Can I work in France on a tourist visa?

No. Working in France on a tourist (Schengen) visa is illegal and can result in immediate deportation and ban from the Schengen area. You must have a VLS-TS with work authorization, Talent Passport, or auto-entrepreneur registration. EU nationals are exempt. Remote work for a foreign employer is a gray area — technically taxable and subject to social charges if you spend 183+ days in France.

How do I fire an employee in France — and why is it so hard?

Dismissing a CDI employee in France requires documented proof of genuine and serious cause (faute réelle et sérieuse), a formal procedure with registered letter, a mandatory 'entretien préalable' meeting, and a waiting period. Economic layoffs require works council consultation and DREETS notification. The process can take 2–6 months and unsuccessful dismissals lead to reinstatement or substantial damages. This is why French companies use trial periods, CDD contracts, and rupture conventionnelle extensively.

What is the 35-hour work week actually like in practice?

In theory, the legal work week is 35 hours. In practice, many French workers — especially cadres and those in international companies — work 40–50 hours. The system is managed through 'heures supplémentaires' (overtime) paid at a 25% premium, or for cadres, through a 'forfait jours' arrangement (218 days/year rather than hourly tracking). RTT days (réduction du temps de travail) are extra vacation days given in lieu of overtime — many cadres accumulate 10–15 RTT days per year.

Should I register as an auto-entrepreneur or set up a company in France?

Auto-entrepreneur (micro-entrepreneur) is ideal if your annual revenue stays below €77,700 (services) or €188,700 (commerce). The admin burden is minimal, social charges are simple, and setup is free. Above these thresholds, or if you want to deduct business expenses, a SASU (sole shareholder SAS) or EURL is better — but it requires an accountant (€1,000–€3,000/year), more complex accounting, and higher setup costs. For most freelance expats starting out, auto-entrepreneur is the right first step.

Is it possible to collect French unemployment benefit (ARE) as an expat?

Yes, if you've worked in France under a French employment contract and contributed to UNEDIC (French unemployment insurance). Eligibility: worked at least 6 months in the last 24 months, employment ended involuntarily (licenciement, fin de CDD, or rupture conventionnelle — not resignation). ARE pays approximately 57% of previous daily salary for 6–24 months depending on contribution period. Register with France Travail (formerly Pôle Emploi) within 12 months of job loss.

Expat Topics

D7, digital nomad, golden visa & more

💰

Cost of Living

Monthly budgets from €1,200 to €4,000+

🏥

Healthcare

Public, private & expat health insurance

🏠

Housing

Rent prices, best areas & lease tips

💼

Work & Business

Permits, remote work & freelancing rules

✈️

Moving Guide

Step-by-step relocation checklist

📚

Education

International schools & universities

🌆

Daily Life

Transport, food & expat communities

🌅

Lifestyle

Climate, culture & quality of living

📈

Investing

Property, stocks, tax & wealth building

View all resources →

Rankings Compare Blog

💼

🇫🇷 France

Work & Business

35 hours

Legal Work Week

Overtime paid at 25–50% premium

€11.88/hr

Minimum Wage (SMIC)

Gross, 2025 rate — €1,801/mo gross

5 weeks

Paid Vacation

30 days mandatory by law

~7.3%

Unemployment Rate

National average 2025; varies by sector

€2,500/mo

Average Net Salary

Net median in Paris; €1,900 national

Last updated: March 2026

Overview🗼Paris 🍷Lyon 🌊Nice

🛂Visa 🏥Healthcare 💰Finance 🏠Housing 💼Working 🌆Daily Life ✈️Moving 📚Education 🌅Lifestyle 📈Investing

Overview

Working in France means operating within one of the world's most regulated and protected labor markets. The 35-hour work week, 5 weeks of mandatory paid vacation, CDI permanent contracts, and robust union rights define the landscape. For expats, navigating the distinction between CDI and CDD contracts, understanding auto-entrepreneur status for freelancers, and adapting to French workplace culture are the key challenges — and opportunities.

Key Takeaways

VLS-TS Salarié: The employer must obtain an 'autorisation de travail' from DREETS (labour authority) before you can be hired
CDI: permanent contract — no end date. Employee can only be dismissed for 'cause réelle et sérieuse' (genuine and serious reason) — very hard to fire
Registration: free via INPI portal (portail-autoentrepreneur.fr) — active within 1–2 weeks
Key sectors for English-speaking expats: fintech/banking (La Défense), luxury & fashion (LVMH, Kering, Hermès), tech (Station F ecosystem), pharma (Sanofi, Servier), consulting (McKinsey, BCG, Accenture)
Hierarchy: French companies are typically more hierarchical than Anglo-Saxon counterparts — ideas flow up through formal channels

Work Permits & Authorization

Non-EU nationals require a work authorization to be employed in France. This is typically embedded in the VLS-TS Salarié visa issued through the French consulate. EU nationals have unrestricted work rights from day one.

VLS-TS Salarié: The employer must obtain an 'autorisation de travail' from DREETS (labour authority) before you can be hired
Employer files: the dossier CERFA with DREETS, OFII handles the procedure — process takes 2–4 months before visa issuance
Talent Passport holders: work authorization is embedded — can start work immediately upon receiving the permit
Auto-entrepreneurs: no separate work authorization needed if registered — can invoice French clients immediately
Posting directive (détachement): EU companies temporarily posting workers to France must notify French labor authorities
Portage salarial: employment through an umbrella company — expats invoice clients but are employed by the portage firm, gaining full employee rights
After first Carte de Séjour renewal: work authorization typically becomes unrestricted — can change employers without new permit

CDI vs. CDD — French Employment Contracts

Understanding French contract types is fundamental. The CDI (Contrat à Durée Indéterminée) is the gold standard — permanent employment. The CDD (Contrat à Durée Déterminée) is fixed-term and more precarious. Many landlords, banks, and even daycares discriminate against CDD holders.

CDI: permanent contract — no end date. Employee can only be dismissed for 'cause réelle et sérieuse' (genuine and serious reason) — very hard to fire
CDD: fixed-term contract — maximum 18 months (renewable once to 36 months maximum). At expiry, employee receives precarité allowance (10% of gross)
Période d'essai (trial period): CDI — 2 months (employees), 3 months (supervisors), 4 months (cadres). CDD — 1 week per month of contract
Rupture conventionnelle: mutual termination agreement — both parties agree to end CDI. Triggers unemployment benefits (ARE) — popular and common
Licenciement économique (redundancy): company must follow strict procedure including consultation with CSE (works council), severance pay formula
Télétravail: right to request remote work exists. Many French employers offer 2–3 days/week hybrid post-2020
Cadres (executives/managers): 'forfait jours' contracts — 218 days/year, exempt from strict 35-hour rule but with annual day count instead

Auto-Entrepreneur & Freelancing

The auto-entrepreneur (micro-entrepreneur) regime is France's simplified self-employment structure. It's ideal for freelancers, consultants, and digital nomads who want to work legally in France without incorporating a full company.

Registration: free via INPI portal (portail-autoentrepreneur.fr) — active within 1–2 weeks
Social charges: 12.8% (commerce), 22% (services/professions libérales) on actual invoiced revenue
Income tax: in addition to social charges, income is taxed via income tax return (option for versement libératoire: flat 2.2–6.6% on turnover)
Revenue caps: €77,700/yr for services (SAS/SASU required above), €188,700/yr for commercial activity
Invoicing rules: all invoices must include SIRET number, company name, client details, TVA status, and payment terms
Accre (ACRE): new entrepreneurs in first year benefit from 50% reduction in social charges — apply through URSSAF at registration
Portage salarial alternative: outsource HR/admin to an umbrella company — you invoice clients but receive a payslip with full employee protections

French Job Market for Expats

France's job market rewards French language skills above almost all else. Most job interviews, team meetings, and client interactions are conducted in French, even in international companies. English-speaking roles are concentrated in tech, finance, luxury, pharmaceuticals, and consulting in Paris.

Key sectors for English-speaking expats: fintech/banking (La Défense), luxury & fashion (LVMH, Kering, Hermès), tech (Station F ecosystem), pharma (Sanofi, Servier), consulting (McKinsey, BCG, Accenture)
Job boards: LinkedIn, Indeed.fr, APEC (cadre/executive), Welcome to the Jungle (startups), Cadremploi (senior roles)
French CV format: French-style CVs include photo, personal details, career objective — different from Anglo-Saxon norms
Networking: 'réseautage' in France is relationship-based and long-term. Alumni networks (grandes écoles) are extremely powerful
Salary negotiation: French culture is uncomfortable with explicit salary negotiation — annual 'entretien annuel' is the standard review point
Remote-first companies: French offices of UK/US tech companies (Datadog, Meta, Google) often operate in English — excellent for non-French speakers
Concours: civil service and many regulated professions require passing competitive exams (concours) — almost all in French

French Workplace Culture

French workplace culture has distinct characteristics that expats from anglophone cultures often find surprising. Understanding hierarchy, the role of lunch, and the unwritten rules of French professional life will dramatically ease your integration.

Hierarchy: French companies are typically more hierarchical than Anglo-Saxon counterparts — ideas flow up through formal channels
Intellectual culture: French workplaces value analytical debate and well-reasoned arguments; pushing back on ideas is normal and respected
Lunch: the lunch break is sacred — often 1–2 hours, sometimes with wine. Lunch at one's desk is still somewhat unusual and frowned upon
Emails: formal written French is expected in professional communication — 'Madame/Monsieur' salutations required
Vous vs. tu: default to 'vous' (formal) with all colleagues until explicitly invited to use 'tu' — critical social rule
Strikes and comités sociaux et économiques (CSE): employee representation bodies are legally powerful — management must consult before major changes
August: essentially a dead month. Most French employees take 3–4 weeks in August; business slows dramatically July–August

From our sister product

Planning to start a business in France?

Use SpotFic to analyze any business location — get foot traffic estimates, competitor maps, demographics, SWOT analysis, financial projections, and a 90-day launch plan. Works anywhere Google Maps has data.

Analyze a Location Free Works in 200+ countries

FAQs