France will not accept Spain's newly-legalized immigrants

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The French government has banned several hundred thousand foreigners who benefited from an immigration amnesty in Spain from working in France. It was reported that many of those people who were granted the right to stay in Spain were "illegal immigrants" from France. Apparently, they hoped that this would enable them to then go back to France and live and work in France. It should be noted that if you are a non EU Citizen who has gained residence status in a particular EU Country this will not in most cases enable you to work in another EU Country.

France has also ruled out a similar mass legalization of illegal workers.

Interior Minister Dominique de Villepin said the immigrants in Spain would be barred from France. The residence permit "is only good for Spain and not for other countries," Villepin said in a press conference at which he unveiled a new plan to fight illegal immigration and ruled out a mass amnesty in France.

"Labour is a national matter for each of our countries," the interior minister said.