 31, 2007

L’Economiste du 30 Octobre 2007