Studies and work

International students have the right to work in France if they have a residency permit and are enrolled in an institution that participates in the student health plan of the French social protection system (Sécurité Sociale). Even first-time visitors to France and students enrolled in the first year of postsecondary education enjoy the right to work.

The work week in France (annually averaged) is 35 hours. French law allows international students to work no more than 884 hours in a given year. That translates to half-time employment (19.5 hours per week) during the academic year and full-time during vacations.  This half-time employment is already difficult to reconcile with studies, so many authorities (all of them, in fact) advise students against working full-time. For your information, the minimum hourly wage in France (known as the SMIC, for salaire minimum interprofessionnel de croissance) is 8.27 € gross, that is, before withholding of mandatory social-benefit taxes, which come to approximately 20 percent of the gross payment. Learn how to find a job in the "Student jobs" section.