France's APS Permit: Staying to Work After Your French Degree

Who the APS is for

The APS targets non-EU graduates completing at least a Master's level degree, known in France as bac+5, at a recognized French university or grande école. You need a valid student residence permit during your studies and apply for the APS shortly after receiving your diploma or official certificate of success.

What the permit gives you

The APS runs for 12 months and does not renew. During this time, search for a job connected to your training, or start a business, without holding a separate work visa. Work up to the standard French legal working week, so you take a job to support yourself while you continue searching.

How to apply at the prefecture

1. Gather your diploma or official proof of successful completion from your university

2. Book an appointment with the prefecture covering the area where you live

3. Bring your passport, proof of address, and your student residence permit or récépissé

4. Submit the application and pay the fee, confirmed at your appointment

Apply as soon as you have your final results, since prefecture appointment slots in large student cities fill up quickly around graduation season. Check the France-Visas portal and Campus France for full current details for international graduates.

Converting the APS into a work permit

Once you sign a job contract, exchange your APS for a salarié residence permit if the role pays at least a set multiple of the French minimum wage (SMIC), or for a passeport talent permit if the role matches your qualification level and pays above a separate threshold. Your employer's HR team usually handles part of this process alongside you, since French labor law requires them to check your right to work before hiring.

What happens if you do not find work

If your 12 months end without a signed contract, your right to stay in France on this basis ends too. Some graduates in this position return home and reapply for a work visa once they secure a French job offer from abroad, since a job offer alone does not require you to already live in France.

APS versus applying directly for a Talent Passport

Some graduates skip the APS entirely when they already hold a job offer qualifying for the passeport talent permit before their student status expires. In that case, apply directly for the talent permit rather than going through the APS first. The APS only makes sense when you need time to search without an offer in hand yet.

Health insurance and social security during the APS

You stay covered under the French social security system throughout your APS, the same way you were as a student, provided you register your change of status with your local health insurance fund (CPAM). Update your address and status as soon as your APS gets approved, so your coverage does not lapse during the transition.

Family members on the APS

The APS itself covers only you, since it exists to let you search for work rather than to settle long term. A spouse or partner who held a separate residence permit during your studies keeps their own status independently, and typically needs their own qualifying basis to stay once your APS period ends, unless you convert to a longer term permit that allows family reunification.

Starting a business instead of taking a job

The APS also covers graduates who want to start a company rather than take employment. You register your business through the standard French process for entrepreneurs, and once the business shows real activity, you apply for an entrepreneur or passeport talent residence permit tied to your company rather than to an employer.

Regional differences between prefectures

Processing times and exact document checklists vary between prefectures, since each one manages its own appointment system and workload. Paris and other large student cities typically see longer waits than smaller regional prefectures, so factor this into your planning if you study in a major city and expect a busy graduation season.

Keeping proof of your job search

Keep records of job applications, interview invitations, and any correspondence with employers throughout your APS. Some prefectures ask for evidence of active job searching when you request an extension of your récépissé while your conversion application processes, so a simple log saves time later.

What changes if you studied at a lower degree level

If your highest French qualification sits below a Master's, the standard APS does not apply to you, and you generally need to leave France and reapply for a different visa category once you have a qualifying job offer from abroad. Confirm your exact degree equivalence with your university's international office before assuming you fall outside APS eligibility.

Tips for making the most of the year

• Start job hunting before your diploma is final, using your university's career service and alumni network

• Target sectors facing recognized labor shortages in France, since employers hiring for these roles often move faster through the visa conversion process

• Keep every document from your studies organized (transcripts, diploma, residence permit history), since the prefecture asks for a full record when you convert your status