The regularization of undocumented workers must remain “exceptional”, Bruno Retailleau asks prefects in a circular

Taking a firm line on immigration, the Minister of the Interior has announced on multiple occasions his intention to review the 2012 Valls circular.

Bruno Retailleau follows his hard line on immigration. The regularization of undocumented workers must remain “exceptional”wrote, Thursday January 23, the Minister of the Interior in a new circular addressed to the prefects. “The exceptional admission route for residence (AES) is not the normal route for immigration and access to residence”is it written in this three-page text, revealed by Le Figaro and of which France Télévisions is aware. Bruno Retailleau is due to present this new circular on Friday during a trip to Yvelines.

Taking a firm line on immigration, the minister has announced on multiple occasions his intention to review the Valls circular of 2012, supposed to give the “the” in matters of case-by-case regularization of foreigners in an irregular situation. If the Retailleau circular does not strictly speaking change the criteria for obtaining this “exceptional admission to the stay”she clearly asks the prefects to tighten the screw on regularization.

To be eligible, an undocumented worker must in theory have lived in France for at least three years and have at least two years of work. But in the new circular which will soon be published, Bruno Retailleau writes that“a duration of presence of at least seven years constitutes one of the relevant integration indices”.

The Valls circular promoted an immigration policy “lucid and balanced” and ordered the prefects to “a fair consideration of human realities”. Bruno Retailleau's text calls for a more restrictive approach: “Controlling migratory flows, in particular through the fight against irregular immigration, and strengthening the integration of foreigners in France constitute the government's priorities”highlights the circular from the Minister of the Interior.