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FRANCE
Introduction
General presentation
Practical information
Practical Advice
Entering and remaining in France
Regional employment markets
EMPLOYMENT
Employment services
Accessing job offers
Applyi ng for a job
LEGAL INFORMATION
Work contract and conditions
Social protection
Unemployment benefits
Taxation
E forms
EDUCATION
The French education system (secondary / third level)
Recognition of diplomas
CROSS-BORDER WORKERS
The free movement of European nationals within European Union member states constitutes one of
the basic tenets of the Single European Market, as per the Treaty of Rome (1957).
The European Commission and the employment services of the member states took the initiative to
create the EURES network, in order to facilitate movement of EU nationals within the European
Economic Area.
The efficacy of the EURES network draws on the professionalism of its advisers (currently about
600 in Europe) as well as the richness and variety of available information.
These advisers, working for employment public services and social partners, are experts on
employment within the EEA.
Since the decision to leave one's country and family environment in order to work abroad should not
be taken lightly, it is necessary to have reliable information to make sure the move takes place as
smoothly as possible.
General Presentation
Surface area: 551,000 km2
Population: 60,185,831 of which 58,518,395 live in urban areas (7.4% foreigners).
(Source: INSEE statistics 1999).
Population of the main cities per region (figures rounded off) (source: INSEE statistics 1999).
ALSACE LIMOUSIN
Strasburg: 268,000 Limoges: 138,000
AQUITAINE LORRAINE
Bordeaux: 219,000 Metz: 128,000
AUVERGNE MARTINIQUE
Clermont-Ferrand: 141,000 Fort-de-France : 94,000
BOURGOGNE MIDI-PYRENEES
Dijon: 154,000 Toulouse: 399,000
BRETAGNE NORD-PAS-DE-CALAIS
Rennes: 213,000 Lille: 192,000
CENTRE BASSE-NORMANDIE
Tours: 137,000 Caen: 118,000
Orléans: 117,000
CHAMPAGNE-ARDENNES HAUTE-NORMANDIE
Rheims: 191,000 Rouen: 109,000
Institutions
France is a parliamentary republic. Power is exercised by the President of the Repub lic, the Government
and Regional Departments.
The President of the Republic is elected by all French citizens by universal suffrage for a period of 5
years, renewable by universal suffrage.
The government acts under the authority of the Prime Minister, appointed by the President of the
Republic. The prime minister is responsible for defining and implementing the country’s policy.
The Parliament is the instrument of legislative power and consists of 2 assemblies: the national assembly
and the Senate.
Local Powers
Each region is administered by a regional prefect who represents the State authority, and by a regional
Council, elected by universal suffrage, and whose President has executive powers.
Each département is administered by a départmental prefect who represents the State authority, and by a
General Council, elected by universal suffrage, whose President has executive powers.
Each municipality is administered by a Town Mayor, as well as his/her assistants and the municipal
Council, all of whom are elected by universal suffrage.
PRACTICAL INFORMATION
LEGAL DETAILS
Children are considered minors up to the age of 18, at which point the right to vote is granted.
School is compulsory to the age of 16.
You must be over 18 to apply for a driver’s licence (car, HGW, motorbike).
Speed limits: 50 km/h in built- up areas, 90 km/h on national roads and 130 km/h on motorways
(110 km/h if raining).
The maximum acceptable level of alcohol in the blood for driving is 0.50 grams per litre of
blood. Safety belts are mandatory for the driver as well as all passengers, seated both in front and
behind. Helmets must be worn both on motor bikes and mopeds.
BANKS, SHOPS
Banks are generally open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday to Friday (closed from noon to 2 p.m. in
some places). Some banks are open Saturdays.
Credit cards are used extensively in France. Some of the most typical uses include: paying for
purchases, withdrawing money from ATMs, public phone booths, motorway tolls. French credit
cards have an electronic chip and are protected by a confidential code.
Generally speaking, shops are open Monday to Saturday, from 9 a.m. to noon and from 2 p.m. to
7 p.m. In large cities, shops do not close at lunchtime. Supermarkets often remain open to 8 p.m.
(10 p.m. in large cities). Some local convenience stores and tourist shops remain open on
Sundays.
TRANSPORT
France has a good rail and road transport system.
Tickets must be stamped in the train station before getting on the train. Generally speaking, you
must reserve tickets for TGV1 inter-city trains. A number of reduced-price tickets option exist
(for more information, ask in the train station or refer to the SNCF web site: www.voyages-
sncf.com).
Public transport is well developed in urban centres. All the main urban areas have a subway or a
tramway in addition to buses and local trains. A number of tariff categories exist, including
weekly or monthly tickets (referred to in Paris as the "carte orange").
Most motorways have toll booths.
TELEPHONE
To call a number in France from outside France: + 33 (0)x xx xx xx xx
To call a number outside France from France: 00 + country code + number
The France Telecom telephone books are available on the Internet: www.pagesblanches.fr
(residential listings) and www.pagesjaunes.fr (business listings)
Emergency and Information numbers (toll- free):
12 - Directory inquiries
13 - Phone line problems
14 - France Telecom agency (toll- free)
15 - SAMU (emergency mobile medical unit)
17 - Police
18 - Fire brigade
112 - Emergency call from a mobile phone
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TGV : Train à Grande Vitesse = high-speed train
Working in France/Practical Information / 1
There are many public phone booths, most of which use telephone cards (available from post
offices, tobacconists, newspaper shops) or credit cards.
PETS
The legislation applicable to bringing in domestic pets to France is available from airline
companies and travel agents, as well as on the French Customs web site: www.douane.gouv.fr. A
number of requirements must be fulfilled (mandatory vaccinations, in particular anti-rabies shots,
quarantine in some cases, etc.).
Dogs and cats must be tattooed or identified by an electronic chip. Dogs must be walked on a
lead and some races must be muzzled. Pit bulls and other dogs considered dangerous are
forbidden in some municipalities.
ELECTRICITY
The electricity voltage in France is 220 volts. Electricity sockets respect European standards.
Some devices must be earthed (washing machines, dishwashers, cookers, ovens, etc.). You
should contact the local EDF (“French electricity board”) agency a few days before your planned
move to make sure the electricity is on.
Internet site: http://particuliers.edf.fr
The television standard in France is SECAM and not PAL.
WATER
If you need to get a water counter installed/re-started, you should go to the Water Service of your
local municipality.
ACCOMMODATION
As might be expected, property prices vary depending on location. Prices are higher in Paris and
other major cities. To rent an apartment you can go through an agency (fee charged) or a
property-ownership group, or you can go look through announcements in newspapers and in a
number of free and paying weekly magazines. You can also rent or purchase directly from
owners (the “Particulier à Particulier” magazine specialises in this). Properties for rent are also
listed on various Internet sites.
For example:
www.seloger.com
www.pap.fr (web site of “Particulier à Particulier”)
www.avendrealouer.fr
Some town halls have a service to help people look for accommodation.
Documents involved with renting accommodation:
Rental contracts (“contrat de location” or “bail”) are generally signed for a period of 3 years,
renewed by tacit agreement. However rental contracts can be terminated before term under
certain conditions (personal or professional reasons). An outgoing tenant must give 3 months’
‘notice, reduced to 1 month in the case of transfer for work reasons or due to suspension of
activity. This notice must be sent to the owner by registered letter.
A deposit (“dépôt de garantie”) equal to 2 months’ rent is often required. Agency fees are
generally about 1 month’s rent.
Rent is due at the beginning of the month. Considering all of the above, this means that when
you first move into your rented accommodation, you have to pay between 3 and 4 months’ rent
(rent for the first mont h + deposit + agency fees).
In addition, some owners and agents require a guarantor ("caution"), i.e. a third party who
commits to paying the tenant’s rent if she/he fails to do so. As a rule of thumb, the rent should
not exceed 30% of the tenant’s net monthly salary (the last 3 pay slips are required as proof of
income).
Before leaving for France, we recommend calling around to your nearest EURES adviser to find
out as much as you can about the region/city of your destination (practical information, useful
addresses, etc.) as well as any other information of relevance to entering, remaining, living and
working in France. For a complete list of EURES adviser addresses, please refer to:
http://europa.eu.int/eures.
We also recommend testing your level of French, and if necessary, taking refresher classes.
Precautionary measures:
- bring along enough cash for initial expenses (accommodation, everyday expenses, etc.)
bearing in mind that you may need additional funds if you intend to rent an apartment,
- take out a repatriation insurance to ensure sufficient protection in case of accident or serious
illness,
- if you are going to bring a pet, make sure it is compliant with French legislation:
vaccinations, identification (tattoo or electronic chip), etc.
Contact:
- your bank,
- your tax office.
If you are looking for a job, or if you wish to have your employment-benefits rights transferred,
you should register with the ASSEDIC within 7 clear days counting from the date on the E303
form issued by the organisation of relevance in your country (for more information, see
"Unemployment Benefits").
You must be able to prove that you have an address in France before you can register with the
ASSEDIC.
Open a bank account; give your French bank account details and your new address to French and
foreign organisations with whom you will be remaining in contact (banks, Social Security, etc.).
If you do not have a driving licence from an EU country and you intend to stay in France for
longer than 1 year, remember to replace your national driving licence with a French driving
licence.
Get your E forms ((E 301, E 104, etc.: see "E forms") filled in by the requisite organisation.
These E forms will be used to establish your rights on returning to your country of departure, or,
alternatively, to initiate new rights. Some of these forms give details on how long you worked in
France and on your Social Security contributions, and will be required to calculate your
entitlements on returning to your country of departure.
Keep all documentation substantiating your employment and salary in France, as well as any
documentation sub stantiating payment to retirement schemes.
If you have transferred your unemployment rights to look for work in France, ask your local
ASSEDIC for the E303 form. This will be used to determine your entitlements when you return
to your country of departure. This is an important point since, if you remain in France for more
than 3 months without finding a job, you will lose the benefit of any remaining rights (for more
information, please refer to "Unemployment Benefits").
If you intend to leave France permanently and in case you had applied for one, you should return
your residency permit to the French authorities (Prefecture or local police station).
You should also contact your local Tax Office to sort out your tax affairs.
France in a nutshell:
Ÿ growing internationalisation (high- technology, aeronautics)
Ÿ permanent reactivity of large and small-to- midsize enterprises (SMEs) very well represented
in the French market with sub stantial market shares in certain sectors (automobile,
electronics, food processing)
Ÿ highly diversified regions, where the economy reflects multi- facetted geographical aspects, a
past which remains present, and a style of life specific to this country.
Created and co-ordinated by the European Commission, EURES is a public network of employment
services and social partners of frontier zones, specia lised in pan-European employment issues.
Public establishment reporting to the Ministry for Social Affairs, Work and Solidarity.
Its mission is to implement the immigration policy defined by the public authorities.
NB: OMI and the ANPE merged their expatriation services in 1999 to create an international job placement
umbrella structure called the “Espaces emploi international” whose mission is to encourage international
mobility
AFPA is the main adult vocational education body of its type in France. It is managed by the State, the
social partners and AFPA itself under the tutelage of the Ministry for Social Affairs, Work and
Solidarity.
Its mission is to facilitate job- hunting and career re-orientation by organising training courses for
employment seekers and adult education for salaried wo rkers.
ENTERING AND RESIDING IN FRANCE
APPLICABLE LEGAL TEXTS
The texts that establish free movement for workers within the European Community are as follows:
- For salaried workers => Articles 39 et seq. (former Article 48) of the EC Treaty,
- For self-employed persons => Articles 43 et seq. (former Article 52) pertaining to
setting up and managing undertakings.
The text which establishes freedom to provide services within the community is:
- Article 50 et seq. (former Article 59).
These texts are complemented by European directives 93/96 for students, 90/365 for annuitants and
retired people, and 90/364 for other EC nationals.
These texts are transposed to French law by the decree 94-211 dated 11 March 1994.
RESIDING IN FRANCE
Driving license
Driver's license from EU member countries are valid for France and holders of such licenses are not
obliged to get a French license.
The conditions which apply to holding a driver's licens e are as follows:
- the driver's license must be valid,
- the person must be old enough to drive the vehicle listed in the applicable categories of
the driver's license,
- the license must not be suspended, restricted or cancelled in the person’s country of
departure.
If a person driving with a non-French driver's license commits a driving offence on French territory
resulting in
- suspension, restriction, or cancellation of the non-French license, or
- loss of driving points,
then that person must take out a French driver's license.
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Importing your vehicle into France: you must go to the Tax Centre ("Centre des Impôts") of your
place of residence and ask for a tax certificate ("attestation fiscale") which you will take to the car
registration centr (“service des cartes grises”) of your local Préfecture to have your car registered.
You must then get your car checked by the technical car checking centre (“contrôle technique au
service des Mines") following which it may be necessary to make it compliant with Frenc h
standards.
Under the terms of the law No. 2003-1119 of 26 November 2003 (published in the Journal Officiel
No. 274 on 27 November 2003) relating to the control of immigration, residency of foreigners in
France, and nationality, and particularly in virtue of article 14, EC nationals, nationals of countries
who signed the European Economic Area agreement, as well as members of the Confederation of
Switzerland, are no longer obliged to have a residency permit.
Notwithstanding the above, it must be specified that even though the obligation to hold a
residency permit no longer applies for the above cases, the legal framework pertaining to free
movement remains applicable, notably as regards the categories for non-French nationals to
which this framework applies, as well as the conditions that must be satisfied.
Lastly, it may be useful to apply for a residency permit anyway since this will simplify
administrative procedures.
The obligation to take out a French residency pe rmit remains valid for spouses of European
nationals from Third States ("Third State" as defined by the Vienna Convention on the Law of
Treaties).
SALARIED WORKERS
For employees of French companies: residency entitlement depends on the existence of a work
contract governed by French law. The duration of the work contract is a determining element in
the exercise of free movement. For work contracts greater than 3 months but less than 12 months,
the validity of the residency permit will correspond to the duration of the work contract. For work
contracts greater than 12 months, the duration of the residency permit will not be strictly limited to
the duration of the work contract.
For employees seconded to France for professional purposes: This category refe rs to employees of
foreign companies who have been seconded to France for professional purposes. In particular, these
employees remain within the social protection system of the country of departure. In this case, the
duration of the residency permit will depend on the duration of the secondment.
Note: the term "Secondment" will be understood as defined by the social security.
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NON-SALARIED WORKERS
For persons entitled to set up and manage undertakings : this refers to non-salaried workers (traders,
skilled manual labourers, industrialists, farmers, self-employed professionals, etc.) who intend to set
up in France on a permanent basis. This category must comply with French legal requirements
applicable to the applicable category (diploma requirements) and/or to the setting up of companies.
For service providers: the difference between this category and the above category (persons entitled
to set up and manage undertakings) resides in the temporary nature of the service rendered.
If you wish to apply for a residency permit, you must supply the following documents: valid
identification, proof of accommodation and proof of activity by any means you consider
appropriate.
- validity of residency permit (for persons entitled to set up and manage undertakings): the
residency permit will first be issued for the duration of 10 years, renewable for a further 10 years.
- validity of residenc y permit (for service providers): for services whose expected rendering period
is greater than 3 months and less than 12 months, the residency permit will be equal to the expected
service-rendering period. If necessary, it may be extended as required to complete the service.
Retired people if first, they have exercised a professional activity in France during the 12 months
preceding the date on which they are claiming their entitlement to a pension in France or persons
who have reached the age of 65 and second, are able to justify permanent residency in France for
the previous 3 years.
Persons permanently unable to exercise a professional activity if they can prove permanent
residency in France for the previous 2 years. If a permanent incapacity to work, related to a work
accident or occupational disease, entitles the person to an annuity paid by a French institution, then
the residency criterion no longer applies.
Persons living outside of France but who cross the border into France to work if they can prove 3
years’ residency and continuous professional activity in France, and if they keep their French
residency, returning to this residence at least once a week.
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Documents required for people in this category applying for a residency permit:
1. Residency application times: if the EC national holds a valid residency permit, the substantiation
documentation will only be required when renewing this permit.
If the EC national does not hold a valid residency permit, he/she must apply for a permit within 2
years of being entitled to do so.
3. Duration of residency permit: these permits are valid for 10 years, renewable for an identical
period.
1. Students : Residency rights for students are governed by the 93-96 EU directive dated 29
October 1993, transposed into French Law by decree dated 11 March 1994. This directive applies
only to students not entitled to residency on some other basis (e.g., as a salaried person). The
granting of this residency right is subordinated to the following conditions:
Resources and social protection: The student must be able to prove that he/she has health insurance
covering all risks of illness and maternity, as well as sufficient resources (see book VIII of the
Social Security code).
Enrolment: The student must prove that he/she is enrolled in a second- level or third- level
educational institution.
Documents required for people in this category applying for a residency permit:
Valid identification, proof of accommodation, by declaration by pledge proving that he/she has the
necessary health insurance as well as sufficient resources. Proof that he/she is enrolled in a second-
level or third-level educational institution.
Duration of residency permit: residency permits issued under these circumstances are limited to the
duration of the school course, or to 1 year if the course lasts longer than a year. Subsequent
residency permits will be valid for one year.
2. Annuitants and retired people: directive 90/365 dated 28 June 1990; decree dated 11 March
1994. This refers to European Community nationals who have carried out a professional activity in
a member country and want to set up residency on the territory of another member state.
They must possess sufficient resources (see book VIII of the Social Security code) and health
insurance (illness and maternity).
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Documents required for people in this category applying for a residency permit:
Valid identification, proof of accommodation, proof of a health insurance policy and proof of
sufficient resources. You may present any substantiation documentation you consider appropriate.
Duration of residency permit: residency permits issued under these circumstances are valid for a
period of 5 years, renewable under the same conditions. Please note that these residency permits can
be withdrawn at any moment if the allocation conditions are no longer satisfied.
3. Other European Community nationals : directive 90/364 dated 28 June 1990; decree dated 11
March 1994. The purpose of this directive is to grant right of residency to European Community
nationals who are not entitled to this right in virtue of other Community Law provisions. In
particular, this applies to partners who are not considered "family members".
They must possess sufficient resources (see book VIII of the Social Security code) and health
insurance (illness and maternity).
Documents required for people in this category applying for a residency permit:
Valid identification, proof of accommodation, proof of a health insurance policy and proof of
sufficient resources. You may present any substantiation documentation you consider appropriate.
Duration of residency permit: residency permits issued under these circumstances are valid for a
period of 5 years, renewable under the same conditions. Please note that these residency permits can
be withdrawn at any moment if the allocation conditions are no longer satisfied.
FAMILY MEMBERS
A. Definition of family members
Family members are: spouse, children less than 21, dependent children, dependent ascendants. For
students, the definition of "family members" is limited to spouse and dependent children.
1: European Community spouse of a French national: these persons will receive an initial
residency permit valid for 10 years, renewable with all entitlements for the same period.
Such persons are entitled to enter French territory. However, they must have a valid passport with,
if necessary, a visa. A short-stay visa is sufficient. Subsequently, a valid passport suffices to enter
France in the case of nationals of Third Countries who have signed a short-stay visa waiver
agreement. Persons who do require a visa should submit an application to the French Consular
authorities of relevance submitting their passport and proof of their relationship to the person
already entitled to residency. The visa is free.
Residency permits issued to persons under this category will be of the same type and duration as the
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European Community national whom they accompany.
Family members can exercise a professional salaried or non-salaried activity; they do not have to
satisfy the requirements applied to Third Country nationals under French law.
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ACCESSING JOB OFFERS
Unless you speak French relatively well, it will be very difficult to secure employment
in France.
Before leaving for France, we recommend you contact the EURES adviser closest to
your place of residence, who will be able to help you with your planned move to
France.
For a complete list of EURES advisers, please refer to the Internet site:
http://europa.eu.int/eures
I/ EMPLOYMENT SERVICES
Most French towns will have a local ANPE agency, whose function is to register and counsel job seekers,
and organise training courses.
The first thing to do it is to go to your local ASSEDIC office (Association pour l’emploi dans l’Industrie
et le Commerce - French national organisation managing unemployment contributions and payments).
Please refer to the www.assedic.fr Internet site for the nearest address. You will receive an application
form to be filled in before showing up. The ASSEDIC will be your first point of contact to register as a job
seeker and/or apply for unemployment benefits. The ASSEDIC will handle all the administration aspects
during your unemployment period, including the actual payment of any unemployment benefits to which you
may be entitled. Make sure you have the following elements before going to your local ASSEDIC:
your national identity card or passport and, for non-EU nationals, a residency permit or a work permit, as
well as the E301 form or E303 form as applicable (see "E Forms" for more information).
Once you have registered with the ASSEDIC you must, within 4 weeks, go to your local ANPE agency
bringing along any documents of relevance to your job-seeking interview ("entretien professionnel”):
registration card issued by the ASSEDIC, CV, preparation document).
The services proposed by the OMI do not concern job search in France, since OMI is responsible for
receiving, circulating and managing job offers for positions outside of France.
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OMI informs companies and potential candidates on work, social and residency conditions outside of
France, and has documentation on working abroad which may be consulted on the premises.
Internet site: www.omi.social.fr
NB: OMI and the ANPE merged their expatriation services in 1999 to create an international job
placement umbrella structure called the “Espaces emploi international” whose mission is to
encourage international mobility.
For more information, please refer to www.emploi-international.org
APEC is intended for companies and employees who have contributed to the special retirement scheme for
this professional category (known as “cadres”), as well as college graduates with at least 4 years of third-
level training and who have received their diploma within less than 1 year. Most large French cities have an
APEC agency. APEC issues information sheets on employment possibilities for persons in this category, as
well as other professional sectors.
Internet site: www.apec.fr
APECITA may be compared to APEC, with the difference that it deals only with the agriculture and food-
processing sectors.
APECITA publishes “Tribune Verte” a bi-monthly magazine with job vacancies in these sectors, available
on subscription.
Internet site: www.apecita.com
Job recruitment agencies publish job offers intended for cadres (professional/managerial employees) with
initial or extensive experience. This may be contrasted with headhunters who recruit directly and
confidentially contacting the top-level managers or other high-profile employees.
Most job recruitment agencies are specialised in certain sectors and positions. Their contact details are
listed in the France Telecom Yellow Pages (www.pagesjaunes.fr) or in specialised guidebooks.
Temporary work agencies contract out their staff to companies on a temporary basis.
Their contact details are listed in the France Telecom Yellow Pages (www.pagesjaunes.fr).
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III/ MEDIA
2/ Weekly magazines
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3/ Regional newspapers
Generally speaking, the job section in regional newspapers appears Saturdays and Sundays.
C) RADIO, TELEVISION
A number of television stations broadcast programs for job seekers (France 2, France 3, France 5, Canal
+, TV5). Some of these channels are broadcast by cable or by satellite to European Economic Area
countries.
Likewise, a number of radio stations have job-seeking slots (Radio France International for example).
For more information on the radio/television job seeker slots, please refer to trade newspapers and
magazines.
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IV/ YOUNG EMPLOYMENT SEEKERS
A) INFORMATION NETWORKS
The Youth Documentation and Information Centre updates its microfiches once a year. They may be
consulted in the various CRIJ and BIJ centres.
ð “Espaces Jeunes Diplômés” (Centres for young graduates with at least 4 years’ higher
education)
Located in several of the most important French university cities, these information and counselling centres
help young graduates get started on the career ladder. This involves setting up meetings with companies
and consultancies, as well as proposing targeted documentation.
Useful links
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B) SUMMER JOBS AND SEASONAL JOBS
The search for a summer job or a seasonal job (agriculture, hotel industry, food industry, tourism) is
considered equivalent to a classic job-hunt. Therefore, the usual information sources and networks can and
should be used (newspapers/magazines, public employment services, Internet sites, specialised servers,
directories, etc.).
The CIDJ and the ANPE have been working together for a number of years now to propose summer jobs:
see www.cidj.com/jobs-ete/index.htm
Other Internet sites: www.eurosummerjobs.com
www.jobs-ete-europe.com
C) AU PAIR WORK
A European agreement for Au Pair work (applicable age bracket: 18 to 30). For further information,
please refer to the Youth Information Network (see “Les réseaux d’information”)
Or Internet site: www.cidj.com => “Venir en France” => “Travailler”
RECOMMENDATIONS
In France, job vacancies may be accessed at no cost. Any request for fees of any
nature is illegal.
Do not spend any personal funds (travel, hotel, etc.) without first receiving a written
notice of some nature from the potential employer.
If you have any questions, we recommend contacting the public employment services.
We also recommend contacting your local ANPE before undertaking the journey to
the potential employer to see if you can recover your expenses.
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APPLYING FOR A JOB
Job searching means developing a strategy and possessing the required tools.
STRATEGY
Your job- hunting strategy will be based on your personal and professional profile. In France, it is
common practice to prepare a professional career project and to expand on this during the
recruitment interview. Preparing such a project means asking oneself questions on one's skills
and know- how, and their suitability to the requirements of a given job position. Your strategy
must also take into account your target market (SME or large enterprise, sector of activity,
geographical location, permanent contract/short-term contract). In France, most employment
opportunities are created by small to mid-sized enterprises (SMEs). As regards the employment
market for executive/professional level employees (known as "cadres"), bear in mind that one
such job position out of two is based in Paris or the surrounding region.
One interesting statistic: of all employment positions to be filled over a year, only 40% are
actually advertised (employment services media or printed media; see “Accessing job offers”).
Therefore, looking for a job entails both going through published job announcements as well as
making unsolicited applications. As always, a network of friends and/or colleagues can also
stand you in good stead.
Furthermore, you should take into account the prevailing economic climate (new company
creation, new planned setups, advantageous (or disadvantageous) position of a given company in
a given sector, etc.) all of which will enable you to identify enterprises currently under
development (we strongly recommend you keep in touch with current economic life and
developments).
JOB-HUNTING TOOLS
The most frequently used methods are the application letter and the curriculum vitae. However,
there is nothing to stop you from contacting a potential employer in an alternative manner
(telephone, fax or e- mail).
CURRICULUM VITAE
A curriculum vitae must be typed, written in French, in standard A4 format (21 x 29.7), and on
standard white paper. In theory, your curriculum vitae can be as long as you wish; however, we
recommend a maximum length of 2 pages. Bear in mind that the object of the CV is to give an
initial presentation of who you are, what training you have, and the skills you acquired during
previous professional experience or, failing this, during previous work-study company
internships.
There is no point in including work certificates with a curriculum vitae. Likewise, it should
neither be dated nor signed. You can include references if you wish, but this is not mandatory.
Only include a photograph (passport format) if specifically requested or if it is a personal
decision. Avoid using abbreviations and if necessary, explain what they mean between brackets.
3 / Professional experience
This is the most important section. Experienced persons should list every professional experience
in the form of a short paragraph (young graduates will give a paragraph for each internship).
For each professional experience/internship, give the following information: start date, end date,
name of company, sector of activity of company, position title, and then describe the work you
carried out.
Generally speaking, you are not be expected to explain why you left a particular company nor
generally speaking, why your professional situation changed.
A work contract must be a written document. In France, a work contract can be one of the following:
• CDI (open-ended contract),
• CDD (fixed-term contract),
• temporary contract
• part-time contract,
• freelance contract.
The maximum duration of a fixed-term contract (including renewal) is 18 months. However, this can be
extended to 24 months if the contract is performed abroad. This contract can only be extended for the
same duration as the initial contract.
A fixed-term contract must be written and must include a precise justification for the position (for example:
maternity leave), otherwise the contract is considered an open-ended contract.
A fixed-term contract cannot be terminated before expiry except for the following reasons:
• force majeure,
• joint agreement
• serious professional error.
Under French work legislation, the beneficiary of a fixed-term contract is entitled to an employment-
insecurity bonus (“prime de précarité”) or equivalent lump-sum payment on expiry of the contract. As
stipulated by the law dated 3 January 2003, this is equal to 10% of the total gross salary, except for certain
sectors (collective agreements facilitating access to vocational training) where it can be limited to 6%.
In addition to this bonus, the contract beneficiary is entitled to holiday pay. This is equal to 10% of the
“total gross salary” + “employment-insecurity bonus”.
An employer can only call on the services of temporary work agencies in the case of assignments; i.e., a
specific non-permanent task.
There is no law to prevent a temporary worker leaving his/her temporary work agency to take up a full-
time employment in the company where she/he carried out the assignment in question.
PART-TIME CONTRACT
Part-time contracts are used to give part-time workers the same contractual protection as full-time
workers.
In the private sector, "part-time work" refers to any work whose duration is less than 80% of the
legal/conventional work duration. There is no minimum limit to a given part-time position. However, in
practice, the employee must work a certain minimum number of hours (60 hours per month) to be entitled
to Social Security benefits.
In the public sector, "part-time work" refers to any work between 50% (half time) and 80% of the full-
time work.
A part-time work contract must be written.
FREELANCE CONTRACT
Freelance contracts are especially used in the case of seasonal employments. Such contracts can be
ongoing in the case of permanent employment which, given the seasonal nature of the activity, means that
the employees are not working all year round.
As with the other work contracts, Freelance contracts must also be written.
It should be borne in mind that the official work week is a reference only; a benchmark used to calculate
overtime. In other words, it is not a legal obligation and a given company can have different general work
hours, or use part-time work hours.
In principle, the legal official work week applies to all employees. However, some categories are excluded
given the particular nature of their work. Examples include: travelling sales representatives, management
executives, company managers, residential building superintendents, home employees.
Any overtime in excess of 39 hours per week must be compensated as follows:
• + 25%, counting from the 40th to the 43rd hour,
• + 50%, counting from the 44th hour.
Furthermore, any work carried out in excess of the official 35 hours per week is considered overtime and
must be compensated accordingly.
For any further information, contact the Work Inspection services or trade union representatives.
PAID HOLIDAYS
Counting from the first month of work, each work period of 4 weeks entitles the employee to 2 and a half
days of paid holidays. These days can be taken either during a given reference period, or by arrangement
with the employer (sometimes only after working 1 year in the company).
MINIMUM WAGE
Referred to as the "SMIC", this is the minimum guaranteed wage that must be paid to an employee in
exchange for 1 hour of work. Under current legislation, the SMIC must be reviewed once a year. Any
changes will take effect as of 1 July of that year, with the exact adjustment determined by current and future
economic conditions.
Social Security charges (before tax): in France, the social security charges paid by the employee are about
23%.
Minimum wage as of 1 July 2003: 7.19 euros per hour.
WORK LEGISLATION
The various rules and regulations applicable to the professional working environment are prioritised:
• officially ratified international treaties,
• French Constitution,
• laws and decrees,
• jurisprudence guaranteeing the respect and interpretation of the above-mentioned texts,
• extended collective agreements,
• ordinary agreements (sectorial, geographic or professional),
• the work contract itself,
• internal house regulations,
• general industry practices.
F France has a special labour dispute court (the “Conseil de Prud’hommes”) whose function is to
resolve disputes between employees and employers either through conciliation or judgement.
The general French Social welfare scheme (mainland France and overseas départements) covers the
risks encountered by beneficiaries: illness, maternity, disability, pension, loss of spouse, decease, work
accidents.
This system applies to all workers who are salaried employees or considered in this category, and who
are not covered by a special scheme. All beneficiaries are covered irrespective of age (even pensioners,
except for disability, decease and loss of spouse), nationality and sex.
Since 1 January 1996, the “All-in-one Hiring Certificate" (“déclaration unique d’embauche”) has
replaced the former employer registration application, which the employer and the employee used to
send to social welfare.
Employees seconded for a temporary period to work in France for an employer whose headquarters is
located outside of France are not covered by the general French régime; rather, they remain with the
régime of their country of departure (unless the country has no Social welfare mutual agreement with
France).
Contributions for work accidents and family allowances are paid exclusively by the employer.
ENTITLEMENTS
Medical expenses are reimbursed by the social welfare. However, they are not totally reimbursed;
rather, the social welfare authorities reimburse a percentage of the agreed medical tariffs. The remainder
(referred to as "ticket modérateur") and any medical fees in excess of the agreed tariffs must be paid
either by the employee or else by an additional insurance (or comparable instrument). Depending on the
job, this optional additional insurance may be covered by the employer, or the employee, or both.
The conditions to receive benefits in kind are as follows: you must have worked at least 60 hours as a
salaried employee during the calendar month preceding the date on which the medical services were
rendered, or alternatively, you must have worked at least 120 hours as a salaried employee during the
previous three calendar months preceding the date on which the medical services were rendered.
The conditions to receive financial reimbursement from the social security are as follows: either the
salary on which you made your social insurance contributions was equal to at least 1.015 times the
minimum wage (SMIC) during the previous six calendar months, or alternatively, you must have worked
at least 200 hours as an employee (or equivalent category) during the previous three calendar months
(or 90 previous days).
Benefits in kind:
Both the employee and the employee’s family members are covered. However, in the case of certain
health services (dentures, orthopedic devices for example), the health insurance office (CPAM)
responsible for the employee must give its prior agreement (each French département has its own
CPAM).
To have medical expenses reimbursed by the CPAM, you must produce the medical prescription and
the Social Security medical form (“feuille de soins”) both of which will be given to you by the medical
practitioner.
Another very useful feature of the French social welfare system is the “Carte Vitale". You will
automatically receive this green-color smart card as soon as you are entitled to health coverage. It
remains valid for a period of 4 years. The “Carte Vitale” greatly facilitates reimbursement by the social
welfare system and is gradually replacing the medical form referred to above.
If you are hospitalised, you will have to pay a certain fixed amount for each day spent there. This is not
covered by the social welfare but you can have it covered by means of an additional insurance policy.
Employees living in one country but crossing the border each day to work in another country are entitled
to medical care either in their country of residence or in their country of employment. However,
employee family members must, except in case of emergency, apply for the authorisation of the
appropriate institution (that of the country of employment) to receive medical treatment in the
employee’s country of employment (article 20 of EEC regulations 1408/71).
To make sure that a sick leave is not considered contract termination, the employee must do the
following:
- inform his/her employer by sending the sick notice or sick notice extension issued by the medical
practitioner as soon as possible (48 hours maximum),
- justify his/her absence by sending the sick notice or the sick notice extension to his/her health
insurance office (CPAM) or to the medical service (when the medical reason for the sick leave
is given).
- refrain from working during the sick leave period,
- if the employer so wishes, the employee on sick leave must agree to undergo a medical
examination by a medical practitioner chosen by the employer,
- return to work on the expiry of the sick leave,
- agree to a medical inspection imposed by the French Work Code in the case of sick leave
extending a certain period. This inspection is carried out by the occupational health doctor.
Temporary stay in a member state of the European Economic Area (except for business trips):
if you reside in an EEA member state and you intend to temporarily move to another member
state, make sure you take the E111 or E119 form with you (depending on your specific case).
These forms may be obtained from your local health authority.
All payments to the insurance scheme protecting workers against work accidents and occupational
diseases must be covered entirely by the employer. The employee is entitled to benefits in kind (health
expenses, prosthetic devices and equivalent, functional rehabilitation, re-education, professional
reclassification) as well as sick benefits paid in cash.
In the case of a work accident and/or occupational disease, you must inform the employer within 24
hours (by means of registered letter if the declaration cannot be made on the place of the accident) and
you must inform the health insurance body within 48 hours (send in the sick leave notice and the medical
certificate).
Border-crossing employees are entitled to benefits in kind associated with work risks either in their
country of residence or in their country of employment.
The French retirement scheme consists of a mandatory part, called the basic social welfare retirement
(“retraite de base"), handled by the C.N.A.V.T.S* (national general retirement body) as well as an
optional additional retirement part ("retraite complémentaire"), known as the A.R.R.C.O.*, handled
by the complementary retirement body. Executive/managerial level employees (“cadres”) have their own
retirement fund, known as the A.G.I.R.C.*, which can be considered a complementary scheme to the
two previous schemes.
Please note that you will not receive your pension automatically. Regardless of your professional
career, you must apply for your pension to the appropriate authorities in your place of
residence 6 months before retirement. For Paris, you should apply to the national body (“Caisse
nationale”); apply to the regional body concerned (“Caisses régionales”) if you reside outside of
Paris.
In all cases, your working periods as an employee in the European Economic Area member states will
be added. The pension itself will depend on the duration of your professional career as well as the salary
you received.
In France, employees can retire at the age of 60. The social welfare pension depends on the base
salary, as well as the rate and duration of social insurance payments.
The "base salary" is the average yearly salary for the best 25 years of social insurance payments.
Under current legislation, the maximum pension rate (50%) is paid to insured persons who are at least
60 years old and can justify 160 quarters of social insurance payments, i.e., a total of a 40 annuities.
However, this will be extended by one quarter per year to reach 41 annuities in 2012 and 41.75
annuities in 2020.
If you decide to pay into a complementary retirement scheme, or if you work in a managerial/executive
capacity (“cadres” retirement scheme), then you are entitled to retirement points ("points de retraite”).
The amount of your additional pension generated by these retirement points will depend on your social
insurance contributions, since the pension is determined using the number of working years, your salary
and your social insurance payments (employee part and employer part), i.e., the number of points
acquired and their value.
The pension can be further increased if the employee has an additional insurance contract (mutual or
private insurance company).
* * *
C.N.A.V.T.S. A.R.R.C.O. A.G.I.R.C.
110/112, rue de Flandre 44, boulevard de la Bastille 4, rue Leroux
75191 PARIS Cedex 19 75992 PARIS Cedex 12 75116 PARIS
Tél. : 01 40 37 37 37 Tél.: 01 44 67 12 00 Tél.: 01 44 17 51 00
4/ FAMILY ALLOWANCE
The purpose of family allowance to alleviate the family expenses of European Economic Area nationals
residing in France with one or more dependent children. These allowances are granted subject to certain
conditions.
There are a total of 22 family allowance benefits, which may be separated into 4 major categories.
Some family allowance benefits cannot be exported:
1 - Benefits associated with the birth of a child,
2 - Benefits associated with education,
3 - Specialised benefits,
4 - Accommodation allowances.
In most cases, these benefits are granted/withheld depending on the financial situation of the family (or
tax household).
For more information, please refer to the CAF (Social Security office) web site: www.caf.fr. This site
was designed to give accurate information on all aspects of assistance available from this office.
5/ DISABILITY BENEFITS
The purpose of disability benefits is to compensate the disabled person for his/her reduced work
capacity and potential loss of earnings (the person must be at least 66% disabled).
The insured person must be less than 60 years old to be entitled to disability benefits. Beyond this age,
the person will depend on the pension insurance scheme (incapacity to work).
For more information, we recommend contacting your local health insurance office (CPAM) or
consulting their web site for the most up-to-date information.
In this case, you should ask for the E301 form from the organisation concerned in that country
before coming to France. This form lists the periods that will be used to calculate your
unemployment benefits should you become unemployed in France. If you do not have the
E301 form when arriving in France, the ASSEDIC can make the request for you; however,
this is a time-consuming procedure.
According to the rules of the European Economic Area, the last country in which you worked
is responsible for paying your unemployment benefits. Therefore, you must work at least 1
day in France to ensure that the time you worked in another EEA country be taken into
account in France to determine your unemployment benefits.
If you are entitled to unemployment benefits, the amount will be determined on the basis of
your French salary if you have worked at least 4 weeks in France, or if this is not the case, it
will be determined on the basis of a reference salary.
After 4 weeks registered as a job seeker in your country, you should ask the organisation
paying your unemployment benefits for an E303 form. You must then sign up in France as a
job seeker within 7 days following the removal of your name from the unemployment list in
your country of departure.
You will receive your unemployment benefits in France for a maximum duration of 3 months,
with the amount being determined by your remaining unemployment rights (under
exceptional circumstances, the organisations concerned can authorise your departure before
the end of the 4 weeks).
You should submit the E303 form to the ASSEDIC of your new place of residence, who will
then pay your unemployment benefits (for the maximum 3- month duration) on behalf of the
unemployment agency in your country of departure.
NB: the waiting time before receiving unemployment benefits can be quite long (especially if
you do not have the E303 form). Therefore, we recommend having enough money to cover
your living expenses in France while your application is being assessed.
On expiry of the 3 months (or even before), if you return to your country of departure (i.e.,
where you initially signed up for unemployment benefits), you can once again register to have
In this case, you must register in France as a job seeker and your personal situation will be
examined by the relevant French services. The ASSEDIC will pay unemployment benefits if
you satisfy the necessary conditions. Please note that, as from 1 January 2003, you must have
worked full- time (i.e., paid into the social welfare system) for at least 6 months during the 18
months preceding the loss of employment.
As explained in section A, the form E301 will be used by the ASSEDIC, when calculating
your unemployment entitlement, to take into account periods worked in another EEA country.
If, while receiving unemployment benefits in France, you decide to look for work in another
EEA country, you should ask your ASSEDIC for the E303 form which will entitle you to 3
months of unemployment benefits in the other EEA country (procedure same as case B
presented above).
If you decide to leave France immediately after losing your job (without first signing up as a
job seeker) in order to look for work in another EEA country, you will not be entitled to
receive any unemployment benefits unless you work for the minimum contribution period of
this country.
Before leaving France, we recommend getting the Work and Employment Service (Direction
Départementale du Travail et de l’Emploi) on which you depend to fill out the E301 form.
This form will be used by the unemployment agency in the EEA country where you want to
work to take into account the time you worked in France when calculating your
unemployment benefits.
For more information on the amount and duration of unemployment benefits, please refer to
the Internet site www.assedic.fr
D) You leave a job in an EEA country to go with your spouse (or partner)
who has found a job in France:
In this case, your resignation will be considered acceptable by French authorities. You may be
entitled to receive unemployment benefits in France if you have re-worked for at least 1 day
and have enough previous contributions in your country of departure.
Once again, you should have the E301 form filled out by the relevant organisation in your
EEA country of departure, and bring the form with you (see A).
REFERENCES:
EEC 1408/71 regulations.
CDE Ministerial Circular no 96.02 dated 22 January 1996
UNEDIC circular 96/10 dated 26 April 1996
ASSEDIC notice no 164
N.B.: the information given above is likely to change over time. Therefore,
we highly recommend consulting the www.assedic.fr Internet site before
your departure.
PRINCIPLES
Unlike some other countries, salaried employees in France are not taxed at source; each
salaried person (tax household) must calculate and pay their income on their own, and pay their
tax directly to the tax authorities.
In other words, in France the employer plays no role in determining, handling or paying
the personal income tax of its employees.
HOW IT WORKS
Each year, in February, the tax authorities send each tax household (married couple, declared
partners, single persons) a tax declaration form (“Déclaration des revenus”). The income to be
declared on this form is that of the previous year (year N). This declaration must be filled out and
returned within the allocated time to the tax authority, failing which penalties may be levied.
During year N+1 (year of declaration), the tax household will then pay its tax either by monthly
direct debit (10 monthly debits plus remainder in December) or by "provisional thirds"
payment in February, May and the outstanding balance in September (the thirds are
calculated on the basis of the previous year's tax). You may choose whichever of the two systems
suits you best in accordance with the tax authority.
The tax due for the first tax year will be paid in one operation around September of the following
year.
⇒ Property tax: this tax is calculated on the basis of the surface area and location of the
residence; it must be paid by the owner of the property.
⇒ Council tax: this tax is calculated on the basis of the location of the residence; it must be paid
by the person in the residence on 1 January of that year regardless of whether she/he is owner
or tenant.
⇒ Television licence: this is a yearly tax and must be paid if you have one or more television
sets
⇒ VAT (Value Added Tax): there are 3 VAT brackets depending on the type of product.
France has signed tax agreements with most European Economic Area countries. The
purpose of these agreements is to avoid double taxation.
A wide variety of forms exist, one or more of which you may need to live and work in France.
These forms will be issued by the appropriate social insurance and employment authorities in your
country of departure. A list of the most commonly required forms is given below. For more information,
we recommend referring to the EURES Internet site:
http://europa.eu.int/eures - Chapter Living and working conditions
E 101:
This form is issued to your employer if you are seconded to France on a temporary basis (one year
maximum) but you continue to receive your salary from your normal country of residence. It may be
renewed once.
This form certifies that you are still protected by the social insurance of your country of departure.
It is only issued under certain conditions:
- the employer will continue to exercise its professional activity in your country of departure and
employs personnel in this country,
- there must be a direct link between your employer and yourself.
This form also covers the situation of a self-employed person intending to work in France for a
maximum period of 1 year. To be eligible, you must already be a self-employed person in your country
of departure and be able to prove that you pay your contributions to the appropriate social insurance
system.
E 102:
Similar to E 101, but applies to an extension.
E 104:
This is a straightforward record of periods of social insurance, employment and residence in a particular
Member State.
E 106:
Certifies entitlement to health benefits in a country other than that in which the person concerned is
normally or was previously insured. Family members are also included.
E 109:
Although similar to E111, this form is issued to a person going to study or to work as an au pair in
France.
E 111:
Issued by the social security system of your country if you are coming to France for a short period, e.g.
on holiday or for a business trip. It must be presented when medical benefits in kind are required.
Family members accompanying the insured person are also covered if they are listed on the person’s
social insurance card.
E 119:
Certifies the entitlement of unemployed persons and members of their family to health care and benefits
in France, normally while the unemployed person is looking for work. Used in conjunction with
form E 303, which deals with entitlement to unemployment benefits (see below).
E 301:
Details the periods to be taken into account in calculating unemployment benefits.
You must obtain this form before leaving your country of departure.
E 302:
Details the members of the family of the unemployed person to be taken into account in calculating
benefits (NB: not required in France).
E 303:
A series of E303 forms exist; they certify your entitlements if you are receiving unemployment benefits in
your country and want to look for employment in France taking your entitlements with you (three
months maximum).
Before leaving your country of departure to look for work in France, you must submit the appropriate
E303 form to your local health authorities in order to obtain the E119 form (see above). Keep this form
and submit it to French health institutions if you need medical treatment.
When you arrive in France, hand in the E303 forms to the unemployment authorities (ASSEDIC) within
at most 7 clear days as from the issue date on the form issued by the unemployment authority in your
country of departure. This will entitle you to receive the same unemployment benefits to which you were
entitled in your country of departure. If you return to your country of departure before the E 303 expiry
date (3 months), you resume receiving benefits as if you had not left. If you return however after this
date, you lose all your rights, unless measures to the contrary exist.
E 401:
Details the composition of your family in order to allow the calculation of family benefits.
UNIVERSITY
SCHOOLS")
degree
years
COURT")
("CYCLE
COURSE
SHORT
working life
BACCALAUREA
V
Vocational
General and/or Technological
O
CAP (vocational
T
BEP (certificate
C
qualification)
L BACCALAUREAT L
of technical
education)
A
training
Y 16 to 18 years old
Y
T
C C
I
E E
SECONDARY SCHOOL - Final Career Orientation O
E E
("Cycle Secondaire de DETERMINATION") N
14 to 15 years old A
L
PROFESSIONAL RECOGNITION
This is the procedure used within the European Economic Area to assess the possibility to exercise a
profession in a country other than the country in which the diploma was issued.
Once again, it is important to distinguish between regulated professions and non-regulated
professions.
Regulated professions :
1/ Specific directives have been issued for a number of professions providing for the automatic recognition
of diplomas or other qualifications. The holder of such diplomas or qualifications is free to exercise his/her
profession in another member state (directive 2001/19 EEC). These professions are: doctor, dentist, nurse,
veterinarian, pharmacist, mid-wife and architect.
2/ Regulated professions: the general system (no specific directive issued)
Professions in this category are regulated, i.e., they can only be accessed or exercised in a country if the
person in question has followed specific training courses and has achieved a specific diploma in that same
country.
This is very often the case as regards the following professions: health, law, architecture, transport, etc.
In this case, a diploma achieved in another member states must first be recognised by an official competent
authority.
Working in France/ Recognition of Diplomas/ 1
To obtain this recognition, you should contact the competent Ministerial service or alternatively, the contact
point representing that profession (for example www.architectes.org; www.paris.barreau.fr).
Professions regulated in France are: lawyer, solicitor, consulting barristers, bailiff, Commercial court
clerk, notary, legal administrator, official receiver, auditor, accountant, auctioneer, speech therapist,
orthopedist, physiotherapist, psychomotion teacher, occupational therapist, psychologist, dietician, nurse's aide,
childcare aide, hearing aid specialist, optician, chiropodist, medical biology laboratory technician, patent rights
consultant, quantity surveyor, property agent, taxi driver, ambulance driver, ship’s captain, real estate agent,
driving instructor, teacher, secondary school teacher, third-level teacher, dancing teacher, regional tour
guide/interpreter, travel agent, welfare assistant, hairdresser.
Please note that this list is not exhaustive. For more information, please contact your local Professions
Association (“Chambre des Métiers”) or Chamber of Commerce (“Chambre de Commerce”).
ACADEMIC RECOGNITION
This refers to the process by which the education institution (University, school) in the host country where
you wish to pursue all or part of your studies, evaluates your diploma.
Please note that recognition is never granted automatically. The final decision belongs to the
education institution, and is made on a case-by-case basis.
A written request should be sent to the addresses given below, accompanied by certified true photocopies
of the original diploma and its translation (translated by a sworn translator1).
A description of the training course content should also be enclosed.
1
The list of sworn translators is available in the foreign embassies in Paris, prefectures and town halls.
Working in France/ Recognition of Diplomas/ 2
Bureau DESCO A 6
110 rue de Grenelle
75007 PARIS
( 01.55.55.10.72 or 01.55.55.14.72 or 01.55.55.11.06
www.eduscol.education.fr
In this case, you should contact the third-level school in which you wish to pursue your studies. You can
also find general information from the French Ministry for Education:
Ministère de l'Education Nationale
Délégation aux relations internationales – NARIC France
4, rue Danton - 75006 Paris - Tél.: 01.55.55.04.12
www.education.gouv.fr/int/euro6.htm
Students who wish to enrol in third-level education in France can be broken into 2 groups:
• Students who have already commenced their studies outside France, and wish to pursue their studies in
France.
Œ • To pursue in France third-level studies you have already commenced in your country, you
can submit your current diploma(s) to request exemptions in the host third-level institution, so as not to
have to start again from the beginning. Your diploma must be translated by a sworn translator and a
description of your studies must be enclosed.
The local education authority (“rectorat”) can also provide information on the corresponding level of your
studies based on the translation and your description of the course content.
Lastly, if you wish to pursue studies in regulated professions, you should contact the Ministries directly
concerned by the profession (medical, veterinary, odontology, pharmacy, paramedical, ambulance driver,
accounting, agronomy, agri-food industry, etc.).
However, for the tax authorities, the notion of cross-border worker varies depending on the
presence/absence and content of the appropriate bilateral tax agreeme nts.
The EURES network created 2 types of EURES cross-border advisers (EURES-T) to facilitate
cross-border mobility:
- EURES-T advisers specialised in information and job offers, working with European employment
public services;
- EURES-T social advisers working with trade union and employer organisations for European
Economic Area countries, specialised in social legislation issues.
1 -FREE MOVEMENT
Cross-border workers are entitled to the complete benefits of free movement to the exclusion of all
types of discrimination. The member states acknowledge the rights of such people to reside on their
territory without requiring a residency permit.
2 -UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS
Cross-border workers are entitled to unemployment benefits in their country of residency in
accordance with the legislation of this country. The exact amount of such benefits is calculated on
the basis of their most recent salary.
Required form: E 301 of the country of employment.
4 – FAMILY ALLOWANCE
- Cross-border workers are entitled to family allowance granted by the legislation of the country of
employment, unless the worker’s spouse or a member of his/her family works or receives
indemnities for lost earnings in the country of residency.
- Since 10 October 1990, cross-border workers (salaried or non-salaried) are entitled to recoup any
differences which may exist in family allowance benefits between the country of residency and the
country of employment.
In practice, the greater amount is paid.
6 -TAXATION
Cross-border workers must pay their taxes in the country of employment. If a tax agreement exists
between France and a border country, the terms and conditions of this agreement must be followed.
N. B.:
The criteria used to determine "border zones" and "border status" conditions are determined
exclusively by the applicable tax agreement. These criteria vary between countries.
In order to avoid double taxation, specific forms are available from the appropriate tax authorities:
Please note that, as a general rule, cross-border workers residing in France and paying taxes in
another country should declare this revenue to the French tax authorities.
As regards job-offer sites (not including those of official organisations), a general charter of good practices was
developed by 4 recruiters (see www.appei.org).
http://fr.yahoo.com www.adminet.com/comp
www.google.fr www.bottin.fr
www.nomade.tiscali.fr www.pagesjaunes.fr
www.voila.fr www.europages.com
www.lycos.com www.societe.com
www.webcrawler.com www.cofacerating.fr
www.excite.com www.indexa.fr
www.altavista.com www.business-in-europe.com
www.euroseek.com www.kompass.fr (fees charged)
www.telexport.tm.fr (fees charged)
TRAINING
www.afpa.fr Lists of intensive and standard training courses
www.ccip.fr Go the training section
www.centre-inffo.fr Lists of ongoing adult training courses
www.cidj.com Youth information and information centre
www.edufrance.fr General information on training courses in France
www.generation-formation.fr Information on ongoing adult education
www.onisep.fr Career guidance, studies, courses and professions
INFORMATION FRANCE AND EMPLOYMENT
www.anvar.fr France Innovation Agency
www.cadresonline.com/lisfonc.html Online salary simulation for professional/managerial employees
www.cfce.fr International commerce
www.cyber-emploi-centre.com Employment portal of the City Hall of Paris
www.drire.gouv.fr Regional industry and research departments
www.galileo-france.com Entrepreneurs community (lists of companies and ads)
www.ifri.org French institute for international relations
www.inpi.fr Industrial property institute of France
www.insee.fr French institute of statistics & economic studies.
www.service-public.fr French public administration portal
JOB OFFERS
www.afij.org Job offers for young graduates
www.annonces-carrieres.com Job offers (subscription required to access all sections)
www.anpe.fr National Employment Agency
www.apec.asso.fr National Employment Agency for Professional/Managerial
employees
www.cadremploi.fr Recruiting agency job offers
www.caesium.fr/@lphajobs/ Job offers in IT sector
www.competences-emploi.com Online magazine of companies who recruit
www.contact-emploi.com Job offers and CV posting
www.cortex-culturemploi.com Job offers in the cultural sector
www.crefac.com List of Internet site with job offers (under “ABC emploi”)
www.demain.fr Employment and training television
www.dynarel.fr Job offers for technicians and IT professions
www.emploi.com Job offers (all professions)
www.emploi.org Companies which recruit on the Internet
www.e-go.fr Job offers for young graduates
http://europa.eu.int/eures Database of European job offers - EURES portal (EC)
www.jobpilot.fr Job offers (all professions)
www.jobuniverse.fr Job offers in the IT sector
www.lerucher.com Job offers (all professions)
www.les-pages-emploi.com Links to employment sites
www.monster.fr Database of job offers
www.planet-emploi.com Job offers, intensive and standard training courses
www.pleinemploi.com List of job offers taken from the press of the “Nord” region
www.recrut.com Job offers
www.stepstone.fr Job offers
www.webcible.com Job offers in the IT sector
www.lhotellerie.com Job offers in the hotel/catering sectors