Immigration Series: Everything from working rights to studying in France and job placement: 

France is the top non-English speaking country and the fourth-largest foreign student destination worldwide. Every reputable worldwide university ranking consistently places French universities in the very top ranks. Approximately 1,500 French programs are taught in English, despite the fact that French is the primary language of teaching.  There are more than 500 French scholarships available to students from India.

Studying abroad can be costly, so it's critical to understand that international students are entitled to work while they are enrolled in classes. Before deciding to pursue your education in France, make sure to know these key facts.

Work as you study: 

The ability to work while studying in France is granted to all international students. Students residing outside of the European Union (EU) are required to possess a student residence permit. Under French legislation, international students are entitled to work up to 964 hours year, which is 60% of the maximum number of hours that can be worked. The money made from this kind of labor is extra. Whether a worker is a student or not, they are legally entitled to a minimum wage in France. The Smic, or guaranteed minimum wage (salaire minimum interprofessionnel de croissance), is the popular term for this statutory minimum salary. The minimum wage in effect as of January 1, 2024 is €11.65.

This pay is gross; in order to calculate actual earnings (i.e., €9.22/hour), necessary social security contributions must be subtracted (around 20%). At minimum wage, a student working ten hours per week would make about €92 net.

Employed by the University: International students are allowed to work in the university or host institution in France. Typically, these student positions run from September 1 to August 31 for a full year. The university arranges its student employment around study and class hours. For similar reasons, students employed by French institutions are only allowed to work a maximum of 670 hours from September 1 to June 30 and a maximum of 300 hours from July 1 to August 31.

Professional Training Contracts & Apprenticeships: An apprenticeship is a fixed-term or variable work agreement between an employer and an employee. Through an apprenticeship, professionals in a trade or profession can receive on-the-job training from a person or business while they are enrolled in classes.

Previously available only to foreign students who had completed a year of training in France, apprenticeships and professional training contracts are now available to first-year students enrolled in master's programs (approved by the Conférence des Grandes Écoles) or training programs. First-year students are not eligible to enroll in any other training programs that involve an apprenticeship or professional training contracts.

When an international student from a non-EU nation arrives in France, their employer is required to apply for a temporary work visa on the Ministry of Interior website if the student's contracted hours exceed 964 hours annually.

Student Jobs: Where to Look and How to Apply

These three academic websites provide young students with thousands of job offers: Jobaviz (the CROUS website), CIDJ (the youth information center), and 1 jeune 1 solution (the new government website):

The Jobaviz website serves as the official platform for student employment within the network of university and school service centers, catering to both job seekers and current students. It displays:

employment sector-specific job offers;

guidance on appropriately interpreting an offer;

suggestions about the obligations and rights of employees;

Easy access to job openings by region and home city. Additionally, in order to gain access to more specialized jobs, you can make your own research profile.

Over 70,000 job offers are still accessible in France, including opportunities for remote work:

1 / 1 solution: There are jobs on the website that are designated for students. The student employment ads chosen by 1 jeune 1 solution may be found using a search engine that filters results based on job kind, major activity area, and geographic location.

Nearly 10,000 student employment opportunities for up to 15 hours per week are currently listed on the website.

Students must first choose the sector(s) that correspond to the employment they want to pursue, the location (by département), and the kind of contract (permanent, fixed-term, professional, or apprenticeship). The website also provides a calendar of events for meetings, workshops, and job seeking forums in each area.

Additional career opportunities: The website etudiant.gouv.fr offers additional resources and initiatives to aid students in their quest, including associations formed within higher education institutions and junior-enterprises. As part of the instruction offered by their university, these associations, which are run by students, allow them to complete professional assignments for public or private businesses. 

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Director: Vinit Kejriwal

Email: info@theoverseasconsultant.com

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