Expand your global workforce in France
Your guide to the employment landscape, working customs and local labor laws in France
Capital
Paris
Currency
Euro (EUR)
Languages
French
GDP per Capita
$42,330.45
Employer Tax
30.50%-31.30%
Payroll Frequency
Monthly
Talent overview
France holds the third-largest economy in Europe. France boasts economic growth and comes in 19th position with the highest GDP per capita ranking. The country is expanding more efficiently in tourism, agriculture, and industries.
Major economic hubs:
Paris, Lyon, Marseille, Lille
Skills in demand:
Cybersecurity, IoT, Software Developer, Data Analyst, Financial Analyst, System Analyst
France
Top local universities in France
Université de Strasbourg
Ranking
Local: 1
World: 233
Université de Lille
Ranking
Local: 2
World: 271
Université de Paris
Ranking
Local: 3
World: 273
Sorbonne Université
Ranking
Local: 4
World: 337
École Normale Supérieure
Ranking
Local: 5
World: 390
Top Local Job Boards
Pole-emploi.fr, Indeed.fr, Monster.fr
Number of LinkedIn users
25,390,000
Multiplier Recruitment Partner
Where to find talent
Top Local Job Boards:
Top Local Job Boards
Number of LinkedIn users:
Number of LinkedIn users
Top Recruitment Agencies:
Top Recruitment Agencies:
Salary Data
The average monthly salary of some popular jobs in France are as follows:
| Job Title | Average Monthly Salary (EUR) | Average Monthly Salary (USD) |
| Accounting Manager | 6,140 | 6522.68 |
| Financial Analyst | 5,160 | 5481.60 |
| Office Manager | 3,390 | 3601.28 |
| Graphic Designer | 2,640 | 2804.54 |
| Sales Representative | 2,600 | 2762.05 |
Employ in France
Employing in France
Employment contracts are mandatory in France. In order to hire an individual from France, the employer must have knowledge about the employment laws, benefits, allowances, and more. This segment will help the employer with all the information required.
Employee Contract
In France, there are two types of Employment contracts; CDI (Permanent employment) and CDD (Temporary employment). According to the France employment laws, CDI (contrat à durée indéterminée) is provided to an employee for continuing and indefinite service. CDI (contrat à durée déterminée) is provided to an employee hired for temporary employment and can not be extended over 18 months of service.
French is the preferred language for employment contracts though employees and employers have the option for the contract to be translated to other languages
Probation Period
The probationary period for employees ranges from 1 – 3 months.
Public and Provincial Holidays
| Date | Name | Type |
| January 1 | New Year’s Day | National Holiday |
| April 21 | Easter Monday | National Holiday |
| May 1 | Labor Day / May Day | National Holiday |
| May 8 | WWII Victory Day | National Holiday |
| May 29 | Ascension Day | National Holiday |
| June 9 | Whit Monday | National Holiday |
| July 14 | Bastille Day | National Holiday |
| August 15 | Assumption of Mary | National Holiday |
| April 18 | Good Friday | Local Holiday |
| November 1 | All Saints’ Day | National Holiday |
| November 11 | Armistice Day | National Holiday |
| December 25 | Christmas Day | National Holiday |
| December 26 | St Stephen’s Day | Local Holiday |
Employee Leaves
| Type of Leave | Time Period | Mandatory |
| Annual/Earned Leave | 30 days | Yes |
| Sick Leave | Upto 90 days | Yes |
| Maternity Leave | 16 weeks | Yes |
Leave Compliance
Payroll in France
Payroll cycle
The payroll cycle in France is monthly.
Minimum wage
The French minimum wage (salaire minimum de croissance or SMIC) is adjusted every year on January 1. Read on the wages here:
Read more
Overtime pay
Any hours of work beyond the statutory limit of 35 hours a week is considered overtime. The companies are entitled to compensate employees for overtime hours worked in the following structure:
Read more
How taxes work
Employer Payroll Tax
| Funds | Contributions |
| Health, Disability, Maternity, Death | 13% |
| Autonomy Solidarity Contribution | 0.3% |
| Old-Age Insurance (Upper limit of 3,428 EUR) | 8.55% |
| Family Benefits | 3.45% or 5.25% |
| Unemployment | 4.05% |
| Wage Guarantee Insurance | 0.15% |
Employee Payroll Tax
| Funds | Contributions |
| Old-Age Insurance (Upper limit of 3,428 EUR) | 6.9% |
| Social Security Surcharge | 9.2% |
| Social Security Debt Reimbursement Contribution | 0.5% |
Employee Income Tax
| Income Share (Euros) | Tax Rate (%) |
| 0 to 11,520 | 0% |
| 11,520 to 29,373 | 11% |
| 29,373 to 83,988 | 30% |
| 83,988 to 180,648 | 41% |
| Above 180,648 | 45% |
VAT
The standard rate of Value Added Tax in France is 20%.
Bonus
13th Month Pay
The 13th month’s pay is not mandatory in France. However, the employer can provide it on mutual agreement and is paid at the end of the year.
Employee Benefits
- Pension Scheme
- Social Security
- Maternity leave
- Paternity leave
Employee offboarding
The employer can terminate the employment contract based on a valid reason (personal or financial reasons) or mutual consent or if the individual is retiring.
The notice period for employees under probation is up to 5 days, while regular employees will have up to 3 months.
The severance pay varies based on the individual’s service to the employer. The statutory severance pay is;
| Years of service | Severance Pay |
| Below 10 years | 25% of the monthly salary for each year of service |
| Above 10 years | 33.33% of the monthly salary for each year of service |
Visa and
immigration
If an individual stays more than 90 days, Long term Visa is mandatory. In order to avail of a long-term visa, supporting documents for the stay are required. Long-term visas are available to most nationalities, except for EEA and EU nationals.
Read more
Your employment toolkit for France
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Overtime Pay
Minimum Wage
| Min. French Wage
(“SMIC”) |
Gross amount
(euros) |
Net amount
(deduction of employee contribution) |
| Hourly SMIC | EUR 11.88 | EUR 8.98 |
| Monthly SMIC | EUR 1,801.80 | EUR 1,361.97 |
| Yearly SMIC | EUR 21,621.60 | EUR 16,343.64 |
Overtime Pay
- 25% surcharge for the first extra 8 hrs during the week
- 50% surcharge in case overtime exceeds 8 hrs during the week.
Visa and Immigration
A Long Term visa with a residence permit can be issued based on the requirement of the individual. All the personal documents and passports issued before 10 years should be presented. The individual can be called upon by the French Office for Immigration and Integration for further information.