APS Young professional or Carte Recherche d'Emploi/création d'Entreprise

APS or CRECE?

For most students, the law for entry and residence permit of foreigners and asylums seekers called CESEDA applies (code d'entrée et de séjour des étrangers et demandeurs d'asile). However, some countries have bilateral agreements with France.

The bilateral agreement with Algeria is the most well-known. Algerian students cannot ask for APS or Carte Recherche Emploi/Création d'Entreprise.

For other nationalities, when APS is mentionned as part of bilateral agreements, the CESEDA does not apply and the agreement prevails. You can therefore have an APS of 6, 9 or 12 months, renewable or not, after a diploma equivalent to a Master's degree.

Here is the list of nationalities that can have an APS:

  • BENIN
  • BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA
  • BURKINA FASO
  • CAP-VERT
  • GABON
  • GEORGIA
  • MAURITIUS
  • INDIA
  • MONTENEGRO
  • REPUBLIQUE OF CONGO (Brazzaville)
  • SERBIA
  • TUNISIE

Is your country in the list? Here is the APS paper specifying length of stay and conditions of renewal (if possible at all), as planned by the agreements.

 

OTHER NATIONALITIES: CRECE

The CESEDA ended the APS young professionnal for other nationalities and replaced it with a residence permit called "Recherche d'Emploi/ création d'entreprise", or "CRECE". This card is valid for a year and cannot be renewed. It simplifies the switch from a Student residence permit to a Employee residence permit.

 

How to prepare the request:

Documents are the same whether it is for an APS or a CRECE. As of now, you cannot apply for this permit through the ANEF website, and must instead, if you studied with one of our partners, send us your documents at this address: etudiant@cmibrest.fr

 

Are you finishing your Master's degree (or equivalent) and receiving offers of positions from French companies?

If your student resident permit ends before the end of your internship or studies, you can ask for a renewal on the ANEF website until you complete your studies.

Once you have your "attestation de réussite", you can ask for a CRECE or an APS (Algeria nationals cannot apply for CRECE or APS, however), or ask for a different status called "Passeport-talent" if you fit the criterias.

NB: The CMI organises webinars about the renewal of your residence permit, between February and July, to help you with this process.