Amnesty International has issued a strong condemnation of France's residency system for migrant workers, describing it as a gross violation of human rights. The system, which often limits migrants to short-term residency, is said to foster a cycle of exploitation, uncertainty, and poverty.

The findings, based on research conducted from April 2024 to September 2025, involved interviews with 27 workers from 16 different nationalities and consultations with 39 experts across various fields. The experts ranged from sociologists and lawyers to trade union representatives and journalists. Amnesty's report highlights the plight of primarily racialized migrant workers in key sectors such as construction, domestic work, and cleaning, who face severe discrimination and instability due to the precarious nature of their residency status.

Erika Guevara Rosas, Senior Director of Research, Advocacy, Policy, and Campaigns at Amnesty International, emphasized the inhumanity of the situation, noting that many of these workers have been living in a state of limbo for decades. "Thousands of migrant workers are living permanently under the threat of having their residence permits refused or not renewed," she stated.

The residency system not only restricts the duration of stay to a maximum of four years but is also plagued with issues such as wage theft, excessive work hours, and incidents of sexual and physical violence. Administrative inefficiencies, including computer glitches and procedural delays, further exacerbate these problems, causing workers to lose wages and social security benefits, and leaving them unable to meet their basic needs.

Moreover, the pandemic disproportionately impacted migrant workers, many of whom were left without access to essential healthcare services. The restrictive conditions for obtaining a residence permit have been tightening, particularly with policies introduced by recent government legislation, such as the 2024 French Immigration Bill, which has been criticized for delaying social benefits and imposing stricter conditions for family reunification.

The system also leaves many workers dependent on their employers for the application of work permits—a situation that some employers exploit by using the threat of termination as a tool of control, without the safeguard of legal protections.

Amnesty International recommends simplifying administrative procedures, strengthening safeguards, and most importantly, securing residence status through a single, stable work permit to protect migrant workers from abuse and exploitation.

As France continues to rely on migrant workers for essential services within its economy, the call for reforms in the residency system grows louder, echoing the need for a humane approach that safeguards the rights and dignity of all workers.