How to hire and pay employees in France
With Instahirin, your business can easily hire employees in France. No more worrying about local laws, complex tax systems, or managing international payroll.
Before hiring
EMPLOYEES IN The Canada
Before hiring employees in France, one key thing employers should be aware of is the country’s strict adherence to GDPR and labor laws. You're legally required to protect employee data and handle it with transparency especially when transferring it internationally. Non-compliance can lead to serious penalties, so make sure you're fully informed before making a cross-border hire.
Another important consideration is France’s comprehensive employee benefits system. Employers are expected to contribute to healthcare, retirement, unemployment insurance, and paid leave, including at least five weeks of paid vacation. French labor laws also heavily favor employee rights, with strict rules on contracts, working hours, and terminations.
At a glance
CURRENCY
Euro (EUR)
OFFICIAL LANGUAGE
French
PAYROLL FREQUENCY
Monthly
EMPLOYER TAXES
40% to 45%
of gross salary
13th / 14th SALARY
N/A
Good to know
The legal full-time workweek is 35 hours. Overtime is allowed but regulated, with a maximum of 48 hours per week and 44 hours per week on average over 12 weeks. Overtime pay or compensatory rest is required. Strict rules govern rest periods and employee rights to disconnect outside work hours.
France provides universal healthcare through a state-funded system, covering most medical costs. Employees are automatically enrolled and contribute through payroll taxes. Many employers also offer complementary private health insurance (mutuelle) to cover remaining costs like co-pays and dental care.
Labor laws in The France
Working hours and overtime
Usually, employees work 35 hours per week.
Employment contracts
When employing an individual in France, the following formalities must be adhered to:
- The employer must fill out a pre-hiring declaration form for newly hired employees (“déclaration préalable à l’embauche”)
- When hiring its first employee, the employer must inform the French Labor Administration (“Inspection du travail”)
- The employer has to register the company with the complementary pension funds (“retraite complémentaire”)
Probationary period
Probationary periods in France help mitigate risk in hiring. Employees can be subject to a probationary period that enables the employer to assess employees’ skills. Unless an employee’s collective bargaining agreement outlines increased protections, the contract can be terminated during the probationary period without cause and at no additional cost to the employer outside of providing the mandatory notice.
This probationary period is not automatic and must be provided in the employment contract. The French Labor Code provides that the probationary period can be two to four months (depending on the employee’s position). Standard probationary periods are two months for office and blue-collar workers (“employés et ouvriers”), three months for supervisors and technicians (“agents de maîtrise et techniciens”), and four months for executive employees (“cadres”).
Calculate costs to hire internationally
Benefits and leave in The France
Annual leave in France
Employees are entitled to a minimum of five weeks paid vacation time a year and public holidays.
Sick leave
Employees absent due to illness or injury receive daily indemnities from the Social Security system for a maximum of three years. Emergency provisions for sick leave pay have been implemented as a result of COVID-19.
Parental leave
As of July 1, 2021, maternity leave in France includes 16 weeks leave (in principle, six weeks before the expected date of childbirth and ten weeks after). Mothers are required to take at least eight weeks’ leave. Six weeks are taken right after delivery, and they may be granted two additional weeks before the birth of the child in the event of a pathological pregnancy. If the birth leads to health complications, mothers can take up to four additional weeks after the birth.
Paternity leave includes 25 consecutive days or 32 consecutive days in the event of multiple births.
Adoption leave is set at 10 weeks for one child or 22 weeks in the case of adopting more than one child.
The amount of daily maternity, paternity, or adoption leave allowance is calculated from the average income over the last three months which leads up to the pre-natal leave. In January 2021, the allowance amount was set between €9.66 and €89.03 per day.
Holidays
France has a total of 11 official public holidays each year nationwide. Some regions (like Alsace and Moselle) and overseas territories have additional holidays.
Employer tax
In France, employers typically contribute approximately 40% to 45% on top of an employee’s gross salary. This includes mandatory contributions to:
- Family benefits
- Workplace accident insurance
- Training tax
Individual tax
In France, individuals pay income tax based on a progressive national rate system. Unlike Canada, there are no separate provincial income taxes income tax is centralized and managed by the French government.
Termination in The France
Termination in France is governed by strict labor laws that strongly protect employees. Dismissals must follow proper procedures, and valid reasons are required.
Notice period
An employer must give notice before dismissing an employee, except in cases of serious misconduct or negligence. The notice period in France depends on the employee’s length of service; however, it is usually one or two months. Different notice period durations may also be provided for by the employee’s collective bargaining agreement. A company may release the employee from working during the notice period and pay out severance in lieu of notice.
Start hiring employees in
France
Setting up a business entity in every country you hire isn’t sustainable it’s costly, slow, and legally complex. Hiring in France adds another layer of difficulty: strict labor laws, mandatory benefits, complex tax and social security contributions, and strong employee protections make compliance both critical and challenging. Trying to manage contracts, payroll, and local regulations through email and spreadsheets quickly turns chaotic.
Non-compliance is not an option. In France, failing to follow employment laws or tax obligations can result in heavy penalties and legal consequences.
With InstaHirin, you can easily manage HR, payroll, and automate compliance in France and 180+ countries all from one user-friendly platform so you can hire quickly and confidently without setting up a local entity.
Disclaimer: The information provided in this resource is for general educational purposes only and shall not be construed as legal advice. While InstaHirin yster strives to provide current and accurate information, InstaHirin makes no warranties or representations as to the correctness of the content provided and accepts no liability or responsibility for any errors or omissions in the content provided. By using this resource you acknowledge and agree that you do so at your own risk. The content of this resource is subject to change without notice.
