Local labor laws shape how you hire and recruit talent in France. The country’s employment regulations cover everything from nondiscrimination rules to background checks. Collective bargaining agreements (CBAs) add extra protection for employees — and extra regulations for you to keep up with.

Recruitment strategies in France

Recruitment strategies include using nondiscriminatory job ads and interview processes, advertising roles in French, handling candidate data according to GDPR, providing written employment contracts, and following collective bargaining agreements. 

Popular job boards and recruitment platforms include France Travail, Indeed France, LinkedIn, APEC, HelloWork/RegionsJob, Welcome to the Jungle, Cadremploi, Meteojob, Monster France, and Le Bon Coin Emploi. 

Best practices for drafting job ads include:

  • State the company name, job title, and location.
  • Include application instructions and a closing date.
  • Be clear about whether the role is full-time, part-time, permanent, or temporary.

Avoid language that could be seen as discriminatory.

Legal considerations when recruiting in France

When hiring employees in France, you must work within strict legal frameworks that protect candidates' rights and ensure fairness.

French nondiscrimination laws

France enforces anti-discrimination laws under Article L1132-1 of the French Labor Code. The article prohibits employment discrimination based on protected grounds such as origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, pregnancy, religion, health status, disability, political opinions, and trade union activity. Job advertisements and interview questions must directly relate to the job requirements and can’t be based on protected characteristics, such as: 

  • Origin, or actual or supposed membership or non-membership of an ethnic group, nation, or alleged race
  • Sex, gender identity, or sexual orientation
  • Age
  • Family situation or pregnancy
  • Physical appearance
  • Health condition, disability, loss of autonomy, or genetic characteristics
  • Political opinions, trade union or mutualist activities, or exercise of an elective mandate
  • Religious beliefs
  • Place of residence
  • Bank domiciliation
  • Vulnerability due to an apparent or known economic situation
  • Family name
  • Morals / lifestyle

Background checks in France

Background checks are strictly regulated when hiring employees in France. You can only ask for information that assesses the candidate’s ability to perform the proposed job or their professional skills. The information must have a direct and necessary link to the role or assessment of professional aptitude, in line with Article L1221-6 of the French Labor Code and GDPR requirements.

Employers can ask for proof of qualifications and contact references, but they should obtain the candidate’s prior explicit consent before contacting previous employers. Reference checks should be transparent, job-related, and limited to necessary information.

Employers can’t get criminal records directly from authorities. For roles where it’s legally required — for example, in childcare or security — ask the candidate to request and voluntarily provide their own Bulletin n°3. This limited extract from the French criminal record (casier judiciaire) lists only the most serious convictions and certain active prohibitions or disqualifications. 

Asking about a candidate's previous salary can trigger discrimination claims. Under the EU Pay Transparency Directive (2023/970), employers can’t ask candidates about their previous salary during the recruitment process.

How to hire in France

Employment contracts in France

A written offer (offre d'emploi) or promise of employment (promesse unilatérale de contrat de travail) can be legally binding if accepted and sufficiently precise. This is especially likely where it sets core terms, such as compensation, role, benefits, and start date. The employer must honor these terms once the candidate accepts them.

A written contract is needed for fixed-term (contrat à durée déterminée, or CDD) and part-time roles. A standard full-time, indefinite-term contract (contrat à durée indéterminée, or CDI) can generally be verbal, but written terms are recommended and may be required for specific clauses or arrangements., but we recommend writing it in French, as well as in a language that the employee understands if they don’t speak French.  

Core terms of an employment contract in France include:

  • Job title and duties
  • Place of work
  • Start date
  • Contract type
  • Probation period
  • Compensation in euros (EUR)
  • Working hours
  • Paid leave
  • Notice period
  • Reference to the applicable CBA

The employment contract must meet or exceed the minimum standards set by the law and the relevant CBA, which usually details certain benefits and payroll structures.

Employment regulations in France

When hiring employees in France, employers must ensure that new hires have the right work and residence permits before employment starts. This is especially important for non-European Economic Area and non-Swiss nationals.

The déclaration préalable à l'embauche (DPAE) is a mandatory, pre-employment declaration that is filed with France’s social security authority — with the Unions de Recouvrement des Cotisations de Sécurité Sociale et d’Allocations Familiales (URSSAF), or with the Mutualité Sociale Agricole (MSA) for agricultural workers. This declaration registers the employee with social security. It must be done no earlier than eight days before employment and before the employee starts work. Not filing the DPAE before the employee starts work can lead to an administrative fine and URSSAF reassessment. If treated as travail dissimulé, it can also trigger criminal penalties, including fines and possible imprisonment.

Get instant guidance on French employment laws

When hiring in new countries, G-P Gia™ offers instant compliance guidance you can trust. Get expert-vetted answers to all your questions and save valuable time so you can focus on hiring the right talent. Gia also gives you real-time, multijurisdiction compliance checks on employment contracts — no more waiting days for legal counsel or costly billable hours.

Onboarding new employees in France

Best practices for onboarding employees in France include:

  • Reviewing the employment contract and company policies
  • Introducing new hires to key team members and workflows
  • Providing necessary tools and system access
  • Clearly outlining expectations for the role and performance metrics

Hiring employees in France: an alternative solution

By partnering with a France EOR, companies can onboard talent in new countries without setting up a local legal entity. This reduces the complexity, cost, and time associated with global employment, making hiring employees in France easier. An EOR ensures compliance with France’s laws while enabling quick and compliant hiring.

Recruiting and hiring independent contractors in France

Hiring independent contractors in France is a flexible alternative to traditional employment. Using independent contractors, called travailleurs indépendants or auto-entrepreneurs, gives you access to specialized skills and expertise for specific projects or periods, without the long-term commitments that come with full-time employees. 

Working with independent contractors gives you flexibility and cost control, so you can scale your team up or down as business needs change. 

Independent contractors are self-employed and entirely separate from your payroll. 

Hire independent contractors in France with G-P

G-P Contractor™ simplifies contractor hiring and payment. Our Contractor offering ensures compliance and reduces the risk of misclassification in jurisdictions like France. 

Partner with G-P to centralize your global workforce, gain peace of mind, and accelerate your growth in France.

Build your team in France with G-P

G-P EOR makes building global teams easy — without the need to set up entities or spend time engaging consultants and local experts in HR, law, and taxes. With G-P, you get simple workflows, integrations, and AI-powered features that transform the way you onboard, manage, and pay global teams.

Book a demo to learn more about how we can help you hire and onboard anyone, anywhere.

FAQs

What is the DSN and what payroll reporting does it cover?

The Déclaration Sociale Nominative (DSN) is the mandatory monthly payroll declaration for employers in France. It reports salary details, social security contributions, income tax withholding, and URSSAF metrics. The system also tracks employment events — including absences, contract modifications, medical leaves, and terminations.

What is the employer work-authorization process in France?

When a non-EU, EEA, or Swiss professional needs work authorization, the employer submits the application through the online ANEF portal and obtains approval before the start date. French authorities assess applications against local labor market conditions and employment standards — including compensation thresholds, contract terms, and working conditions. Employers must verify work authorization before work starts.

Who needs a French work permit to work in France?

European Union (EU), European Economic Area (EEA), and Swiss nationals do not need a French work permit. Citizens of other countries need work authorization unless their current immigration status permits employment. Employers must verify right-to-work documents before talent begins work.

Which French employment contract should you use: CDI or CDD?

Use a CDI (contrat à durée indéterminée) for ongoing roles. The CDI serves as the default open-ended employment contract in France. Use a CDD (contrat à durée déterminée) only for legal temporary situations — such as seasonal work or temporary replacements. CDD contracts must follow strict written rules, duration caps, and stated reasons. Misusing a CDD can trigger legal reclassification to a CDI.

What French rules apply to paid leave and mandatory health coverage?

Talent in France accrues statutory paid leave equal to five weeks per year. Private-sector employers must offer collective complementary health insurance — known as a mutuelle — and pay at least 50% of the base premium. Standard legal exemptions apply, while collective bargaining agreements (CBAs) may set higher leave limits or premium contributions.

What is the DPAE to URSSAF and when must it be filed?

The Déclaration Préalable à l’Embauche (DPAE) is a mandatory declaration that registers new talent with social security and occupational health systems. Employers must file the DPAE within eight days before the hire date and before any work begins. Employers file the declaration through URSSAF, or through MSA for agricultural roles.

What French rules apply to working hours, overtime, and probation?

The standard 35-hour workweek marks the threshold where overtime pay starts. Mandatory legal overtime premiums start at 25% for hours 36 through 43, and increase to 50% for additional hours. Work hours generally cap at 10 hours per day, 48 hours in a single week, and 44 average weekly hours across 12 consecutive weeks. Daily rest periods must reach 11 consecutive hours, alongside 35 continuous hours of weekly rest. CDI probation caps sit at two, three, or four months depending on employee category — while renewals require CBA authorization, clear contract language, and written consent.

What are main legal obligations when hiring in France?

Companies hiring in France must issue compliant written contracts and adhere to French labor laws regarding pay, working hours, leave, and terminations. Core duties include setting up local payroll, managing income tax withholding, completing employer registrations, filing DPAE and DSN declarations, paying social security contributions, offering mandatory CBA benefits, verifying right-to-work status, and scheduling occupational health checks.

Should you hire via a French entity, an EOR, or directly from foreign entities?

Establishing a French entity suits long-term operations that require local infrastructure and direct management. Using an employer of record (EOR) like G-P EOR enables companies to employ talent locally while managing compliant payroll, contracts, benefits, and registrations without establishing a local subsidiary. Direct registration as a foreign employer remains possible in select cases — but does not remove local labor law duties and can create permanent establishment tax risks.

How do collective bargaining agreements affect French employment contracts?

The principal activity of the business determines the applicable CBA. Once established, the CBA sets mandatory terms for job classifications, minimum salary rates, probation periods, work hours, leave entitlements, notice periods, and severance pay. Employers must align employment contracts, payroll processes, and HR policies with the designated CBA.