France - living and working conditions

1. How to find a job

Finding a job in France is not easy. As in other places, many jobs are given to acquaintances or through the old-boy network. A broad network of acquaintances will therefore help ‘pull a few strings’ and give you a better chance of finding a job.

Although networks of contacts are important, searching for openings in the press, the ANPE (National Employment Agency) or the Internet are the traditional avenues for finding work. Job vacancies are often not published, hence the importance of contacts and networking.

1. Looking for a job locally:

At the ANPE National Employment Agency:

All French cities have an ALE (Agence Local pour l’Emploi – Local Employment Agency), a branch of the ANPE (Agence National pour l’Emploi – National Employment Agency), that could help you in your search. Some cities have specialised agencies for managerial staff, called ‘Espaces Cadres’. You may only register as a jobseeker at one of the ANPE offices if you have an address in France. You can consult advertisements on line at www.anpe.fr and sign up to receive details of vacancies matching your profile.

A network specialising in international posts also forms part of the services offered by the ANPE.

The APEC (Association pour l’Emploi des Cadres – Managerial Staff Employment Association), which is a private body, specialises in helping executives find work.

You can also consult these pages if you are interested in vocational training or ongoing training. You could also contact the CIOs (Centres d’Information et d’Orientation – Information and Career Guidance Centres).

The ANPE acts as a recruitment intermediary. Unemployment benefit is paid by ASSEDIC (Association pour l’Emploi dans l’Industrie et le Commerce –Trade and Industry Employment Association).
2. Temporary agencies:

Temporary agencies are very widespread in France and have a good reputation.
These agencies play an increasingly important role on the French labour market. They find jobs in nearly every sector and for all the different levels of qualifications. These agencies charge the employer, not the jobseeker, for their services.

3. The European Employment Services - EURES:

EURES counsellors from the Job Agencies can advise you in your search for employment and suggest vacant posts:

4. Press / Adverts:

 - National daily papers: ‘Le Monde’, ‘Le Figaro’, regional daily papers: ‘La Voix du Nord’, ‘Ouest-France’, ‘Les Dernières Nouvelles d'Alsace’, ‘L'Est Républicain’, ‘Le Progrès de Lyon’, ‘Le Dauphiné Libéré’ and ‘Le Midi Libre’, etc.
- Weekly magazines: ‘L´Express’, ‘Le Point’, ‘L'Expansion’, ‘Le Nouvel Economiste’ and ‘L'Usine Nouvelle’, etc.
- Specialist periodicals: ‘Le Moniteur’ (Building and Public Works)
- Financial papers: ‘Les Echos’
Local newspapers also publish job advertisements. These papers are free of charge for the most part and can be very useful. ‘Aix Hebdo’ and ‘Bonjour’ in Aix-en-Provence are two examples. For further information, contact your town's Tourist Office.

2.Working time

    * Aubry Law I of 13 June 1998 and Aubry Law II of 19 January 2000
    * Law of 17 January 2003 concerning salaries, working time and employment growth
    * Articles L.212-1 to L.213-10 of the Labour Code
    * Articles R.212-1 and R.212-2 of the Labour Code
    * Article D.212-1 of the Labour Code
    * Articles L.220-1 to L.221-27 of the Labour Code

Since 1 July 2002, the legal length of the working week is 35 hours in all types of companies.
The working day may not exceed 10 hours.
The maximum working day for under‑18s and apprentices is 8 hours (7 hours a day for under‑16s working during school holidays).
In addition, young people may not work for more than 4½ hours without a break. The maximum working day may be extended to 12 hours under a collective agreement.
In principle, no more than 48 hours a week may be worked.
For under‑18s and apprentices, the absolute maximum length of the working week is 35 hours.
All workers must be allowed a daily rest period of 11 consecutive hours (9 hours in certain cases depending on collective agreements).
The minimum weekly rest period is 35 consecutive hours (11 hours + 24 hours). There are waivers for some activities (machine operators, seasonal workers). Unless otherwise stated, the weekly rest day is in principle Sunday.
Some managerial staff classified as ‘autonome’ work more than 35 hours a week, but are given additional holiday days.
Overtime is paid.
The principle governing overtime payment is as follows:

    * 25% an hour for each of the first eight hours of overtime (from the 36th to the 43rd hour inclusive).
    * 50% extra for each hour after that.

N.B.: this is in sectors where many exceptions are allowed, especially under collective agreements.
Night work performed between 9 pm and 6 am may not in principle exceed 8 hours a day and 40 hours a week (44 hours if governed by decree or collective agreement). Night work is compensated with weekly rest days or extra pay.
Pregnant women working nights must be given daytime work throughout their pregnancy and legal postnatal leave period if they so request.

3.Incomes and taxation

In France, any individual who earns money must pay income tax.
The tax year corresponds to the calendar year – 1 January to 31 December. Tax is not deducted at source by the employer. Taxpayers have to declare their income by filling in a tax return in the year following the tax year during which they earned their income. Therefore, income received in 2006 must be stated in a tax return that must be returned to the tax office in your place of residence before 31 May 2007. The tax return may be sent on a paper form or filed electronically via the Internet on the tax authorities’ website.
In principle tax is paid in three instalments (February, May and September) in the year following the tax year concerned, but first-time income taxpayers in France must pay all their dues in September. Taxpayers may also choose to pay tax on a monthly basis.
Tax is calculated via a sliding scale and takes the family situation into account (family means-testing). The scale has five brackets, the highest covering people earning more than EUR 66 679, who are taxed at a rate of 40%.

Persons who have already paid income tax in another EU Member State on income earned there are not obliged to pay income tax a second time in France. France has signed tax agreements with the other Member States to avoid double taxation. If necessary, you should consult the tax agreement to find out which mechanism has been put in place to avoid double taxation.

In addition to income tax, residence tax is also payable by any person occupying a dwelling on 1 January. In addition to this, the owner has to pay property tax calculated on the basis of the size of the dwelling.

Finally, goods and services are subject to VAT (Value Added Tax). The rate of VAT is 19.6% of the price of the goods, but certain sectors have a lower VAT rate (e.g.: improvement, conversion, refurbishment and maintenance works on places of residence finished more than two years previously, and books, which have a reduced VAT rate of 5.5% rather than 19.6%).

4.The social security system in this counrtry

EU citizens are generally covered in France by their own country's social security system. If you come to live in France, you must register with Social Security.
Citizens of non-EU countries must have a residence permit to be able to sign on to the French Social Security register. For further information on residence permits, consult our guides on legislation.

There are several mandatory schemes in France.
- general scheme for employees, covering about 80% of the population
- self-employed scheme, for the professions
- agricultural scheme, for persons earning their living in farming
- special schemes for some specific categories such as domestic staff.

General scheme: This scheme covers sickness, maternity, occupational accidents, invalidity, old age and survivors’ pensions, death, family benefit, unemployment benefit and retirement.
When you start work in France, your new employer will register you with the URSSAF (the administrative body responsible for collecting social security and family benefit payments).
This body manages the various Social Security schemes and unemployment benefit. Social Security contributions vary depending on how much you earn and are deducted at source. They are split between a contribution by the employer and a deduction from the worker's wage. Once you are registered, you will receive a Social Security membership certificate with your Social Security number and a ‘Vitale’ card. You must then find the CPAM (national health insurance office) for your neighbourhood, which will become your main partner in dealing with the Social Security scheme.
Occupational accidents and occupational diseases

This insurance covers all accidents that occur at the workplace, while travelling, and occupational diseases. If an accident occurs, your employer must be informed as soon as possible, with all the information (names and addresses of any witnesses). This insurance covers medical care, pays daily allowances, and in certain cases, pensions.
Invalidity insurance

This insurance makes up for loss of income for individuals who can no longer work at full capacity. These are the criteria that qualify a worker to receive such insurance:

- at least 2/3 disability;
- under 60 years old (beyond this age, the old age pension applies);
- registered with the Social Security and paying contributions to it;
- agreeing to undergo all medical examinations.
Old-age and survivors' insurance

There are 2 kinds of old-age insurance: those involving contributions (including old age pension) and those not involving contributions.
Coverage for students

Students from EU/EEA countries do not need to register with the French Social Security system as they are already covered in their home country.
For some countries that are not part of the EU/EEA, there are reciprocal agreements with France providing coverage. Please check with the social services in your country or the educational authorities. If your country does not have agreements with France and you are staying for longer than 3 months, you have to register with Social Security.

You are eligible for the student scheme if:

- You are under 28;
- You are studying at an institution affiliated to the French social security system

In this case, you can register with one of a number of bodies (consult our directory) when you start the school year. The cost for one year is EUR 177 (2003/2004). Your spouse and children are automatically covered. You can also take out supplementary insurance through the same body, which will pay for that part of the medical expenses not covered by the general scheme.

If you do not fit into the above categories, there are two options available:

- CMU (Universal Sickness Coverage): this is free of charge if you meet certain criteria (low income, limited resources).
- Private insurance: this is more expensive than the student scheme.
Self-employed worker

If you are self-employed, you must register with the self-employed ‘autonome’ scheme at the URSSAF and make all the payments requested.

Health insurance is provided by a special insurer called the CANAM (National Health Insurance Body for the Independent Professions). You must also pay into a retirement fund and invalidity funds, grouped together under the joint body known as CNAVPL (National Old-Age Pension System for the Liberal Professions).

Self-employed artists (designers, writers, photographers, illustrators, composers, etc.) with incomes that vary according to the royalties they receive must register with the AGESSA (Association for the Management of the Social Security).


  Source: EURES