Please note all non-European students who wish to work, do an internship or find an apprenticeship must be in possession of a valid residence permit, and renew it if necessary.
EMPLOYMENT LAW FOR FOREIGN STUDENTS
We know that a student’s budget can be quite tight, and that some of you are planning to find a job while you study. Not only is it a great way to support yourself, it’s also the perfect opportunity to practice your French and gain new experience and skills.
If you’re from a European Union country, you can work the legal working hours applied by labor laws (full-time, part-time, temporary, etc.).
If you are not a citizen of a European Union country and you hold a VLS-TS visa, you can work in France, but only under certain conditions:
– Your working time must not exceed 60% of the annual working time, i.e. 964 hours per year (20 hours per week on average).
– These working hours can be distributed unevenly over the year, as long as the 964-hour threshold is not exceeded.
– Working hours not used up in one year cannot be carried over to a subsequent year.
– Only salaried activity is authorized: entrepreneurship requires a change of status. Failing this, the residence permit may be withdrawn.
Attention, Algerian students!
For Algerian nationals, working hours are limited to 50% of normal working hours , and they must apply for a temporary work permit in addition to their residence permit. Work permits can be requested fromANEF.
INTERNSHIPS
Internships carried out as part of training do not count towards the 964 hours of authorized work. As an internship is a period of discovery and exposure, it is not considered a professional activity.
It must be governed by an agreement (signed between the establishment and the structure hosting the student, and the student himself).
So there’s no need to :
– Change status
– Work permit
If it lasts longer than two months, the student must receive a minimum gratuity of €4.05 per hour, i.e. around €614.25/month.
Useful info: https://www.service-public.fr/particuliers/vosdroits/F32131#:~:text=Amount%20minimum,%E2%82%AC%20x%200%2C15
APPRENTICESHIP
There are two types of apprenticeship contrats (for a detailed description, see “Employment vocabulary”) :
– The apprenticeship contract
– The professionalization contract.
If you’re from a European Union country, thanks to the free movement of workers within the European Union, you can carry out an apprenticeship in France without needing a work permit. However, you will need to provide valid identification when you sign the contract.
If you are not a citizen of a European Union country, you can carry out an apprenticeship, after your first year living in France, and you need to hold a valid “student” residence permit for the length of your contract.
EMPLOYMENT IN FRANCE
Before you start looking for a job, there are a few things you should know:
- Salary is negotiated in gross terms
- The legal minimum wage (Smic) is €11.52/hour (gross), or €1,747.20 gross per month (€1,383.09 net).
- In France, candidates usually apply for a job with a Résume (CV) and a covering letter.
Resume (CV)
If you want to get a first work experience or an internship during your studies in France, you must indicate your assets/skills and your main language(s) on your CV. International candidates are always welcome when the position requires level language skills. Of course, you must choose the field according to your studies. However, speaking French would be an advantage in building trust with your recruiters (or showing that you are learning French).
Your resume should be one page in length, as well as your cover letter. Do not explain or paraphrase your CV, highlight your qualities and your motivation to work. You can apply for an internship during your studies or a job at your university in France. OMNES Education schools are in contact with prestigious companies. You can also search for jobs on the following websites: Pôle Emploi, Indeed France, Neuvoo France, jobteaser, and Linkedin. Most of the time, you will need to provide your resume, cover letter and phone number in order to be called by the HR department if they are interested in your profile.
To help you create a CV that meets French standards, visit CVDesignr.fr .
THE JOB INTERVIEW
If you get an interview, the recruiter will ask you as many questions as possible – the average interview in France lasts 30 minutes. After the interview, send an email to thank the interviewer. If you don’t hear back from them within two weeks of the interview, contact your recruiter to find out what stage the recruitment process is at. If you are hired, you will sign the contract. Good luck!
To help you prepare for your job interviews, we invite you to watch this Apec video: “How to ace your job interview” .
| Employment vocabulary | |
| CDI – Contrat à durée indéterminée | Permanent contract |
| CDD – Contrat à durée déterminée | Short-term contract |
| INTERIM | An employment contract of limited duration that allows a candidate to fulfill a specific and punctual mission. |
| TEMPS PARTIEL | A part-time employee is one whose working hours are less than the legal working hours (35 hours per week) |
| TEMPS PLEIN | The employee is subject to a legal working time of 35 hours per week. Maximum daily and weekly working hours are also imposed. |
| SMIC (Salaire Minimum Interprofessionnel de Croissance) | The law entitles you to a minimum wage. Since January 1, 2021, this minimum wage is €11.52/hour gross, or €1,747.58 per month. This salary is gross, the compulsory social contributions (about 20%) must be deducted to determine the net salary. |
| ALTERNANCE: APPRENTISSAGE and CONTRAT PROFESSIONNALISATION | Work-study contracts allow students to gain real-world experience by working part-time in a company during their studies. The company covers the tuition and fees while paying a small monthly salary to the student. It is mandatory that the student’s role in the company be related to their field of study so that they can gain practical experience to complement their classroom learning. Work-study contracts give students a boost in their careers by providing a solid education that will make them ideal job-ready candidates after graduation. |
| STAGE | Internships range from 1 month to 6 months depending on the degree and the semester. Under French law, a company is required to pay interns of more than 2 months a minimum of €4,05 per hour. |
Useful resources
- Campus France – How do I find a job in France?
- Campus France – Working while studying in France
- Welcome to France
Any questions? Don’t hesitate to contact your school’s career center.
Professional opportunities with omnes
In the course of your studies, you may be required to complete an apprenticeship in a commercial or industrial company, or complete your semester with an internship. NEMO is there to support you. NEMO is the platform providing access to the OMNES Education professional network. You’ll be able to find out about internships, work-study programs and first jobs.
This recruitment platform connects employers and students. Companies post jobs, internships and apprenticeships, but also look at students’ profiles to find the perfect candidate. Therefore, as an OMNES Education student, you will have an account where you can update your resume and regularly check for available jobs. You could find the perfect opportunity in one place.
And of course, the OMNES Education Career Center teams will be on hand to help you with your job search.
Updated 29 January 2024