France has a 35-hour legal working week, five weeks of paid leave and a minimum wage (SMIC) of €1,867.02 gross a month since 1 June 2026. Employers find it hardest to recruit in IT, health and care, construction, industry and transport. Find out where to look for a job, how to apply in French and what to do in your first weeks.
France is a country of 69.1 million people. Its unemployment rate is above the EU average and has been rising slowly – from 7.3% in 2022 to 7.7% in 2025 (EU: 6.0%).
Young people find it harder: youth unemployment is 19.8% among people aged 15–24, compared with 15.2% in the EU. The employment rate is slightly below the EU average: 75.4% of people aged 20–64 have a job (EU: 76.1%).
As an EU/EEA or Swiss citizen you need neither a work permit nor a residence permit – you can look for a job and work on the same terms as French citizens. What you do need for most jobs is French: EURES advises stating your level in reading, writing and speaking in your application.
Key figures: Eurostat (population on 1 January 2026; unemployment and employment rates 2025; minimum wages July 2026); for the United Kingdom – Office for National Statistics; for Liechtenstein – national statistics. Country information: EURES – Living and working conditions, public employment services and the official government websites listed under each country. Rules, thresholds and amounts can change – check the official sources before you move. Updated: October 2026.
EN 
CS
DE
ES
FR
HU
IT
PL
PT
РУ
SK
TR
УК
AR
中文