The French parliament has approved a controversial immigration law that will ease the entry of skilled workers but limits social benefits to certain conditions. The French parliament has passed a controversial government bill that will tighten immigration rules. It was approved by both chambers - the Senate and the National Assembly - after President Macron's party reached a compromise with the conservative opposition. To do this, it was necessary to tighten some measures in order to do without the voices of the far right, led by Marine Le Pen. The government lacks a majority in parliament following legislative elections following Macron's re-election as president in 2022.

Interior Minister Gérard Darmanin supported the bill, saying it would benefit legal migrants and protect French workers: "No President of the Republic, no government, no majority - not even François Mitterrand in 1981 - has put an end to hypocrisy in the law of the Republic: let's legalize those who work. Starting next year there will be another 10,000 regularizations, this is a victory for the majority."
Earlier on Sunday, Darmanin warned that Le Pen risks winning the 2027 presidential election if the bill is not passed.
The revision of the original document and the introduction of tightening were sought by the right-wing parties, on the basis of which Marine le Pen declared that this was their victory: “Nevertheless, we can rejoice at the ideological progress, the ideological victory of even the National Rally (RN), since it is now enshrined in law as national a priority".
The bill introduces conditional temporary residence permits for skilled workers in areas experiencing labor shortages and streamlines the asylum process. But at the same time, foreigners are given the right to receive government subsidies, including assistance with rent, only after they have lived in France for several months or even years.
Dozens of NGOs have criticized the document, calling it "the most regressive immigration law in the last 40 years concerning the rights and living conditions of foreigners, including those who have been in France for a long time." This was stated in a joint statement by about 50 groups, including the French League of Human Rights. The key element now is that social security benefits will only be available to foreigners after five years of residence in France, or 30 months for those with a job. Can be agreed migration quotas, as well as measures to deprive convicts with dual French citizenship.