Algerian medical student faces expulsion from France

Rania Ameur, a fourth-year medical student at the University of Lille, has been issued an Obligation to Leave French Territory (OQTF) by the sub-prefect of Dunkerque. The administrative decision, notified on August 4, 2026, comes just weeks before she is scheduled to begin her medical externship.

Ameur, an Algerian national, moved to Dunkerque with her parents at age 15. After completing a degree in psychology, she ranked 96th out of over 1,000 candidates in the medical selection process. She currently serves as the president of the Association Corporative des Étudiants en Médecine de Lille (ACEML) and volunteers with the Red Cross.

The expulsion order creates significant professional hurdles, as the externship is a salaried position that requires a valid residency permit. Ameur was a recipient of a scholarship from the Dunkerque Urban Community (CUD) aimed at addressing medical shortages; under this agreement, she had committed to practicing medicine in the Dunkerque region for five years. A solidarity movement and petition have emerged in response to the decision.