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Living & working in France

What do you think of when you think of France ?

PARIS ?

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France in figures

Overseas collectivities :

•Polynésie française•Nouvelle-Calédonie •Saint-Pierre et Miquelon•Wallis et Futuna•Saint-Barthélemy •Saint-Martin

Metropolitan :

•22 regions •96 départements•36 000 towns

Overseas départements •Guadeloupe•Martinique•French Guiana•Reunion island•Mayotte

Area :

543 965 sq km, the biggest in EU

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Most populated cities/urban regions

Paris

2.2 /12

Lille1,1/1,2

Marseille

850,000/1

Nice

350,000/535,000

Million inhabitants

Lyon

480,000/1,4Nantes

280,000/590,000

Toulouse

450,000

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France in figures

• Total population : 65,000,000 (2011) • Birth rate : 12.8% (2010)• Age breakdown (2010) :

0-19 24.7%20-59 52.7%60 or over 22.6%

• Average age : 40 years• Average density : 102 inhab/sq km

• €1 = 0.83 pence £1 = 1.20 € (january 2012)

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Labour market information

• Active population : 28,300,000 (2009)

• Uemployed population : 2,600,000 (9.8%)

• 24% - 15-24 years old are unemployed

• 11 % - over 50 years old are unemployed

• Part time work : 30% female workers

• Economy growing : return to growth (GDP / 1.5%)

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Labour market information

• Residence & work permit required for nationals of Bulgaria & Romania

• Residence & work permit for non EU citizens

• French groups but don’t forget SME’s !

• Hierarchical structure

• The “cadre” status

• “Stage”/work placements for young people

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Recruiting sectors #1

• Construction and industryLack of qualified manual workers, civil engineers

• Bank / Finance / Insurance Minimum 2 years higher education level required

• Health Public sector : GP, specialists, nurses, physiotherapists

• Homecare people Senior care & social workers in children’s & family services

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Recruiting sectors #2

• Hypermarkets salesmen, managers, directors & and administrative staff.

• Hotel and Catering skilled chefs with work experience

• Secretarial / PA only for staff with languages & IT skills

• Executive/managerial jobs engineers, R&D, IT

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Where to look for work ?

• EURES

• www.pole-emploi .fr

• Private recruitment agencies

• Online agencies / jobsites

• Company websites

• Frenchnewspapers (online)

• Jobsfairs

•Social & professional networking

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Where to look for work ?

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www.pole-emploi.fr

• Register in the Pôle Emploi as a jobseeker, update your jobseeker’s account every month and check your allowance account.

• Look for job adverts (offres d’emploi) and apply online (vacancies located in France and out of France)

•Set up an account and input your CV, and you will receive job adverts automaticaly on your mobile phone or e-mail address

• Get advices and leaflets (Guides pour agir) about CV, cover letter (lettre de motivation), interviews, negotiating your salary, professionnal project

• Find information about specific contracts for disabled jobseekers, young jobseekers (18-25), over 50 years old jobseekers…

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Education - qualifications

• First of all talent & skills !

• Focus on education & diplomas

• Visit enic-naric website for equivalents

• Good working knowledge of French

• Basic knowledge of French culture

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Preparing a french-type CV Mle Paule EMPLOI 13 rue Malherbe 76100 ROUEN Tel : 02 35 07 54 90 mail : melynda.barbier@hotmail.fr permis B, véhicule personnel

DOMAINES DE COMPETENCES

EXPERIENCE PROFESSIONNELLE

2008 Conseillère à l’emploi : POLE EMPLOI CADRES à Rouen 2007 (3 mois) Assistante gestion du personnel : MANPOWER à Eu 2006-2007 Assistante recrutement : SAMSIC INTERIM à Rouen 2006 (3 mois) Assistante gestion du personnel : SECURIFRANCE à Rouen 2004-2005 Assistante recrutement : RH FACILITIES à Mont Saint Aignan 2003-2004 (3 mois) Secrétaire : Auto-école «FORUM » à Rouen 2001-2003 Gestionnaire de santé : MUTUELLE GENERALE à Levallois FORMATION 2001 : DUT GEA (Gestion des Entreprises et des Administrations) 1999 : Baccalauréat STT ACC (Actions et Communications Commerciales) Connaissances informatiques : ANAEL, LEA, Connect, Outlook, Word, Excel, Internet. INFORMATIONS COMLEMENTAIRES

Titulaire de l’attestation de formation aux premiers secours Randonnée, voyages, décoration intérieure et jardinage

ASSISTANTE RESSOURCES HUMAINES

GESTION DU PERSONNEL

Diffusion d’offres (Pole Emploi, site internet agence, presse, écoles)

Sélection de CV Entretiens

Validation des connaissances et compétences (tests) Gestion des formations

Saisie et suivi des contrats de travail, saisie des paies Saisie et suivi des offres d’emploi

Saisie de DUE, attestation Assedic, solde de tout compte

GESTION COMMERCIALE

Visites clients Prospection téléphonique

Prise de commande des clients Propositions actives de candidatures

Conseils juridiques Facturation et relance Gestion de plannings

Gestion de tableaux de bord Accueil, standard, secrétariat courant

• 1 or 2 pages, typed

• Age, photo, marital status : optional but …

• Factual & result oriented

• Hobbies : no mention unless added value

• References

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Preparing a cover letter

• 1 page• Usually typed• Correct spelling• 3 questions to be answered

1. Why ?2. What for ? 3. Which benefits ?

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The job interview process

1. Prepare yourself

2. Be punctual & keep the timing

3. Be careful during the first 4 minutes !

4. Be sincere and honest

5. Listen & be interested

6. Ask questions

7. Treat the employer as a business partner

8. Request feedback

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Employment Law

• Minimum Guaranteed wage (SMIC) : 9.22 € gross/hour

1 398.37 €/month (1096,94 € netto)

• Legal working week : 35 h/week (151,67 h/month)

• Holiday entitlement : minimum 5 weeks+ 11 bank holidays

• Often 13 months of salary

• High Authority for the Struggle Against Discrimination and for Equality

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Employment Law

• Verbal/Written contrats

CDI / Permanent Contract Probation period & notice (1-3 months)

CDD / Fixed-term Contract Frequently used as a probation period. Normally renewable only once – maximum 18 months.

Temporary jobs are called “interim”

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Incomes & taxation

• Income tax : max 40 %, not deducted at source

• Local taxes1. Taxe d’habitation : residence tax based on

location, dwelling, area.In the residence tax return, you will have to add the TV tax (redevance) : 123 €

2. Taxe foncière : property tax, only paid by owners

• Value Added Tax : 19.6 % / 7% / 5.5%

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Social security & insurance

• Need to pay social security contributions

• General social security scheme for employees & families, managed locally by CPAM covers sickness, maternity, invalidity, old ages and survivors’ pensions, death, family benefits and retirement• Complementary health insurance • Unemployment insurance

• Ask for “Carte Vitale” • First you pay, then 70% of the cost refunded• 30% covered by additional insurance

• Before coming to France, make sure you have a EHIC

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Pension scheme

• the general scheme : retraite de base

• the supplementary retirement scheme :retraite complémentaire

• official retirement age : 62 for people born in 1955 and after having paid in 166 three-month periods

• 67 to get a full pension if not enough quarters

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Cost of living

• Accomodation : average monthly rental charges• Paris 25 – 37 €/sqm• Lyon 11 – 13 €/sqm

• French shopping basket • Bread 1 € £ 0.83• Bus 1.60 € £ 1.33• Cinema ticket 9 € £ 7.47• Today’s menu 12-20 € £9.96 -16.60• coffee 1.50 € £ 1.24

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Living & working in France

What might be the best thing about living in France ?