How to apply for jobs in France

France Travail's advice is to be clear and concise and to let your professional experience lead, and to keep every CV and online profile up to date. It describes three CV formats: chronological, skills-based and mixed. Service-Public adds that a photo is optional and that sending a CV is not strictly compulsory to apply, though most offers ask for one. The French CV format guide covers the layout, the accroche line and personal details.

The lettre de motivation still matters in France. France Travail says it should fit on one page, follow a three-part structure and be written for each application, never copied from one to the next. The cover letter builder starts from your resume and the offer, so each letter names the company and the role.^[2][3][6]

Article L1221-6 of the Code du travail says information requested from a candidate may only serve to assess their ability to do the job or their professional skills, and must have a direct and necessary link with it; the candidate must answer such questions in good faith. Article L1132-1 bars excluding anyone from recruitment because of origin, sex, age, family situation or pregnancy, religious beliefs, physical appearance, surname, place of residence, health, disability and other listed grounds.

Two further rules protect you during selection. Under L1221-8, you must be told beforehand which recruitment methods and techniques will be used on you, and the results are confidential. Under L1221-9, no personal information may be collected through a device you were not told about in advance.^{[7][8][9][10]}

If the timetable you were given passes without news, a short, courteous follow-up email (une relance) is normal. Record each application and contact in the job tracker so you can see which ones are due. Salaries in France are usually discussed as an annual gross figure (brut annuel); check whether a number is gross or net and monthly or annual before you compare offers.

For a permanent contract (CDI), article L1221-19 caps the initial trial period at two months for workers and employees, three months for supervisors and technicians and four months for cadres. Service-Public notes it can be renewed once, only if a branch agreement and your contract allow it, for a total of at most four, six or eight months.^[11][12]

An employer who wants to hire a national from outside the EU, the EEA and Switzerland must first obtain a work authorisation, unless the person's visa or residence permit already allows the job. The carte talent is one such permit: with it, the employer does not need to request a work authorisation. Service-Public says this page is being updated for changes that take effect on 30 October 2026, so check the current conditions there.

To show what a foreign degree corresponds to, you can request an attestation de comparabilité from the Enic-Naric centre. It has no legal force and is not compulsory, but it helps a French recruiter place your qualification. If your documents are not yet in French, translate your resume and keep a copy in the original language.^[13][14][15]