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Paris at a Glance

Paris: Job Search and Work Permits

Securing a work permit is the first step towards your career in Paris.

Getting a Job

Private recruiters and temping agencies play a major role in the Parisian job market. However, university graduates and employees in specialist or managerial positions should consult the Agence pour l’Emploi des Cadres first. This is a half-private, half-governmental agency specializing in the recruitment of highly skilled and qualified people.

As in most other countries, newspapers are still a popular source of information for job-seekers. Check out the big daily newspapers, such as Le Monde, Le Figaro or Françe Soir, or the weekly Les Echos. There are also newspapers specializing in business news and recruitment for different sectors:

• Le Moci (international trade)
• L’Usine Nouvelle (various industries)
• Stratégies (media & marketing)
• L’Expansion (finance & enterprise)

People who’d like to take things into their own hands and send out speculative applications might find the guide of Entreprises qui recrutent useful, published annually by Emploi-Pro.

Work permits can be a complicated issue, but in most cases, it is the current or prospective employer who has to sort out all the paperwork with the Direction Départementale du Travail, de l’Émploi et de la Formation professionnelle or the Agence Nationale de l’Accueil des Étrangers et des Migrations. EU nationals do not require a permit in order to work in France.

However, a quick overview of different work permits has been included below for information purposes.

Salaried and Temporary Workers

The “Salaried” and “Temporary Worker” permits open access to specific professions in different parts of France. Every French region publishes its own liste de 30 métiers, which can be consulted on immigration.gouv.fr. The carte travailleur temporaire is valid for up to one year, the carte salarié temporaire for at least one year.

Employees on Assignment

The “Employee on Assignment” permit has been introduced for expats on intra-company or intra-group transfers. Applicants need to have worked for the company for at least 3 months prior to their transferral and fulfill certain minimum wage requirements. The permit is valid for an initial period of 3 years. After the first 6 months, dependant family members may apply for a “Private and Family Life” permit. There is a different category for managers or high-level executives.

Seasonal Workers

The “Seasonal Worker” permit is pretty much self-explanatory. It is valid for 3 years but only allows its holder to work in France for a maximum of 6 months over a period of 12 consecutive months. Please remember that your employer in France is responsible for your work permit application, if you fall in any of the categories mentioned above.

Work Permits for Academic, Entrepreneurs and Investors

There are two types of work permit which require the applicant to take things into his own hands:

• The “Scientific” permit is for academics wishing to carry out research or teaching activities at an institution of higher education in France. The latter must issue the applicant with a hosting agreement, which then needs to be endorsed by the French Consulate in the applicant’s home country. The work permit itself is issued at the préfecture de police in Paris.

• Entrepreneurs, investors etc. who would like to carry out a specific project with the aim of furthering the economic development of France and/or their country of origin can apply for a “Skills and Talents” permit. The application procedure is slightly more long-winded and complicated than that for other permits, as it requires the submission of a project briefing paper to the French Consulate or to the préfecture de police in Paris. If successful, family members of the applicants will automatically receive a “Private and Family Life” permit.