The industries currently dominating the employment market are health and social care, wholesale and retail trade, and manufacturing. The most in-demand jobs are expected to be in construction, followed by the accommodation and food sector, and professional services.
Jobs in France
Major contributors to the French economy include tourism, agriculture, energy, manufacturing, transport and technology. The country is renowned for its luxury goods, fashion and cosmetics industries.
The most prominent sectors that offer leading high-level executive positions in the City of Lights are the IT and technology, automotive, finance, and insurance industries. Expats that prefer the creative, or retail sectors can find jobs in areas such as luxury goods, fashion, and cosmetics.
Can I work in Paris if I don't speak French? You don't speak French, but you live or study in Paris and you are looking for a job? We hire non-French speakers and foreigners from all over the world to share their passions, culture, and languages by working in Paris as part-time language instructors or nannies.
Finding a job in Paris can be pretty tough for foreigners who don't speak French. To maximise your shot, you'll need to either learn some French or look to international companies, industries that have labour shortages or industries popular with expats, such as tourism or IT.
There is very much a 'work hard' ethos across businesses in France. The usual day is from about 9am to 6pm, with a long lunch of anything up to two hours. It's not uncommon to work late into the evening when necessary to meet deadlines.
A usual day would finish around 6 pm. During the week, evening hours are spent relaxing at home, doing homework, watching television, or reading books. Dinner is typically eaten between 7 pm and 8 pm, when all of the family is home together. However, the weekend is completely for family time.
Standard hours
The French working hours are usually 8 or 9 AM to 4 or 5 PM, with 1 hour of unpaid lunch break. This will, however, vary depending on the business and company agreements. The weekly working hours are 35 (7 hours a day, five days a week).
The top 1%?
To be in the 10% richest households, you must hold at least €716,300 in assets. To be in the 1%, you must have at least €2.24million. There are 282,000 such households in France.
Tourism, manufacturing, and pharmaceuticals lead France's diversified economy. The government has partially or fully privatized many large companies but maintains a strong presence in such sectors as power, public transport, and defense.
What's the minimum salary in France? As of May 1, 2023, the minimum wage in France is €11.52 per hour. For a full-time employee who works 35 hours a week, the minimum salary in France is €€1,747.20 gross per month or €20,966.40 gross per year.
The official language in Paris and the rest of France is French. Contrary to other counties, English isn't widely spoken. Although Parisians do not generally speak or like to speak English, tourists won't have any problems communicating in this language in most hotels, restaurants and shops.
Is it expensive to live in France? Yes, within the EU, France is on the expensive side, especially when compared to other European countries like Italy and Spain. Its capital, Paris, ranks as the 2nd most expensive city in the world.
At present, France has a population of around 6.77 crores. It is the third largest country in Europe. The major contributors to the French economy are sectors like Agriculture, Tourism, Energy, Manufacturing, Transport and Technology. Some of the best jobs in France can be found in these aforementioned sectors.
The French are not the heaviest drinkers of alcohol in the World. France is in 6ᵉ place among the countries that consume the most alcohol in the world. According to a 2017 study, the French drink 11.7 liters of alcohol per person per year.
Nearly 40 per cent of French executives and leaders who participated in the recent poll admitted to working intense, long hours without taking regular breaks which is also above the 25 per cent global average and against the country's workplace policies and lifestyle.
In France, a few pioneering companies already allow their employees to work 35 hours (the standard number of weekly hours) in four days. According to the Labor Ministry, close to 10,000 workers are currently experiencing model.
While speaking English, in Paris, is not considered rude, expecting every French person to speak French will surely be seen as such. To avoid a cold reaction from the other party, it will always be appreciated to start the conversation with a simple sentence in French.
But, if you live in bigger cities like Paris, work in an international company where the business language is English, or study in an English-taught program, you can live in France without speaking French. Especially those who'll live in France for a short time won't struggle.
Overall, while it is possible to live in France without speaking French, it is highly recommended that you try to learn the language. Not only will this make your daily life in France easier, but it will also enable you to fully immerse yourself in the culture and build deeper connections with the people you meet.