Work

How can I get a Siret number in France?

All companies that operate in France must have one to issue invoices

Can I split my employment on a seasonal worker visa?

How to legally adjust your seasonal work pattern across different seasons with a single visa

How do writers set up a business in France?

Creative workers can benefit from a special social security regime

practical

How France Travail can help you find employment

The government agency offers a range of assistance, including grants and mobility support

Explained: What does RTT mean in France?

Discover how 'Réduction du Temps de Travail' can enhance your work-life balance in France

VAT threshold drop for self-employed in France suspended until June

The controversial measure is opposed by professional groups and several leading MPs

Does France have a 'digital nomad' visa?

Several countries have visas for people who work remotely for an employer abroad

Is seasonal work possible in France under the 90/180 days rule?

Only some sectors are permitted to hire people without a valid work visa

How unemployment benefit rules are changing in France from April 1, 2025

The age that people are considered ‘senior’ is set to change, with consequences for jobseeker benefit

French work office is too cold - is it grounds to work from home?

France’s labour laws require offices to be at a ‘suitable’ temperature

How to maximise your time off in France this year

The calendar of public holidays makes 2025 a good year for those looking to make the most of holiday time, with a number of long weekends and opportunity to ‘bridge’ extra days

Anger over changes to VAT rates for self-employed people in new 2025 French budget

Business leaders and politicians warn prices will increase as a result

How French CVs differ from those in the UK or US

Length, photo, design - CVs have aligned in recent years but some key difference remain

Why employees in France are likely to receive less money in January

Three changes are expected to make a dent in the usual level of net pay

Do you receive additional paid leave following a family death in France?

Additional ‘bereavement’ leave is available in some cases

French rules: can I work from home – or not at all – during heatwave?

Employers are obliged to make working conditions more comfortable during extreme temperatures

What is France’s workplace ‘right to disconnect’?

The precise ‘right’ can differ company by company

Reform to tighten France’s unemployment rules suspended after election

The controversial changes included cutting the maximum time that most people can claim benefits from 18 to 15 months

France to tighten rules for unemployment benefit: what is changing?

People will have to work longer to qualify

Row over France-Switzerland cross border workers’ unemployment benefit

The current system leaves France hundreds of millions of euros out of pocket each year, an MP says

French woman finds job by strapping CV to back - and going for a run

With just one run, her novel marketing strategy was seen 250,000 times on social media, been the subject of news articles and resulted in ten interviews

How to apply for seasonal work in France as a non-EU citizen

Job adverts, work permits and visas - we explain the rules for employees and employers

Workers in France to pay €100 towards previously free training

Reforms to the compte personnel de formation are expected to result in 20% of trainees abandoning their courses

Preserving tradition in every drop: The travelling French distiller

Meet the fourth-generation mobile Armagnac distiller and his 110-year-old copper still called Marie-Jeanne

Four-day week for divorced parents under review, says French PM

The idea could apply to parents who share custody of children

French MPs to debate ‘discrimination based on hair colour and style’

France is lagging behind North America on the issue, says MP

How can I learn ‘business French’ to improve job prospects?

Many jobs require will require people to be fluent in the local language

Paris homeworker injured by her ironing board claims work accident

Court hears the woman broke her toes when the board fell on them as she opened a cupboard

Jobs in France: These key sectors are actively recruiting

Geographical differences also shown in new report

Paris worker sacked for not being ‘fun enough’ wins €500,000 payout

The company claimed the worker never went to team drinks and was ‘brittle and demotivating’ to staff

What is a French CDII work contract?

These contracts are used in many sectors, giving temporary workers the same benefits as full-time employees

How to have 16 consecutive days off work in France this May

Taking just a few days of annual leave could see you have an extended holiday

Must I take a course to become a tour guide in France?

There are various regulations dependent upon the precise role of a guide

French crafts in focus: Chaudronnier

Metalworker Jean-Louis Martini specialises in building and fixing vehicles, particularly motorcycle parts

Business accounting in France to get simpler for some

We explain the new income thresholds that trigger accounting and auditing obligations

New website offers free help to start your own business in France

Market research and an income guide are two ways the online platform can support entrepreneurs

Can I get seasonal work as a non-French person?

It is more difficult, but still possible, to work in certain sectors on a short-term basis

French people still work less than other Europeans

France is second only to Finland as the EU country that works the fewest hours per year

Unlimited paid leave is good for business, says US firm in France

Employees who can take as much paid holiday as they like are more productive according to recruitment company

Free training for small business owners in France

The business skills courses are part of the government's Covid recovery plan. We look at what is on offer and who is eligible

Workers in France can now earn holiday days during sick leave

Court rules that right is retroactive, leaving employers concerned over a flurry of potential claims

EU plans to recruit more external workers to fill skill shortages

It coincides with a report which showed that France is experiencing major skills shortages across a range of key sectors

Millions of workers in France can receive up to €600 a month in aid

The Prime d’activité is open to salaried staff and freelancers - we look at who is eligible and how to apply

Heatwave in France: Do I have to go into the office?

Your employer might encourage home-working, be more flexible with hours or halt physical labour during the hottest part of the day after making a risk assessment

French tax service Urssaf’s four-day week proves unpopular

Workers gave various reasons why they did not take up the offer at the tax collection service

New website for self-employed in France shows ‘no common sense’

Union des Auto-Entrepreneurs criticises online ‘one-stop shop’ and how some self-employed missed out on social charges help

Aim to boost apprenticeships key to France’s reindustrialisation

For years, academic success was seen as the way to a good job in France, but things are starting to change

Does homeworking change rules for frontier workers who live in France?

We look at the latest rules for French residents working for Swiss businesses

Macron expresses shock over wage gaps at France’s biggest firms

One CEO earned 1,484 times their company’s average wage in 2021, according to Oxfam

French training fund deemed success despite scams

Scam artists took advantage of a simplified system to trick workers in to paying for non-existent training schemes

Career change in France: I Googled ‘can animals talk to people?’

Colleen Kersey tells how a Reiki experience helped her discover she can talk to animals

Two million workers in France receive boost to driving tax allowance

Drivers can access this allowance – which has been increased by 10% – if they cover a certain distance in their vehicle for work each year

Three women on how they forged their own French lives in Dordogne

We hear how the women broke the expatriate mould to lead independent lives in their adopted country

The jobs that French employers have the hardest time filling

Some posts are so difficult to fill that employers have been lowering their recruitment standards

Explainer: How France’s 35-hour week works in practice

We guide you through exceptions to the rule, overtime allowances and other legislation related to how much time you can spend on the job

Immersion in French language is stressful but leads to huge confidence

We speak to two people who have thrown themselves in at the deep end to improve their linguistic skills

French retirement debate: your experiences of working in your 70s

Readers who worked on for many years past the standard retirement age - some even into their late 80s - share their thoughts

How France learned to embrace the four-day week

Awareness of the environmental benefits is among the drivers for change, which could see one in 10 French firms adopt the practice in the next decade

How death benefits work for family of self-employed workers in France

We explain what a typical lump sum payout might amount to, as well as what happens in the case of salaried people and civil servants, and how to claim

Website lists all strikes taking place in France

Cestlagreve shows ongoing and future strike dates, and users can search by region

Hiring UK staff for French chalet work ‘very complicated’ post-Brexit

It is easier and cheaper to recruit from Australia and New Zealand, says business owner in the Alps

French work permits should be subject to points system, says MP

The idea is under review and could be added to a new immigration bill. Applicants would have more or fewer points depending on their degree, language skills or origin

‘Bring your dog to work’ could lure people back to French offices

Studies show pets in the office can lower stress, improve communication and reduce absenteeism

Sick note clampdown stops French workers ‘shopping around’ online

Permission to stay at home will soon only be accessible from your designated GP – but the tighter rules have been met with criticism

Solution to bug hindering online French work permit applications

A reader who runs a bar in the Alps told of frustration completing the website form for non-EU workers; an official has explained what to do

Explained: Types of employment contracts in France

Job contracts in France come with the terms CDD or CDI, relating to different kinds of employment contract. We explain some of the key differences between them

‘I swapped hairdressing in UK for family window business in France’

Jane Robertshaw, explains how hairdressing kept her away from her sons. Their move to France brought a new family venture

Gender pay gap: Women in France work ‘for free’ from today

EU statistics suggest that on average women earn 15.8% less than men. Feminist newsletter Les Glorieuses launches petition for change

‘My career change in France was all thanks to a rat problem’

In the UK Robert Moon was a private eye but rodents in his French house – plus a friend’s help – kicked off an unlikely new profession as a pest controller