The ability to speak French before you move to France is of the utmost importance when seeking employment. There are various methods of looking for work in France. One of the most obvious forms is going to the French equivalent of the Job Centre, the ANPE. You can apply for job vacancies and receive information and counselling from European EURES advisors at selected Job Centres before leaving the UK.
There is a partnership between all employment services within the EU to help promote the movement of workers. In order to make use of these services, you will need a passport. You can work in France without a work permit, however if you envisage the job lasting for more than 12 months, you need to apply for a permit within the first 3 months of employment. A work permit can be obtained on presentation of an employer’s contract.
Whilst in France you are therefore entitled to use the ANPE (Agence Nationale Pour l’Emploi). There are around 600 offices throughout France, which provide both local and national job listings; the service offered is very similar to that of the UK Job centre. You can make use of a career resource library, a range of French company listings and reference books. In some offices, counsellors will be happy to help translate your CV into French and will also help you when assessing your options with regards to finding employment. In some cases it is worth noting that offices are often unhelpful to foreign residents, unless they have previously worked in France or they are unemployed and receiving unemployment benefit. If you are unemployed and have a “carte de séjour”, you qualify for free French lessons, however this service is not available to complete beginners.
If you wish to claim unemployment benefit, the first place to go is the ASSEDIC (unemployment benefit office) nearest to one's address. The applicant's passport and documentary proof of a local address will be required (eg. a telephone or electricity bill ). A form will be given to the job seeker to be completed and returned to the ASSEDIC within five working days. Following this the ASSEDIC will send the applicant a notice to go to the local ANPE, and a form for details of previous work experience and training etc. The job seeker then has a month to go to the ANPE taking his/her passport, the forms sent by the ASSEDIC and documentary proof of an address.
The ASSEDIC might request one of the following European Union Social Security Certificates of Entitlement : Form E301 is required if one has worked in Britain but was not on unemployment benefit before coming to France. This form and all details can also be obtained from the DSS, but it does not give any automatic right to unemployment benefit in France.
Form E303 is required if one was claiming unemployment benefit in Britain before coming to France. The form and details can be obtained from the DSS (Department of Social Security ):
Department of Social Security
Tyneview Park, Whitley Rd
Benton
Newcastle / Tyne NE98 1BA
Tel: 0191 218 7777 or 7878
With E303 one can continue to receive unemployment benefit in France for a period of 91 days. Otherwise, to be able to claim French unemployment benefit, one needs to have worked at least one day in France. Only a French citizen can claim an “allocation d’ insertion” without having worked in France.
For self employment, if you are planning to set up a business or open a subsidiary of your existing business, general advice can be obtained from the Trade Partners UK team at the British Consulate.
Information can also be obtained from the
French Chamber of Commerce
21 Dartmouth Street
London SW1H 9BP
Tel: 020 7304 4040
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