# Is There a France Working Holiday Visa for Indians? 2026 Answer > India is not on France's working holiday list. What the India-France Young Professional Scheme is, and which French visas actually let Indians work in 2026. _Published: 2026-10-18 · Reading time: 5 min · Words: 1186_ ## TL;DR France's working holiday visa ('vacances-travail') is limited to nationals of 16 agreement countries, and India is not one of them. Indians who want to work in France need a job-based route such as the Talent visas or salaried employment, or a study route followed by the post-study job search visa. ## Key takeaways - France's working holiday visa covers 16 agreement countries; India is not on the list. - The India-France Young Professional Scheme is a separate, job-based route; its age limit and quota are not published on the official pages checked. - The Talent - EU Blue Card route needs a gross annual salary of at least EUR 59,373. - Indian graduates of French institutions can extend their stay for 24 months after studies under a 2015 bilateral agreement. - French long-stay visas cost 99 euros; Indian students pay 50 euros plus the INR 20,000 Campus France fee. **No. France's working holiday visa ('vacances-travail') is open only to nationals of the 16 countries that have an agreement with France, and India is not one of them, according to France-Visas. Indians who want to work in France use other routes, such as the Talent visas, salaried employment or post-study job search.** ## Article The question is common because France does run a working holiday programme, just not with India. Below is what France offers Indians instead, as published on the official sources, checked on 2026-10-15. For tourist and business visas, see our France visa guide for Indians. ### Can Indian citizens apply for France's working holiday visa? No. The working holiday visa is a long-stay category on France-Visas, but it is reserved for nationals of countries that have signed a working holiday agreement with France. France-Visas lists 16: - Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Mexico, Peru and Uruguay - Australia, Canada and New Zealand - Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong and Taiwan - Russia India is not on the list. You can check the current list on the France-Visas young travellers page before you plan anything. A VFS appointment cannot change eligibility: VFS only collects applications, and decisions are taken by the Embassy of France in New Delhi and the French consulates in Mumbai, Puducherry, Kolkata and Bengaluru. ### Is the India-France Young Professional Scheme a working holiday? No, although it is the closest thing to one. France has a long-stay category called 'young employees' (young professionals exchange). It requires a bilateral agreement, and in January 2024 India and France welcomed the operationalisation of a Young Professional Scheme under their Migration and Mobility Partnership Agreement. The difference from a working holiday is the job. Under the young employees category, France-Visas says: - You must already be working and want to improve your professional, language or cultural knowledge in a French company. - Age conditions are those set in the bilateral agreement. - The file goes to OFII, including the work permit request sent by your future French employer. - The visa is issued as a VLS-TS 'jeune professionnel'. The scheme's age limit, quota and eligible sectors were not published on the official pages checked. Do not rely on figures from unofficial sites; ask the French consulate for your state or watch France-Visas for details. ### Which French visas let Indians work? Every route below needs either a job offer, a French qualification or a specific placement. RouteWho it suitsKey official conditionTalent - EU Blue CardHighly qualified professionalsGross annual salary of at least EUR 59,373, a contract of at least 6 months, and a degree from at least 3 years of higher education or 5 years of comparable experienceTalent - qualified employeeIntra-group transfers or hires by innovative companiesGross annual pay of at least EUR 39,582Salaried employment (VLS-TS 'salarié')Job offers outside the Talent routesEmployer obtains a work authorisation first; unless exempt, the job must first be advertised for 3 consecutive weeks with the public employment serviceJob search / business creationMaster's-level graduates of French institutionsDiploma obtained in France; apply from abroad within 4 years of graduatingYoung au pair18 to 30 year olds placed with a French familyAu pair placement agreement, basic French, host family not related to youShort-stay paid activityPaid assignments of up to 90 daysSchengen category 'remunerated activities not exceeding 90 days'Costs differ by route. A long-stay visa costs 99 euros. Salaried employees then pay a 300-euro tax when they validate the VLS-TS online within 3 months of arrival. A 'talent' multi-year residence card applied for in France costs 350 euros (50 euros stamp duty plus 300 euros tax). The Talent routes do not need a work authorisation from the employer. ### Can you study in France and then stay on to work? Yes. This route has a defined post-study stage for Indian graduates. It starts with the long-stay student visa through Campus France's 'Etudes en France' procedure: - The Campus France fee is INR 20,000 from 1 August 2026 (previously INR 18,500). - You must show resources of at least EUR 877.50 per month from 1 August 2026 (previously EUR 615). - The student visa fee is 50 euros. Apply at least three months before the intake. After graduating, Campus France India says that under a bilateral agreement signed in 2015, Indian students can extend their stay in France for 24 months after their studies (a 12-month visa renewable once). The job search / business creation permit allows a 1-year stay to look for work or create a business linked to your studies. During it, you may work as an employee without a work authorisation if the job is linked to your studies and pays more than EUR 2,800.53 gross a month. ### Can you work in France on a Schengen tourist visa? France-Visas treats paid work as its own short-stay purpose. 'Remunerated activities not exceeding 90 days' is a separate category from 'tourist stay of less than 3 months', so the purpose you declare should match what you will do. The Schengen fee is 90 euros, and decisions are usually made within 15 calendar days of lodging, extendable to 45 days. The 5-year 'alumni' short-stay visa for Indians with a Master's who studied at least one semester in France is also a visiting visa: it does not allow work. ### What should you check before applying for a French work route? - Where you apply: applications must be lodged in the country where you legally reside, via France-Visas first and then a VFS appointment using your France-Visas reference. - When you apply: for long stays, at least 1 month before departure and no more than 3 months before arrival. - Service fee: VFS charges 22 EUR per applicant, payable in INR at the rate set by the French authorities. - If refused: an appeal must be sent within 30 days, in French, to the Commission for Appeals against Visa Refusal Decisions for a long-stay visa. If you are visiting France first, for an interview or a campus visit, that trip needs an ordinary Schengen file. Yatra For Fun's India office in Gurugram prepares verifiable flight reservations, hotel bookings, itineraries and cover letters for such visits, with packages from INR 1,000 (flight reservation) to INR 3,000 (reservation, hotel, itinerary and cover letter). WhatsApp +91 95230 91018 or contact us. ### Frequently asked questions #### Will India be added to France's working holiday list? France-Visas does not list India today, and the official pages checked on 2026-10-15 announce no change. Check the France-Visas young travellers page for the current list rather than relying on unofficial reports. #### What is the age limit for the India-France Young Professional Scheme? The age limit, quota and eligible sectors were not published on the official pages checked. France-Visas says the age conditions for young employees are those set in the bilateral agreement. #### How much does a French long-stay work visa cost? The long-stay visa fee is 99 euros. Salaried employees also pay a 300-euro tax when they validate the VLS-TS online within 3 months of arrival, and a 'talent' multi-year residence card costs 350 euros (50 euros stamp duty plus 300 euros tax). #### Where do Indians apply for a French work visa? You fill in the application on France-Visas, then book a VFS appointment with your France-Visas reference and submit documents and biometrics in person. Decisions are taken by the Embassy of France in New Delhi and the French consulates in Mumbai, Puducherry, Kolkata and Bengaluru. ## FAQ ### Will India be added to France's working holiday list? France-Visas does not list India today, and the official pages checked on 2026-10-15 announce no change. Check the France-Visas young travellers page for the current list rather than relying on unofficial reports. ### What is the age limit for the India-France Young Professional Scheme? The age limit, quota and eligible sectors were not published on the official pages checked. France-Visas says the age conditions for young employees are those set in the bilateral agreement. ### How much does a French long-stay work visa cost? The long-stay visa fee is 99 euros. Salaried employees also pay a 300-euro tax when they validate the VLS-TS online within 3 months of arrival, and a 'talent' multi-year residence card costs 350 euros (50 euros stamp duty plus 300 euros tax). ### Where do Indians apply for a French work visa? You fill in the application on France-Visas, then book a VFS appointment with your France-Visas reference and submit documents and biometrics in person. Decisions are taken by the Embassy of France in New Delhi and the French consulates in Mumbai, Puducherry, Kolkata and Bengaluru. ## Sources 1. [Young travellers (working holiday agreement countries)](https://france-visas.gouv.fr/en/web/france-visas/jeunes-voyageurs) — France-Visas 2. [Young employees](https://france-visas.gouv.fr/en/web/france-visas/jeunes-salaries) — France-Visas 3. [Carte talent](https://www.service-public.gouv.fr/particuliers/vosdroits/F16922) — Service-Public.fr 4. [Getting an alumni visa (2-year post-study extension, 5-year visa)](https://www.inde.campusfrance.org/getting-an-alumni-visa) — Campus France India