New Delhi: Indian students pursuing a Master’s degree in France will now be given a five-year long-term post-study visa, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced. Mr Modi who was on an official visit to France at the invitation of President Emmanuel Macron in July made the announcement during his address to the Indian community at LA Seine Musicale in Paris. “The last time I came to France, it was decided that Indian students studying in France would be given a two-year post-study work visa. Now, it has been decided that Indian students pursuing Masters in France will be given a long-term post-study visa of five years,” he said.

During his address, the Prime Minister also highlighted the contribution of the Indian community in France, who form a strong foundation of the India-France partnership. Approximately 65,000 immigrants from India currently reside in France. Around 2.7 million students enroll for French higher education, 14 percent of whom are foreign students, according to a French embassy data.

France is especially popular for its management programs with over 70 per cent of Indian students enrolled in them. According to the latest official data collected post-Covid, there were around 6,000 Indian students in France in the 2021-2022 academic year.

France plans to invite 20,000 Indian students in the country by the year 2025, Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna said in 2022. While calling the plan “very ambitious”, Colonna said: “We want 20,000 Indian students in France by 2025. We’re starting from something close to 5,000. It is very ambitious but, between India and France, the sky’s the limit.”