The French government issued 326,954 residence permits in 2023, marking a 2.5% increase from the previous year, according to data from the French Interior Ministry. Of these permits, 33.1%, or 108,375, were for study purposes—a category that saw a 6.1% rise among third-country nationals, excluding UK residents.
Conversely, family reunification permits experienced a 5.1% decline, with 91,078 issued in 2023, down from 95,939 the previous year. This drop was observed across all categories, including French families, family members, and individuals with personal ties in France. Humanitarian permits saw a notable 12% increase, with 46,425 issued, continuing a trend of growth that has persisted even through the COVID-19 pandemic.
Work permits reached a new high, with 54,572 issued—a 4.9% increase from 2022. The most significant surge was among artists, who received 43.2% more permits than in the previous year. Non-salaried workers also saw a substantial increase of 20.6%, while permits for seasonal workers dropped by 10.2%.
There was also a significant decrease in long-term permits issued to UK nationals, with a 17.1% drop in 2023, down to 9,061 from 11,166 in 2022. The top nationalities receiving residence permits in 2023 included Moroccans (36,648), Algerians (31,943), Tunisians (22,639), Chinese (14,602), Americans (12,153), Ivorians (11,696), Afghanis (10,499), Senegalese (10,423), Indians (9,819), and Turks (8,917).