France cuts Algerian workers' permit refusal period to six months

According to ObservAlgerie, French rules for Algerian workers' permit renewals changed from 30 October 2026, cutting the refusal period after a job ends from 12 months to six months.

The change affects Algerian workers in France whose work permit is due for its first renewal and whose contract ended after they were hired. From 30 October, a renewal can be refused for that reason only if the contract ended within six months of hiring, not 12 months.

Decree 2026-1001 of 26 October amends article R. 5221-36 of the Labour Code. It was published in the Official Journal on 29 October.

The decree also adds an exception. A renewal cannot be refused on this ground when the contract ended because the employer seriously broke the terms of the working relationship.

The change does not mean automatic renewal. The administration still examines each worker's situation and the conditions of the work permit.

Algerians have a special arrangement in France, set by the Franco-Algerian agreement of 27 December 1968. The French Interior Ministry said the residence conditions of Algerians are mainly set by this bilateral agreement, which has specific provisions.

Algerian workers can obtain a residence certificate marked "salarié", which is valid for one year and can be renewed.

Changing employer still needs a work permit. The new employer must complete the steps before the worker starts the job. At first renewal, a change of job or area can lead to a new check of the criteria for the permit.

The official Service Public page on work permits for Algerian employees still gives the old 12-month period. It cites article R. 5221-36 but was last checked in April 2021, before the new decree.