Hiring in France

The terms set out role, salary in EUR, working time, leave, notice, the applicable collective agreement and any restrictive covenants. The EOR is the counterparty to the employee, which is what removes the need for your own entity.

French is the mandatory contract language for work performed in France. A bilingual version is common for international hires.

Fixed-term contracts are allowed only for specific temporary needs, and a non-compliant one is reclassified as permanent, so most EORs default to indefinite terms. A non-compete clause is only valid if the employee is paid for it.

Set probation from day one, and note that ending it still requires notice of 24 hours to one month depending on time served. A renewal needs the employee's written agreement and a renewal clause in the contract.

Some EORs shorten probation as policy because they, not you, carry the dismissal risk. Ask before you agree a start date.

Overtime is paid at 25% extra for the first 8 hours above 35 and 50% beyond that, unless a collective agreement sets a lower rate, which can never fall below 10%. The weekly maximum is 48 hours.

Most professional hires (cadres) work on a forfait jours of up to 218 days a year, so overtime gives way to a fixed day count plus extra rest days. It needs a written agreement and collective agreement cover, so put the position in writing either way.

Market practice for professional roles adds RTT days, often 8 to 12 a year for staff on a forfait jours, so factor them in when you budget. Only 1 May is a guaranteed paid day off, and whether the other public holidays are worked depends on the collective agreement.

Sick pay comes mainly from social security after a 3-day waiting period, with an employer top-up after a year's service. Since July 2026 each parent can add up to two months of state-paid birth leave, and collective agreements often require top-ups, so confirm which side the EOR carries.

Dismissal needs a real and serious cause and a formal procedure, including a preliminary meeting and a reasoned letter. Mutual termination (rupture conventionnelle) is the usual clean exit, but it needs sign-off from the labour authority and, since January 2026, carries a 40% employer levy on the exempt part of the payout.

The EOR runs the process as the legal employer and will want the paperwork in order, including final pay, unused leave and statutory or collective agreement severance. Unfair dismissal awards are capped on a scale linked to tenure, so keep a documented reason.

Executive staff must have employer-funded prévoyance cover for death and disability, and employers must reimburse half of public transport passes. Meal vouchers are not mandatory but are standard for professional roles.

EORs often bundle benefits through a group scheme. Ask what is included in the fee and what is billed on top.

Employer contributions add roughly 42 to 45% on top of gross salary, less for pay near the minimum wage. That is before the EOR fee.

The collective agreement is the trap. Every role falls under a branch agreement that can set minimum pay, a 13th month, notice and sick pay above statute, so confirm which one the EOR will apply before you make an offer.

Ask whether the EOR files the application through its own French entity or refers to a partner. Only a French-registered employer can apply, and the salary thresholds attach to the contract the EOR issues, not to you.

Set start dates after approval, not before.

Get the data processing terms in the service agreement, not just the privacy notice. Transfers outside the EEA need a lawful basis, such as standard contractual clauses.

Ask where payroll data is hosted and who in the partner chain can see it.

Setting up an SAS is quick, but the running cost is the point: accounting, payroll under a collective agreement, statutory filings and, from 11 employees, an elected staff committee (CSE) set an annual floor.

Permanent establishment risk is about what people do, not where payroll sits. Revenue-generating activity can create exposure regardless of the employment route.