Question
Teacher’s Instructions:
Create a time line of French Immigration Law, cite references.
Write a paragraph on how you felt while reading these laws…are they similar to American immigration laws? Are they difficult to understand from an outsiders point of view? Do you agree or disagree with how France has handled immigration.
Answer
French Immigration Law
France was originally open to immigrants due to lack of labor. The period between 1945-1975, there were no strict laws that guided immigration to the country. The reconstruction period saw France in need of labor, and therefore, they were open to immigrants from all the other continents including Africa. However, the open border policy has undergone continuous restrictions to control the number immigrants that enter France. As of 2006, France implemented tougher immigration laws that restricted immigrant unskilled worker from coming to France (French Law Publications, n.p.). The French government has amended its nationality requirements through marriage to make it stricter. The consulate officers have also been granted powers to decide on whether to grant or deny applicants visas. The law requires that a person gets a visa or entry permit for stays that exceed 90 days (Baltic Legal Immigration Services, n.p.).
I feel that the French immigration laws have evolved in many aspects to become similar to the laws of the United States. The open border policy has been abandoned with the French authorities requiring that a person gets a visa before they are permitted to enter the country. Visa has been a requirement for entering America for a long time. The upsurge in immigrants seeking to settle in Europe and the threat of terrorism has resulted in both nations enacting stricter immigration laws. The French immigration laws are straight forward and easy to understand because they do not contain a lot of details. France has handled its immigration competently. Initially, it was open to immigrants. However, a rise in the number of immigrants has resulted in the country tightening its immigration laws to prevent unskilled workers from gaining entry as well as terrorists.
Works Cited
Baltic Legal Immigration Services. Immigration to France, 2013. Accessed on April 24, 2017 from http://www.immigration-residency.eu/immigration-to/france/
French Law Publications. Visas & Immigration Law in France. French Law, 2012. Accessed on April 24, 2017 from http://www.frenchlaw.com/Immigration_Visas.htm