Working in France

Open-ended contract (CDI – Contrat à Durée Indéterminée) – The default form of employment in France, this contract type offers strong employee protections, notice periods, and severance rights Fixed-term contract (CDD - Contrat à Durée Déterminée) – Used only in legally permitted cases (e.g. seasonal work, project-based, peak activity). The maximum duration of these contracts is usually 18 months Temporary agency employment (CTT/Intérim) – The worker is employed by a temp agency (entreprise de travail temporaire) and assigned to a client company Part-time employment (Contrat de Travail à Temps Partiel) – This contract involves working fewer hours than the legal 35-hour week. The working hours must be specified in the contract Apprenticeship (Contrat d’Apprentissage) – For individuals aged 16 – 29 (with exceptions), this type of employment alternates training and work, paid at a reduced percentage of minimum wage depending on age Contrat de Professionnalisation – For job-seekers or young workers learning new skills, this type of employment combines work and training State-subsidised contracts (Contrats aidés) – These vary by government policy, but are aimed at integrating disadvantaged job seekers

Micro-entrepreneur – This contractor status comes with easy registration and simplified tax/social contributions. Subject to annual turnover caps and often used by freelancers, consultants, creatives, and small trades Entreprise Individuelle (EI) – A standard sole-proprietor business without turnover limits, allowing deduction of real expenses and offering personal asset protection under the modern EI framework SASU (Société par Actions Simplifiée Unipersonnelle) – A single-owner company, this model is often chosen by IT contractors, consultants, and high-income freelancers. It offers flexible governance and strong social protections under the general employee regime EURL (Entreprise Unipersonnelle à Responsabilité Limitée) – A single-owner limited liability company with lower social charges under the self-employed regime, often preferred by contractors seeking lower costs Profession libérale – A category covering independent professional activities (regulated or unregulated), such as consultants, architects, therapists, and designers Umbrella employment (Portage salarial) – A hybrid model where the contractor is legally an employee of a “portage” company but works independently, choosing clients and rates. Provides full employee social protections, including unemployment insurance Agent commercial – A self-employed commercial representative operating on commission under a specific legal status, commonly used in sales, real estate, and import/export Occasional contractor (Prestation de service ponctuelle) – A one-off or occasional service performed as an independent professional, usually under EI or micro-entrepreneur status