Lawyers and experts said that immigrants and foreign students are assets to the French economy, and it would benefit from the contribution of those who will be able to help French companies expand their footprint internationally.

The simplification of obtaining residency or work permits for non-EU employees will also encourage French companies to hire more international skilled workers.

But one compelling fact was the surging voice of far-right voters during the presidential campaign in May, which reflected a sharply polarized society in France.

Far-right presidential candidate Marine Le Pen, who called for reinstating France's tight border controls and cutting immigration by 90 percent, received an unprecedented 17.9 percent of the votes during the campaign.

Le Pen's call seemed like nonsense to me because French society is built on and benefits from its cultural and racial diversity. But the rise of anti-immigration voices on the far right reflects the persistent fears about the dangers of mass immigration that are often

associated with high unemployment, a high crime rate and social unrest. The recent riot in the northern French city of Amiens has reinforced such fears and put the Socialist government in a difficult situation.

What people like about France is its diversity and ability to accommodate people with different cultures and racial backgrounds. But

naturalization, a major part of the integration process for immigrants, has dropped by 40 percent over the past two years.

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