The Talent Passport salary threshold in France for 2026 is €39,582 gross a year for the qualified employee (salarié qualifié), innovative company and intra-group mobility routes, and €59,373 gross a year for the EU Blue Card. Both figures come from a ministerial order of 21 August 2025 and have applied since 31 August 2025. As of October 2026, no newer order has changed them, according to Service-Public, the official French government information site (page checked on 1 June 2026).
If you have seen a different figure, such as €35,700, it doesn’t appear on the official pages we checked. Use the amounts below and confirm them on the linked official pages before you apply. This guide is general information, not legal advice.
The short answer
| Talent route | Minimum gross salary per year | Per month (÷ 12) |
|---|---|---|
| Qualified employee (salarié qualifié) | €39,582 | €3,298.50 |
| Employee of an innovative company (French Tech Visa for employees) | €39,582 | €3,298.50 |
| Employee on an intra-group assignment (salarié en mission) | €39,582 | €3,298.50 |
| EU Blue Card (carte bleue européenne) | €59,373 | €4,947.75 |
| Company officer (mandataire social) | €67,212.60 (3 times the minimum wage) | €5,601.05 |
Source: Service-Public, “Carte talent” and Business France (page checked on 11 May 2026). The monthly column is our own division by 12.
To test a job offer against these numbers, type it into our visa salary check.
Where the €39,582 figure comes from
Since 31 August 2025, the salary thresholds for the main employee Talent routes are tied to an average annual gross reference salary (salaire brut moyen annuel de référence) set by ministerial order. The current order is the arrêté du 21 août 2025 relatif au montant du salaire brut moyen annuel de référence, published on Légifrance. Service-Public lists it among the legal texts for the Talent card.
- The qualified employee, innovative company and intra-group routes need 1 times that reference salary: €39,582.
- The EU Blue Card needs 1.5 times it: €59,373.
Business France, the government agency for foreign investment, gives the same two figures “as of August 31, 2025” (Business France).
The EU Blue Card rules come from Directive (EU) 2021/1883, which lets each country set its threshold between 1 and 1.6 times its average gross annual salary (EUR-Lex). France uses 1.5.
Why you may see other numbers online
- Old figures. Before 31 August 2025, the thresholds were calculated differently, so older articles and forum posts quote other amounts.
- Secondary sources. Blogs and relocation sites sometimes copy figures from each other. We found €35,700 quoted for 2026 on some of them, but not on Service-Public, Business France or the order itself.
- The new name. “Passeport talent” is the older name. Service-Public now calls it the carte de séjour pluriannuelle “talent” (Talent multi-year residence card). The salary rules are the same whichever name you search for.
The figure can change whenever a new order updates the reference salary. Check the Service-Public page just before you apply.
Passeport talent salarié qualifié: the conditions
The qualified employee route is the one most people mean by “passeport talent salarié qualifié”. Service-Public lists these conditions (Service-Public):
- A diploma obtained in France at least equal to a master’s degree, or a level-1 diploma labelled by the Conférence des grandes écoles.
- An employment contract of more than 3 months.
- A gross annual salary of at least €39,582.
- Your employer doesn’t need a work authorisation and doesn’t pay the tax on hiring a foreign worker.
- The card lasts as long as your contract, up to 4 years.
What if your diploma is not from France?
The diploma condition is the one people miss. Service-Public and Business France both say the qualified employee route needs a master’s-level diploma obtained in France. If your degree is from another country, look at these routes instead:
- EU Blue Card: a degree from at least 3 years of higher education (from any country), or 5 years of comparable professional experience, a contract of at least 6 months and €59,373 a year.
- Employee of an innovative company: no diploma condition, but the employer must be a young innovative company (JEI) or recognised as innovative by the Ministry of the Economy, and your job must be linked to its research and development. Salary €39,582. La French Tech calls this the French Tech Visa for employees.
- Intra-group assignment: for people moved by their group to a French entity, after at least 3 months with the group. Salary €39,582. Business France notes it doesn’t lead to a resident card after 5 years.
- Standard employee permit (salarié): no Talent salary threshold, but your employer must get a work authorisation first and pay at least the minimum wage or the collective agreement rate (Service-Public, work authorisation).
Our French Tech Visa and Talent permit guide explains how to apply, the fees and the timelines.
Passeport talent carte bleue européenne
The EU Blue Card is part of the Talent family in France. Its main conditions are (Service-Public):
- Salary: at least €59,373 gross a year.
- Qualification: a diploma from at least 3 years of higher education, or 5 years of comparable professional experience. For some professions listed by order, 3 years of experience within the last 7 years is enough.
- Contract: at least 6 months.
- Duration: if your contract is 2 years or longer, the card matches it, up to 4 years. If it is shorter, the card lasts the contract plus 3 months, up to 2 years.
The Blue Card’s higher salary buys you mobility: after 12 months you can move to another EU country under simpler rules (Directive (EU) 2021/1883).
How the salary is counted
The official pages give the threshold as gross annual pay (rémunération annuelle brute). In practice:
- Use the gross figure in your contract, not your net or take-home pay. Our guide to French job offers explains brut and net.
- Be careful with variable pay. The official pages don’t say how bonuses or equity count. If your fixed salary is below the threshold and you rely on a bonus to reach it, ask your employer’s immigration adviser or the prefecture before you apply.
- Part-time work and renewals: the threshold is an annual amount, and the official pages don’t say how part-time pay is assessed or which amount applies when you renew. If either applies to you, ask the prefecture, and watch for a new order before your renewal date.
Is a developer salary enough?
Most tech salaries posted on France Dev Jobs clear the lower threshold. On France Dev Jobs on 16 October 2026:
- 184 jobs stated a salary of at least €39,582 a year, and 135 jobs at least €59,373 (visa salary check, last updated 15 October 2026).
- The median advertised salary was €80,000 a year across 201 ads that stated one (October 2026 report).
- 40 live jobs mentioned visa sponsorship (visa sponsorship jobs).
Ads that state a salary tend to be at international companies, so these numbers lean high. Apec’s official survey puts the median pay for software development roles at €50,000, and €44,000 for people under 35 (see our salary guide). A junior offer can fall below €39,582, especially outside Paris, so check the figure before you plan your move.
Steps once your salary qualifies
- Check the other conditions: diploma, contract length and employer type for your route.
- Get the employer’s attestation and contract with the gross annual salary written clearly.
- Apply for a long-stay visa at the French consulate in your country, or on ANEF if you already live in France.
- Validate or apply for your card after you arrive. The Talent card costs €350 in fees (Service-Public).
If the prefecture doesn’t reply within 4 months, Service-Public says this counts as an implicit refusal, which you can appeal within 2 months.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Talent Passport salary in France for 2026?
€39,582 gross a year for the qualified employee, innovative company and intra-group routes, and €59,373 for the EU Blue Card. These are set from a reference salary in an order of 21 August 2025 and have applied since 31 August 2025. Check Service-Public before you apply, because a new order can change them.
What is the passeport talent salarié qualifié salaire minimum in 2026?
€39,582 gross a year, which is about €3,298.50 gross a month. You also need a master’s-level diploma obtained in France and a contract of more than 3 months. If your diploma is from abroad, look at the EU Blue Card or the innovative company route.
Is the threshold €35,700 or €39,582?
The official pages we checked, Service-Public (checked 1 June 2026) and Business France (checked 11 May 2026), both give €39,582. We didn’t find €35,700 on any official source. Always follow the official amount.
Does a bonus count towards the Talent Passport salary?
The official pages don’t say. They give the threshold as gross annual pay. To be safe, make sure your fixed gross salary in the contract reaches the threshold, or ask the prefecture or an immigration adviser before you rely on variable pay.
How long does a Talent Passport take in France?
The visa decision usually takes a few weeks after your consulate appointment, and the residence card comes after you arrive. Our Talent permit guide gives the official timelines. If the prefecture hasn’t answered a card application after 4 months, it counts as a refusal you can appeal.
Can I get a Talent Passport with a foreign master’s degree?
Not on the qualified employee route, which needs a diploma obtained in France. With a foreign degree, the EU Blue Card (3-year degree or 5 years’ experience and €59,373) or the innovative company route (no diploma condition, €39,582) may fit.
Related guides and jobs
- French Tech Visa and Talent permit
- Companies that sponsor visas in France
- Browse companies that sponsor visas and jobs you can apply for from abroad
This guide is general information, not legal advice. Thresholds change when a new order is published. Always check the official pages linked above before you apply.