# Hiring in France: employment costs, payroll and compliance

> Machine-readable page from EOR Overview (https://eoroverview.com/), an independent research platform for Employer of Record services.
> Canonical page: https://eoroverview.com/hiring-guides/france/
> Methodology: how providers are researched, scored and compared is documented at https://eoroverview.com/methodology/.
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> Statutory data last updated: 2026-07-12. Every figure below carries its own source year.

## Country

| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Region | Europe |
| Currency | EUR (Euro) |

## Pay & working time

| Field | Value | Source year |
|---|---|---:|
| Minimum wage | €1,867 | 2026 |
| Average wage | 60,608 | 2024 |
| Statutory work week | 35 hours/week | 2024 |
| Payroll cycle | monthly | 2026 |
| 13th-month salary | none | 2026 |

## Employer cost & tax

| Field | Value | Source year |
|---|---|---:|
| Employer social security | 36.3% | 2025 |
| Employee social security | 11.3% | 2025 |
| Total tax wedge | 47.2% | 2025 |
| Corporate tax rate | 36.1% | 2025 |

## Termination

| Field | Value | Source year |
|---|---|---:|
| Notice period | 7.2 weeks | 2019 |
| Severance pay | 5.8 weeks | 2019 |
| Employment protection | 2.7 | 2019 |

## Leave & time off

| Field | Value | Source year |
|---|---|---:|
| Paid annual leave | 25 days | 2026 |
| Public holidays | 11 days | 2026 |
| Maternity leave | 16 weeks | 2024 |
| Paternity leave | 4.1 weeks | 2026 |
| Parental leave | 26 weeks | 2024 |

## Labour market

| Field | Value | Source year |
|---|---|---:|
| Retirement age | 64 | 2024 |
| Unemployment rate | 7.3% | 2025 |
| GDP per capita | $46,103 | 2024 |
| Union density | 10.1% | 2019 |
| Collective bargaining coverage | 98% | 2024 |

## Overview

Before your first French employee receives a single euro, you need a legal employing entity registered in France or an Employer of Record (EOR) standing in as that entity. There is no middle ground: French law requires a local payroll structure from day one, and the administrative weight behind it is real. The statutory work week is 35 hours, the minimum monthly wage sits at 1,867.02 EUR, and collective bargaining agreements cover around 98% of the workforce, meaning sector-level rules almost certainly apply to whoever you hire.

An EOR absorbs the entity question entirely and takes on the employer obligations on your behalf. That matters more in France than in many other markets because the employer social security rate runs at 36.3% on top of gross salary, which makes accurate cost modelling critical before you make an offer. The payroll cycle is monthly, there is no mandatory 13th-month salary, and employees are entitled to 25 days of paid annual leave plus 11 public holidays each year.

## Cost context

The headline figure to keep in mind is that employer social contributions in France add 36.3% on top of gross salary. These contributions fund health insurance, pension, unemployment insurance, family benefits, and workplace accident cover, among other schemes. Employees also contribute 11.3% from their own gross pay, bringing the total tax wedge to 47.2%. In practical terms, a salary agreed with a candidate is only part of what you will actually spend each month.

## Things to watch

A few France-specific factors deserve attention before you commit to a hire:

- Employer social contributions are substantial. At 36.3% of gross salary, France sits among the higher employer cost environments in Europe. Budget this in from the start, not as an afterthought after you have agreed a package.

- Collective bargaining agreements are almost universal. With 98% collective bargaining coverage, the agreement for your sector will likely set floors on pay, working conditions, and notice that sit above the statutory minimums. Check which agreement applies before drafting a contract.

- Notice periods and severance are legally protected. The average notice period runs to 7.2 weeks and severance to 5.8 weeks, but sector agreements or individual contracts can extend both. Dismissals in France are procedurally demanding, so factor in time and process, not just cost.

- The 35-hour week has real teeth. Hours beyond 35 per week are overtime and trigger additional pay or compensatory rest. If the role regularly runs longer, your employment contract and the applicable collective agreement need to address this explicitly.

Providers ranked for France: https://eoroverview.com/best/france/