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Did you know that France has the 7th largest economy in the world? And it houses some of the best universities in the world, like INSEAD, HEC-Paris, and Sciences Po. If you’re an international student in France, you also get generous part-time work opportunities. With a 20-hour per week work allowance for international students, read this blog to know about part-time job salaries in France for international students! 

As an Indian student in France, you can either get an on-campus job, where you will work in your university as a research assistant, librarian, or lab assistant. On the other hand, you can get an off-campus job, working in retail, as a receptionist or even a bartender.

It is important to note that legally, you are allowed to work 20 hours per week as an international student. These part-time jobs help you grow personally and professionally while you’re still enrolled in your course. 

On-Campus Part-Time Jobs

International students in France usually take on part-time jobs like tutoring, RA, and lab assistants. Wages range from EUR 12 to EUR 30 per hour (INR 1200 to INR 3000 approximately). This is a great way to make some extra savings.

The job roles and their wages are as below:

Off-Campus Part-Time Jobs

Off-campus jobs can be more convenient if you’d like to socialise while studying. You can work as a cashier, bartender, or technician, earning up to EUR 30 per hour (INR 2900).

Some off-campus roles are listed below:

Besides these part-time jobs that you can pursue with your student visa, you can also take up an In-course Internship. Most programs in France require you to complete an internship, so that you know what the real-world working environment is like.

The perks of these internships are as follows:

• The internship working hours are not counted in the 20 hours/week for part-time work. 
• If you are in an internship for more than 2 months, you will be provided with a compensation of INR 55,000.

Suggested: Cost of Studying in France

The minimum wage for all types of jobs in France is guaranteed by law, which is commonly called the SMIC (Salaire Minimum Interprofessionnel de Croissance or Guaranteed Minimum Wage). The minimum wage for part-time jobs in France for international students is EUR 11.88 (INR 1133) per hour. While 20% of your gross salary is deducted as a social security contribution, by working 20 hours per week, you can earn around INR 40,000 per week.

Some of the high-paying part-time jobs in France for international students are:

Let’s Discuss the High-Paying Part-Time Jobs in Detail:

1. Retail Worker

As a part-time retail worker in France, language skills will be of utmost importance. Make sure you have conversational abilities in French, with knowledge in sales, customer service and inventory management.

2. English Translator

Here again, your French skills will be very important. You can translate documents, websites, and other interpreting services from French to English (and vice versa). Although a difficult job and requires lots of practice, you can do this as an international student.

3. Tour Guide

Interested in local history with a knack for storytelling? This job is for you! Being bilingual/ multilingual will significantly help you with this role. As an international student, make sure you brush up on your history, culture ,and anthropology knowledge.

4. Salesperson

If you have persuasion skills, good communication and have the knack for selling a product, this might be a good match for you. Your French should ideally be in the A2 or B1 level. 

5. Private Tutor

You can work as a private tutor for STEM subjects, either for school or undergraduate students. The pay can vary depending on the education level and your negotiation skills.

Some top industries offering part-time jobs to international students in France are IT, tech support, retail and hospitality. With more than 10,000 Indian students in France, there are many industries that offer lucrative part-time jobs in France. These help you become independent and develop skills necessary for growing as a professional.

Top industries offering part-time work in France include:

Because France has a high international student population, and a 67% employment rate, you will find many good companies offering part-time jobs here. If you’re on a student visa, you can work up to 964 hours per year. This helps you take care of your living expenses, develop skills and network with other students/professionals.

The top companies offering part-time jobs for international students in France are:

There is no dearth of part-time jobs in France for international students, but you must have the right skills. Each job/ industry will require a different set of skills based on the job profile. In order to secure a job, make sure that your CV highlights the required skills and relevant experience for the job profile.

However, here are some basic skills you should have for getting a part-time job in France:

Communication skills

You should have good communication skills to help in situations like customer interaction and teaching assistance. 

Patience and multitasking

Various part-time jobs like waitering and babysitting will require you to have a lot of patience and multitasking abilities. 

Language skills

No matter what job profile you choose, you should have at least a basic understanding of the French language and/or any other language required. 

Customer service skills

If you choose job profiles like sales representative or IT Support, you should have good customer service skills. This means that you should be able to understand and interact with customers without any issues.

Organisational skills

Many part-time job profiles like teaching assistant, retail worker, babysitter, etc. will require you to have good organizational skills. 

Ability to work under pressure

For all of your job profiles, you should learn how to work under pressure. This will ensure that you can provide good results in every situation. 

If you are working as an international student in France, you must keep the rules and regulations in mind. Depending on your educational affiliation, and visa, you will fall under different categories of employment. If you’re a student, you can work for 20 hours a week, but if you’re a PhD scholar, you can work throughout the year. 

Let’s go through the working hours and salaries for international students:

Working hours

Here are some of the basic work rules and regulations that you will have to follow:

• You are only allowed to work 964 hours per year which is approximately 20 hours per week, if you are enrolled in a course longer than 6 months. 
• If you are enrolled in a 6-month course, then you can only work for a maximum of 472 hours, i.e., only till the duration of your course. 
• The universities in France do not allow students to work for more than 670 hours between September 1st and June 30th. 
• Between July 1st and August 31st, students are only allowed to work up to 300 hours in total. 
• You will also have to ensure that your part-time job does not interfere with your regular academic classes. 

Salary

Before you start your part-time job, you should know the following rules about your pay:

• The minimum wage in France is EUR 11.88 (INR 1133) per hour.
• As an international student, you are entitled to minimum wage through the SMIC scheme or the guaranteed minimum wage scheme. 
• Around 20% of your earnings will be deducted for the social security contributions. This will bring your minimum wage to INR 906/hour.
• Your university will also help you get part-time jobs on a contract basis. These contracts will be made for 12 months.
• An average international student in France earns between EUR 12 to EUR 20 (INR 1090 to INR 2730) per hour through part-time work. 

All the international students in France need to follow the same basic eligibility criteria for part-time jobs. These will be the basic eligibility requirements, and then each job profile will have its own eligibility criteria.

Here are the basic eligibility requirements:

Temporary Residence Permit

To apply for your residence permit, you will need the following documents:

1. 1. A passport valid for at least 3 months after the intended stay
   2. Visa application form
   3. Copies of all educational transcripts
   4. Birth certificate
   5. Health insurance
   6. References from previous employers
   7. Passport-sized photos 
   8. Appointment letter from the company
   9. LOR from an employer
   10. A detailed explanation of the type of work you will be engaging in France

Talent Passports

A talent passport is a 4-year residence permit that will work as proof that you have the skills to add to France’s economy.