Working as a student in France: what you're actually allowed to do

You can work legally in France as a student. Here's the exact rule, what it means in practice, and how to find a job that works with your timetable.

The rule: 964 hours per year

International students in France with a valid student visa (VLS-TS) or student residence permit are authorised to work up to 964 hours per year. This is not an informal allowance — it is a legal right written into French immigration law.

964 hours is exactly 60% of the French legal working year (which is 1,607 hours). In practice, it works out to roughly 18–19 hours per week if spread evenly across the year, or about 80 hours per month.

You do not need any additional work permit. Your student visa or residence permit already includes work authorisation. Employers are used to hiring students — show them your valid residence document and your ID.

How much can you earn?

France has a national minimum wage called the SMIC (*Salaire Minimum Interprofessionnel de Croissance*). As of January 2025, the SMIC is €11.88 gross per hour.

If you work the maximum 964 hours at minimum wage:

• Gross annual earnings: €11,455
• Net (after social charges of ~23%): approximately €8,820/year, or about €735/month

For students in cities like Grenoble, Rennes, or Lille, this covers a substantial portion of living costs. In Paris, it covers significantly less.

Many student jobs pay above minimum wage — waitressing, tutoring, language instruction, and tech internships in particular.

Types of work available to students

CROUS jobs (*emplois étudiants*): The CROUS student services organisation runs a jobs board specifically for students, with flexible on-campus roles. Hours are typically short and schedules are built around lectures. Find listings on crous.fr under *Offres d'emploi étudiants*.

Autolib (off-campus jobs): Cafés, restaurants, retail, hotels, and logistics companies all hire students regularly. The hospitality sector in particular has consistent demand and is tolerant of non-native French speakers.

Tutoring and language teaching: If you are a native English, Spanish, German, or Mandarin speaker, private tutoring is well paid (€15–25/hour informally, or through platforms like superprof.fr which handles the administrative side). Demand is consistent and hours are flexible.

Tech and digital internships: France has a growing startup ecosystem, particularly in Paris, Lyon, Nantes, and Toulouse. Internships (*stages*) of more than two months must be accompanied by a convention de stage (internship agreement) from your university — but they are classified separately from regular employment under French law and do not count against your 964-hour allowance.

English-language call centres: Companies like Teleperformance and Concentrix hire bilingual students in multiple cities. The work is repetitive but the pay is reliable and the hours are flexible.

Declaring your income

If you work in France, your employer registers you with the French social security system (URSSAF) and deducts contributions from your salary. You will receive a numéro de sécurité sociale (social security number) which also activates your CPAM health insurance registration.

At the end of the tax year, you must file a French tax return (*déclaration de revenus*) if your annual income exceeded roughly €10,225 (the 2025 threshold). Student income below this level is typically not taxed, but you still need to file. The French tax administration (*impots.gouv.fr*) has an online process that is genuinely straightforward — the pre-filled return auto-populates most of your income if your employer was French.

Important for CAF: If you start working while receiving CAF housing benefit, declare your income change to CAF within 30 days. Your benefit amount may be adjusted, but you won't lose it entirely at student income levels.

Practical tips

• Get a French bank account within your first two weeks. You need it to be paid and for your IBAN for CAF and CPAM.
• Your university's international office often has a dedicated student employment adviser. Use it.
• Apps like StudentPop, JobEtudiant, and Wizbii aggregate student-friendly listings in France.
• The university notice boards (physical and digital) are still a primary source of local tutoring and odd-job listings.

Working in France is a real option, not a theoretical one. Most students who do it consistently find it improves their French, their savings, and their CV — usually in that order.