• France expects 2,500 Tunisian workers under THAMM+ by 2029

• Programme targets labour shortages, promotes circular migration model

• Expansion follows first phase; Tunisia faces high youth unemployment

France’s immigration office said nearly 2,500 Tunisian workers are expected to move to France by 2029 under the second phase of the THAMM+ programme.

Didier Leschi, director general of the French Office for Immigration and Integration (OFII), made the announcement in an interview with state news agency Tunis Afrique Presse (TAP). He said the initiative aims to match France’s labour shortages with Tunisia’s high unemployment. Target sectors include agriculture, industry, transport, care services and hospitality, where hiring needs remain strong.

Funded by the European Union and implemented by the International Labour Organization, THAMM+ seeks to create legal and sustainable migration channels between Egypt, Morocco, Tunisia and the EU, with a focus on access to decent work.

The programme is based on a circular migration model, allowing workers to gain experience in France before returning to Tunisia with stronger skills. Leschi said the aim is to limit long-term brain drain while supporting balanced cooperation between the two countries.

“The main challenge in managing migration is to build trust and recognise that flows are not one-way,” he said. “That would not benefit Tunisia, and it would not benefit France. The process must be reciprocal.”

Program expansion amid labour market pressures

The first phase, which ran from 2022 to 2025, is considered successful, with 500 work contracts signed in France and more than 1,000 people trained. Leschi said the next phase should scale up volumes, expand into more sectors and streamline administrative procedures through digitalisation to ensure smoother implementation.

The programme comes as Tunisia’s labour market remains under strain. Data from the National Statistics Institute (INS) show unemployment among people aged 15 to 24 reached 40.1% in the third quarter of 2025. Among university graduates, it stood at 24.9%.

In that context, structured labour migration is increasingly seen as an economic and social lever. Remittances from Tunisians abroad reached 2.13 billion dinars ($734 million) as of March 31, 2026, according to official data.

Present in Tunisia since the 1960s, OFII remains a key player in managing legal migration. In 2025, Tunisia received the highest number of French visas among Maghreb countries, with 116,000 visas issued and 20,000 residence permits granted, Leschi said.

Charlène N’dimon