Bruno Retailleau acts on a tightening of regularizations – Libération

A three-page document with serious repercussions. Bruno Retailleau sent a new circular to the prefects this Thursday, January 23, toughening the regularization of undocumented workers, according to a text that Le Figaro. The very right-wing Minister of the Interior emphasizes that “the exceptional admission route for residence (AES) is not the normal route for immigration and access to residence. Targeting foreigners in an irregular situation, it must remain an exceptional route.”

If the Retailleau circular does not strictly speaking change the criteria for obtaining this “exceptional admission to stay”she clearly asks the prefects to tighten the screw on regularization. Thus 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 strengthens his approach to regularizations.

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 period of presence of at least seven years constitutes one of the relevant integration indices”.

Bruno Retailleau is due to present this new circular on Friday during a trip to Yvelines. Taking a firm line on immigration, Minister LR has announced on multiple occasions his intention to review the Valls circular supposed to give the “the” in terms of regularization on a case-by-case basis for foreigners in an irregular situation.relevant integration indices”.

“Government priorities”

“Controlling migratory flows, in particular through the fight against irregular immigration, and strengthening foreigners in France constitute the government's priorities”highlights the circular from the Minister of the Interior.

In 2023, the circular allowed 34,724 people to obtain papers (+ 0.3% compared to 2022), according to data from the Ministry of the Interior: 11,525 for work, 22,167 for family reasons, and a thousand under student status.