2026 immigration law: What Can We Expect This Year?

Will 2026 immigration law see developments or modifications? Every year, at the beginning of the year, I share my opinion on what can be expected in the coming year. What can we hope for regarding 2026 immigration law?

First, we have a unique observation: there is no parliamentary majority. This means that to vote on a law in a field like 2026 immigration law, an agreement between different parliamentary groups will be necessary. As everyone knows, this field remains very divisive, and there is little chance of seeing an agreement emerge between the three major groups: the far right, the far left, and the center.

Obviously, the situation would be different in the event of a dissolution and a new election that would reconstitute a new parliament.

What we already know:

The civic exam The civic exam has been in effect since January 1, 2026. What consequence will this have for foreigners within the framework of 2026 immigration law? We will likely see a bottleneck on this platform because, as always, for economy and by will, the State will have underestimated the number of people who want or need to take the test. There is a risk of seeing foreign nationals with a one-year residence permit when they could have benefited from a multi-year residence card, leading, as usual, to precariousness and difficulties.

The ANEF challenge Will the ANEF remain a major issue for 2026 immigration law as it was in 2025? It is quite likely. No announcement has been made on the subject. And given the State’s current difficulty in passing a budget (which would allow for additional credits to improve the platform or create a new one), we will remain in this situation of permanent blockage with applications filed and people without documentation for many months. Consequently, the administrative judge will again be called for help, which will increase the workload for magistrates and ultimately slow down all administrative jurisdictions.

The end of regularization for shortage occupations The current procedure allowing for regularization through shortage occupations is planned until December 31, 2026, but what will happen after ? At this stage, no one knows, probably not even the Ministry of the Interior. Clearly, the economic justifications that led to the regularization of shortage occupations will still be relevant. Given the French State’s budgetary situation, it is possible that this system will be renewed in one way or another. In any case, it is desired for the future of 2026 immigration law.

The first residence permits issued following the regularization of shortage occupations will expire during 2026, and we will also see if there are refusals of renewal for people who have not respected the procedure. If refusal decisions occur, it will probably be toward the end of the 2026 immigration law period.

No major legislative shifts

No major evolution is planned at this stage for 2026 immigration law because 2026 precedes 2027, which is a major electoral year in France and will see the arrival of a new President of the Republic. For 2026 immigration law, there will be adjustments, but they will likely be purely cosmetic and based on orders or decrees, as no major law is in sight.

After all, this is not a bad thing either. It will be calm from a legislative point of view, but that certainly does not mean that nothing will happen.