French visas for Australians: the working holiday and what comes after

Australians can live and work in France for a year with very little fuss, if you're 35 or under. After that, staying on takes a job offer, a skill France wants, or savings.

The short version

• The French working holiday, called the PVT, is open to Australians aged 18 to 35, lasts up to 12 months and has no quota for Australia [1].
• You must apply before you go. You can't apply for a visa or change your status once you're in France [2].
• To stay longer, the main routes are a salaried worker permit, a "talent" permit for skilled people, or a visitor visa if you won't work [3][4][5].
• Residence permit fees are typically €350 for a first card, paid in tax stamps [3][4][5].
• France changed several residence rules from 30 October 2026, and official pages were still being updated in November 2026 [3][4]. Check before you apply.

The working holiday (PVT)

France offers Australians a generous working holiday arrangement. It's the easiest way in for people under 36.

Who can apply

According to pvtistes.net, which tracks working holiday programmes, the key rules for Australians are [1]:

Confirm every figure on the official France-Visas wizard before you lodge, as fees and conditions can change [1][6].

What you can do on it

You can work in any job in France, though you don't have to work at all [1]. It's a multiple-entry visa, so you can travel and come back, but it only gives you the right to work in France. Elsewhere in Europe you're a visitor [1].

Insurance matters more than usual

France and Australia have no reciprocal healthcare agreement [2]. Your insurance policy must cover the full stay, and its start date must match the arrival date on your application [1].

How to apply

1. Use the France-Visas wizard to confirm the visa type, documents and fee [6].
2. Create your application online on France-Visas [6].
3. Lodge your file at the visa centre you're assigned, with your passport and documents [6].
4. Apply in good time. pvtistes.net suggests applying up to three months before departure [1], and the embassy notes waits vary by season [6].
5. Track your application online until your passport is ready to collect [6].

Staying longer: the main routes

The PVT can't be extended, so if you fall in love with Paris, plan your next step early.

Salaried worker

If a French employer hires you, it must first apply online for a work authorisation. Only then do you apply for a long-stay visa that acts as a residence permit, known as a VLS-TS [3]. The card is called salarié for a permanent contract and travailleur temporaire for a fixed-term one [3].

Once in France, you must validate the VLS-TS within three months of arrival, which includes paying a €300 tax [3]. The first card is valid for one year and can be renewed. A first card costs €350 and a renewal €250 [3]. Late renewals can bring an extra €180 charge [3].

Talent permits

The talent residence permit is aimed at skilled people and can last up to four years for qualifying employees [4]. Partners and children can come on a linked talent famille card without going through the slower family reunification process [4].

The fee is €350 [4]. Service Public flagged in late 2026 that this page was being updated after a decree of 26 October 2026, so salary thresholds and conditions may already have changed [4].

Visitor

The visitor visa suits people living on savings, a pension or other income who won't work in France. Work of any kind, including freelancing, is banned [5]. You need at least €1,477.93 net a month for a single person, or €17,735.19 a year, plus health insurance for the whole stay [5]. It's issued for up to one year and is renewable, with renewals lodged online two to four months before expiry [5].

That rule on work matters for remote workers. If you plan to keep your Australian job from a Paris flat, get proper advice on which status fits before you apply.

Students and partners

Study visas are available for people accepted into French courses, and partners of French citizens have their own route. Both are covered on the France-Visas wizard [6].

Short stays and the new border systems

For visits, Australians can enter France without a visa for short stays, under the usual Schengen rules. Two changes are worth knowing:

• EES: Europe's Entry/Exit System started rolling out on 12 October 2025 and records non-EU travellers' details at the border [7].
• ETIAS: a pre-travel authorisation like the US ESTA. It's not operating yet and is scheduled for the end of 2026, with no confirmed date. Ignore unofficial websites offering it [7].

Short stays are no substitute for a proper visa. Smartraveller is clear that you can't switch status once you're in France [2].

Common mistakes

• Leaving it too late. Turning 36 ends your PVT eligibility. Apply while you can.
• Skimping on insurance. No reciprocal deal means a hospital bill could wreck your year [2].
• Missing the validation deadline. Your VLS-TS must be validated within three months of arrival [3].
• Working on a visitor visa. The visitor rules ban any professional activity in France [5]. Remote work for an Australian employer is a grey area, so get advice before relying on it.
• Trusting old blog posts. Rules changed in late 2026. Always check the official France-Visas wizard [6].

Applying soon? Ask in Cooee France, our Facebook group for Australians in France. Members share recent experiences of visa centres, prefecture appointments and finding a job on a PVT.

Sources

1. PVT France – pvtistes.net
2. France travel advice – Smartraveller (Australian Government)
3. Carte de séjour « salarié » ou « travailleur temporaire » – Service-Public.gouv.fr
4. Carte de séjour « talent » – Service-Public.gouv.fr
5. Carte de séjour « visiteur » – Service-Public.gouv.fr
6. Applying for a visa – Embassy of France in Australia
7. Travel to Europe: EES and ETIAS – Embassy of France in Australia

Keep reading

• Moving to Paris from Australia: the complete guide
• Renting in Paris as an Australian
• Aussie life in Paris
• Medicare when you live abroad