France Grants Citizenship To 12,000 Foreigners As A Reward For Working On The Front Line During Covid-19 Pandemic

France has granted citizenship to more than 12,000 foreign-born health workers to thank them for their services during the Covid crisis.

 The French government made the announcement on Thursday September 10.

These essential workers include security guards, checkout assistants and other frontline workers.

Marlene Schiappa, junior interior minister in charge of citizenship, said over 16,000 people had applied for a French passport over the past year under a special scheme.

“These frontline workers were there for the nation. It is normal that the nation makes a gesture in their favour,” Schiappa disclosed this in a statement.

 She noted that the scheme sped up the application procces for workers in essential services, allowing them to apply for citizenship after just two years in France, instead of the usual five.

In 2020, a total of 61,371 people got French citizenship. 

Several of them were invited to Place Beauvau in Paris, where the Ministry’s offices are situated, at the start of the school year.