From APS to CDI: Your Post-Study Work Roadmap in France

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Indian graduates of French Master's or Grande École programmes get a 24-month APS (Autorisation Provisoire de Séjour) — twice the standard 12 months — thanks to a 2015 bilateral agreement. Apply on the ANEF portal before your student titre de séjour expires. Your job must be related to your field of study and pay at least 1.5× SMIC (≈€2,735/month gross in 2026). Once you sign a CDI, your employer files a work permit via ANEF, and you apply for a 4-year multi-year Salarié residence card. First issuance now requires A2 French and the civic exam (effective January 2026).