… After intense discussions between Moussa’s employer, the city of Paris, the workers and their union, a list of 14 undocumented individuals who worked at the site was handed over to the French police prefecture, which deals with visa requests, in order for their paperwork to be processed.

They signed a framework agreement that would lead to a residency permit and health insurance. It was signed by the city of Paris, the construction company Bouygues, and several subcontractors.

But 18 months later, the dossiers have still not been approved. Only one of the 14 has been given an appointment at the Paris prefecture.

A number of the undocumented workers are beginning to wonder whether the delays are by design…

In January 2025, CNT-SO, which represents construction and cleaning workers, collectively resubmitted 13 dossiers to the Paris prefecture.

“The files are still blocked, despite the fact that I’ve re-applied for these 13 people,” Rahmani told Al Jazeera.

She suspects that the lack of response is a form of backlash, as the strikes unveiled poor working conditions in France in the lead-up to the Olympics…

The project developer and two subcontracting companies – which have not responded to Al Jazeera’s request for comment – have allegedly prevented some workers from returning to construction sites, meaning they have lost jobs and housing…