Employment

The spouses of scientists who have a “private and family life” residence permit are permitted to work in France. The spouses of scientists therefore have access to the labour market in France where the statutory working time for full-time work is set at 35 hours per week.

In France, there is a mandatory minimum wage called the SMIC, which amounts to €9.88 gross per hour.

If you have a residence permit or a “talent passport”, you may only work in public or private institutions authorised to conduct research or to provide university education (with the establishment of a hosting agreement). If you are employed in another context, you have to request a change of status from researcher to employee. This change of status is made at the prefecture by appointment.

If you have a “private and family life” residence permit or a “family talent passport”, you may work in the sector the field of your choice.

The Pôle emploi (job centre service) is both a public body where you can register as a job-seeker and a search facilitator that proposes job offers in all fields.

The missions of the job centre service

• The reception and registration of job-seekers and the monitoring of the job search
• The collection of job offers and matching the offers to job-seekers
• The provision of support, guidance and training for persons seeking a job, training or professional advice
• The payment of compensation to job-seekers

Pôle emploi addresses

Pôle emploi de Montpellier – Castelnau, 400 avenue Marcel Dassault, 34170 Castelnau‑le-lez
Pôle emploi Espace cadres, 770 Avenue Alfred Sauvy, 34470 Lattes
Pôle emploi Montpellier – Méditerranée, 300 Impasse John Locke, 34470 Pérols
Pôle emploi de Montpellier – Mas de Grille, rue Théophraste Renaudot, 34430 Saint‑Jean-de-Védas
Pôle emploi de Montpellier – Celleneuve, 1480 rue du Pilory, 34080 Montpellier  

There are other bodies that can assist you in your job search:

Temporary employment agencies

You can register at a temporary employment agency (agencies specialising in temporary employment that place job offers online).

You will find a non-exhaustive list of temporary employment agencies below:

 

Manpower https://www.manpower.fr/
Randstad https://www.randstad.fr/
Missions intérim http://www.missions-interim.fr/
Alfa intérim https://www.alfa-interim.fr/

Professional networks

Viadeo and LinkedIn are two online platforms that enable you to create a profile for yourself (identity, professional experience, academic curriculum, etc.). Once your profile is online, recruiters or any persons interested in your profile can contact you.

These networks enable you make relevant contacts, in connection to your profile so as to make yourself known on the web and to contact persons who are likely to be interested in your profile. You can also make an announcement and add external content (website, documents, etc.).

Apec

The Apec (Association pour l’emploi des cadres, Association for Executive Employment) is intended for all executives and young higher education graduates (with 4 years of higher education). The Apec facilitates the matching up of demand and supply in the executive labour market (predominantly for the engineering and Research and Development professions), makes available all the information relating to this market and offers a range of services and personalised advice. 

Do not hesitate to register and make an appointment with an adviser who will assist you through your job search (assistance with the production of a CV and covering letters).

You can produce your CV and place it directly online on the website. In this way, interested recruiters can view your CV and contact you.

170 rue Léon Blum, bât B « La Vigie », 34967 Montpellier
https://www.apec.fr/

RegionsJob

This website enables you to search for jobs by region. There are very many job offers for those with 5 years of higher education. The website also publishes region and recruitment field-based employment news and provides advice for the production of a CV for example.
https://www.regionsjob.com/

Other websites for your job search

Cadremploi : https://www.cadremploi.fr/
Monster : https://www.monster.fr/
Keljob : https://www.keljob.com/

Researchers who are nationals of third countries may register as job seekers and claim unemployment benefits. Article R.313-11 of the CESEDA (Code for Entry and Residence of Foreign Persons and the Right of Asylum) allows natives of third countries to obtain “a residence permit extended by one year if the foreigner is involuntarily unemployed. At the time of the next renewal, the duration of his or her residence permit will be equivalent to the duration of the entitlement that he or she acquired for the income replacement mentioned in Article L. 5422-1 of the Labour Code”.

Thus, the duration of the residence permit is aligned with the duration of the compensation (back-to-work allowance).

The Pôle Emploi is the body responsible for the payment of unemployment benefits. Thus, first, it is necessary to make a registration application via the website on the day following the end of the employment contract. After registration approval, you will be sent an invitation for an interview. It is also possible to carry out this step by telephone on 3949. Registration with the Pôle emploi makes it possible to obtain a professional interview with an adviser in order to draw up a personalised plan for finding a job.

The granting of the back-to-work allowance (ARE)

To receive ARE from the Pôle emploi, you must beforehand submit a new application file on the ANEF website to get a new residence permit based on your Pôle Emploi rights. You will provide your employer certificate and the ither supporting documents. Prefecture will provide you on your ANEF account a document called ‘Attestation de Prolongation d’Instruction’.  

You will then be able to present yourself at your Pôle emploi appointment with this document ‘Attestation de Prolongation d’Instruction’. It is at this point that the Pôle emploi will issue to you the Pôle emploi certificate of entitlement (ARE). You will then have to provide this document on your ANEF account in order to finalise your application for residence permit.

Prerequisites for access to the ARE

To be entitled to the back-to-work allowance, you must provide evidence of qualifying contribution periods corresponding to periods completed in one or more companies. To provide evidence of this, your employer provides you with an employer certificate.

You must:

Provide evidence of 88 days worked or 610 hours of work during the 28 months preceding the end of the employment contract.`
Be registered as a job-seeker or complete training as part of the individual job-seeking plan (PPAE)
Be actually and continuously looking for a job
Be physically fit for employment
Be in a situation of involuntarily unemployment (except in the case of legitimate resignation)
Be resident in the territory falling within the scope of the unemployment insurance scheme

The ARE is calculated on the basis of your previous salaries. The amount of the allowance varies depending on the amount of salaries received in the past and the work patterns (full-time work or part-time work). The reference period consists of the 12 calendar months preceding the last day of paid work.

When you are granted entitlement, Pôle emploi informs you of the amount and the duration of your compensation as well as the date of the first day of compensation, the average monthly amount and an estimate of the first payment.