Foreign entertainment technicians - Residence and work permits

Procedures for ussuing temporary work permits

Requests are generally filed by the employer who may be either a producer based in a foreign country or a company based in France.

Nevertheless, when an intermediary in France does exist (entertainment organizer, tour promoter, etc.), the request may be filed by this intermediary at the Direccte where the intermediary’s business is based.

Required documents

Documents required for filing an A.P.T. request vary according to whether the employer is based in France or in a foreign country.
See the file Foreign artists – Residence and work permits

Request processing

Processing period

The request must be filed with the appropriate Direccte by the following deadlines :

 

• 3 months before the start of the entertainment ;
• one month at the latest before the start of the work period in France (in the case of emergencies such as modifications in programming or participants).

• the regional cultural affairs agency (Direction Régionale des Affaires Culturelles or DRAC) ;
• the national entertainment employment agency (l’Agence Nationale pour l’Emploi-Spectacle or ANPE).

In all cases, regardless of whether the contract is for less or more than three months, the employment situation may be contested. The ANPE may propose to substitute persons in France who are currently unemployed.

A lack of response within 15 days indicates the tacit agreement of the consulted agencies.

For contracts of less than 3 months

If the request is approved, one of the following documents is issued :

• a letter of approval or a validated work contract ;
• an individual A.P.T.

If the request is denied, notification is communicated by a letter justifying the decision and specifying the reasons upon which the denial is founded.

For contracts of more than 3 months

If the request is approved, the prefecture issues, in view of the contract validated by the Direccte, a “temporary worker” temporary residence card which is valid for the same period as the contract if the contract is for less than 3 months (for periods of over 3 months the residence card is renewable within the period stipulated by the contract). Technicians must also obtain the corresponding temporary work permit.