To work in France, foreign employees must obtain authorization. This involves submitting the necessary documents and permits that grant them the right to work in the country.
Conditions for employment in France
The conditions for accessing employment in France vary based on the nationality of the workers:
– Nationals of EU Member States – EEA Switzerland / Andorra / Monaco / San Marino: no work permit is required. It is necessary to request a copy of the passport or identity card and to carry out the DPAE (Déclaration Préalable à l’Embauche – Prior Declaration of Hiring).
– Nationals of Third Countries: work permit is required.
Note: When the recruitment project involves a national of a third country not present on the French territory, and the job is not on the “shortage occupations” list, the employer must first publish a job offer for 3 weeks on Pôle Emploi (French public employment service), before potentially applying for a work permit in case of unsuccessful results.
Residence permits and documents serving as authorization to work in France (non-exhaustive list)
To work in France, foreign workers must be authorized to do so. They need to provide documents and permits allowing them to work in France. Among the documents, the following can be mentioned:
- Residence permit;
- Temporary residence permit for professional purposes (e.g., “employee”, “seasonal workers”);
- Other documents serving as work authorization:
Temporary residence permit for “private and family life”;
Temporary residence permit for “student” (under conditions);
Any temporary residence document stating: “authorizes the holder to work”.
Note: For Algerian nationals, a work permit must be obtained unless they hold a one-year residence card stating: “employee” or “private and family life”, or a 10-year valid residence card.
Important note:
Employers hiring a foreigner without the required work authorization in France are liable to face criminal and administrative penalties.
In the absence of residence documents serving as authorization in France, the employer must apply for a work permit using the online service available on the website:
Obligation for the employer to verify the authenticity of residence permits and work authorization (except for foreign nationals registered with Pôle Emploi)
Employers must verify that the foreign national possesses a valid residence permit serving as work authorization.
They must check its authenticity with the prefecture of the department where the hiring takes place or with the police prefecture in Paris.
This process must be completed at least 2 working days before the hiring date, either by registered letter with acknowledgement of receipt (LRAR) or directly online at the following address:
Contact us. Our teams are available to answer any questions you may have.
