Work overseas: The benefits you will get if you work in France

Does it seem unlikely for you to consider France as a place to work overseas? We would urge you to consider the benefits that you will get if you arrive in France on a France work visa and become part of the country’s workforce.

Don’t be misled by the thought that English-speaking people don’t get jobs in France. On the contrary, there are many jobs in sectors such as IT, banking, tourism, communication, and marketing that you can land in France.

So, let’s dive into the French job scene and see what benefits you will get if you work overseas in France.

Working hours and paid time off

The weekly working hours in France are only 35 hours. Overtime is entitled to extra wages. There’s allocation of many RTT (Réduction du Temps de Travail) days that compensate for the extra hours worked.

All employees get paid vacations from their company (indefinite/fixed term). The vacation dates are subject to the approval of the employer.

Employees can take 5 weeks of paid holiday per year after they finish a month of their probation period.

Minimum wage

France’s national minimum wage is €1,554.6 per month (€18655 per year).

Tax rates in France

Tax rates for 2021

Income Share	Tax Rate
Up to €10,084	0%
Between €10,085 - €25,710	11%
Between €25,711 - €73,516	30%
Between €73,517 - €158,122	41%
Above €158,222	45%

Tax rates for 2022 (proposed)

Income Share	Tax Rate
Up to €10,225	0%
Between €10,225 - €26,070	11%
Between €26,070 - €74,545	30%
Between €74,545 - €160,336	41%
Above €160,336	45%

Social security benefits

If you are an overseas worker in France, you are eligible for social security benefits if you stay in France for over 3 months. You or your employer can apply for your social security number. This number will grant you access to France’s social security scheme.

https://youtu.be/KkV6n29IJQE

Benefits of social security number

With a social security number, you will get access to the following benefits:

• Unemployment benefits
• Old-age pension
• Family allowances
• Health and sickness benefits
• Accidents and occupational disease benefits
• Invalidity benefits
• Maternity and paternity benefits
• Death benefits

Your employer has to pay up to 50% of your public transportation pass every month in the case of you traveling to and from work in public transit. If you have a monthly pass for the tram, RER, train, metro, or bus you are subject to this law.

Social Security covers a part of your medical expenses. You will be given a carte vitale. You can use it at the doctor’s/specialists’ offices and when buying medicines.

If you are absent at work due to illness for more than 3 days, you will be entitled to receive a daily payment provided you follow certain formalities as well as meet certain requirements. During subrogation, this amount will be given directly to the employer. The daily sick leave allowance is as much as half of the basic daily wage.

After 3 months of employment, your daily allowance will get re-evaluated. If you have at least 3 children, the daily payment is raised to 66.66% of the basic daily income after 30 days of sick leave.

As an employee, if your capacity to work and your income have come down by at least two-third due to an accident or a disease that’s non-occupational, you will be considered “invalid”. You can then file a demand with the CPAM to be paid a disability pension. This can compensate for wages lost.

Maternity and paternity leave

France grants maternity leave of 16 weeks for the first and second child and 26 weeks for the third child. The period of leave can begin up to 6 weeks prior to childbirth. The mother is allowed to take 8 weeks of leave after the child is born.

Fathers are granted paternity leave of 11 consecutive days for a single child. This will be 18 days for multiple births.

Family benefits

In case you live in France and have dependent children aged under 20 years, you are entitled to family benefits for those children. This is granted if you don’t work or earn below €893.25 a month.

Here are some of the advantages of this:

• Child benefit is paid from the second dependent child.
• Families with 3 or more children and a net household income below €45,941 are eligible for a family income supplement.
• A flat-rate allowance for families with 3 or more kids, is granted. It’s reduced when the children reach the age of 20.

Workplace culture

Attention to detail, tradition and a clear hierarchy are basic features of the French working culture.

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