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France is as attractive a destination for business as for tourism, meaning many countries are looking to expand their operations there. There are a few ways to do this, but you should consider getting to know more about an employer of record in France.
International expansion brings many rewards but it isn’t easy, especially for smaller or less experienced companies. An employer of record (EOR) in France can help you with some of the detail, and will make sure that you stay in compliance with the local regulations.
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Having an EOR in France saves you needing to set up a new entity in the territory. This means you can hit the ground running and also have limited liability if you decide to cut your ties in the country. With those concerns out of the way, you can focus on what really matters: growing the business.
If you are interested in hiring through an employer of record in France, contact us for more information.
Employer of record in France: country overview
The biggest country in Western Europe, France has had an enormous historical impact on the continent and indeed the world. From the Sun King Louis XIV through the revolutionary period and Napoleonic conquest to the founding of the modern EU, France has always been at the heart of Europe.
French fashion and food are admired and exported around the world, while tens of millions of tourists come the other way to visit monumental landmarks such as the Louvre, Versailles and of course the truly iconic Eiffel Tower. Cultural power is also seen in sports, with the rugby union and football teams winning titles.
But there’s more to France than simply the European mainland. French territories are scattered across the globe to such an extent that the country has 12 time zones. These territories include French Guiana in South America, Martinique and Guadeloupe in the Caribbean and Réunion in Africa.
What’s the market like?
The country is the third-largest economy in Europe and the seventh-largest in the world in terms of nominal GDP. Although, as in most global economies, the service industry is by far the biggest, industry and agriculture remain important, with France still the world’s 8th largest manufacturer in terms of value added.
Many heavyweights in vehicle production are located in France, from household names like Peugeot and Citroen in car production, to Airbus in flight. Arms and military production are to a high standard and well regarded, and French energy supplier EDF is the world’s largest utility company. Agricultural production far outstrips the rest of the EU and places sixth in the world.
As mentioned above, luxury products and tourism are also key sectors in the French economy, with LVMH being amongst the world’s biggest companies overall and L’Oréal and Kering dominating their fields. With over 80 million foreign visitors each year it is the world’s number one tourist destination and sales of cognac, champagne and wine remain strong.
As a part of the European Union, France can also offer a lot of opportunities within the trading bloc. It is considered one of the key players within the EU and uses its power accordingly. Strasbourg in the East is one of the centres of the Union and both the European Parliament and European Court of Human Rights sit there.
It is also a very good destination to employ people, as the country boasts highly skilled workers that lead the continent in productivity and job satisfaction. While labour markets are famously highly unionized, this means in practice that workers are more than willing to work hard to maintain those rights.
France invests heavily in research and development as well as education, with 2.4 million people in further education. Many French workers speak at least one additional language, meaning that linguistic barriers are unlikely to be problematic. The country ranks highly for diversity and equal opportunities as well.
The government led by Emmanuel Macron, who took office in 2017, has emphasized generating more foreign direct investment, and according to the 2023 edition of the Economist’s Business Environment Rankings, France is ranked at sixth globally.
Advantages of working with an EOR in France
An EOR is a third-party company that handles legal and administrative processes, allowing you to focus on core business activities. Whether you are a business owner or freelancer, working with an employer of record in France can offer many advantages.
Hiring employees in a foreign country can be complicated due to the various unfamiliar labor regulations and tax laws. That is why an employer of record in France can help you get your operation up and running both quickly and legally.
Cost-effectiveness for your business
Expanding your company in the country comes with a lot of expenses, such as social security contributions, unemployment insurance, income tax, and other legal requirements. An employer of record in France can alleviate some of these costs.
They will be responsible for handling all legal and administrative processes related to your employees, from contract negotiation to payroll and benefits administration, cutting back steps, and saving time and money.
Access to a better talent pool
Working with an employer of record allows you to access more diverse personnel, beyond your geographic location. This will make it easier for you to recruit and hire employees from anywhere.
The EOR can also offer you the experience and connections to look for the best talents available in France, who are linked to the skills you might need for your company. Also, it can help you with all employees’ onboarding stages.
Flexibility in employment arrangements
An employer of record in France can provide flexible solutions for your business, with the ability to quickly scale your workforce up or down as required for projects, without facing legal and administrative implications of hiring or letting go of employees.
Additionally, the contract with your EOR of choice will usually be direct and simplified, so that the organization can work as a third-party representative of your operation, focusing closely on the growth of the company.
Compliance with French labor laws
An EOR will manage several regulations to ensure you remain compliant with the law. This includes the supervision of contracts, permits and procedures to help you create a better presence in the country through more straightforward processes.
Regulations an employer of record in France will oversee
France is well known for its steadfast protection of workers, maintaining protection for workers. It’s worth noting, though, that the country also has high productivity levels compared to other places.
Employment Contracts
France’s strict labor laws aim to protect the rights of both employees and employers. An EOR can assist with preparing these contracts, understanding them better, and ensuring they comply with French labor regulations.
For example, your company will have to comply with the standard 35-hours work week. If extra hours are needed, an employer of record in France can quickly guide you through the arrangements surrounding paid overtime rates.
Payroll Management
Employers are required to withhold some taxes from salaries, like social security and income tax. In France, your fiscal admissions should comply with the competencies of the Centre de Formalités des Entreprises (CFE).
To avoid complications, an EOR can help you manage taxes and contracts, as well as giving you a direct understanding of regulations so you can establish a legal presence and run payroll easily.
Benefits Management
In France, you are required to provide benefits such as health insurance, retirement plans, and paid time off. Some compensations are mandatory, while others can be settled through collective bargaining agreements (CBAs).
Employers are obligated to pay contributions to the Union de recouvrement des cotisations de sécurité sociale et d’allocations familiales (URSSAF), which collects social security duties to manage benefits. These include accidents at work, invalidity, death, job-related illnesses, and retirement.
Termination Procedures
Ending an employee’s contract in France can be a complex legal process, especially if the employee has been with the company for a long time or has specific protections under French law.
There must always be viable reasons for dismissal, following the Code du Travail. An employer of record in France can help you make sure to stay on the right side of this process.
Work Permits
Expanding your business in France may include hiring foreign employees that need a work permit or visa. These authorizations have to all be strictly registered so that your company doesn’t suffer from any eventual trouble.
Work permits are necessary to take up paid employment, except for citizens of the European Union, European Economic Area or Switzerland. An employer of record in France will guide you through that process.
Steps to hiring through an employer of record in France
If you are looking to team up with an employer of record in France, there are seven simple stages you should follow before taking on personnel and starting operations. This way, you can ensure compliance with the country’s regulations and reduce the risk of costly legal penalties.
1) Find your trusted EOR
Before looking for personnel, you should first hire a reliable employer of record in France that knows the local market, understands your expansion needs, and fits your budget. Once you are happy with a partner, you will sign an agreement in which you establish the terms and conditions of the service they will provide, such as the number of employees and the fee they will charge for managing them.
2) Define the profile of your employees
Now that you have the services of a certified EOR, with their help, define the profile of the people you want your employer of record in France to hire. At this point, it is vital to work together, as they will establish all the requirements that the new members of the distributed workforce will have to meet, such as their knowledge, language abilities, experience, and skills.
3) Pre-select candidates
Thanks to the local recruitment networks of your employer of record in France, job applications will start arriving in a matter of days, some of which may be from neighboring countries. As soon as a minimum number of applications is met, your EOR will make a preliminary selection until it finds the profiles that best fit the vacancy requirements.
4) Start initial interviews
The most complete and attractive profiles will move on to the next stage, which is the initial interviews. At this point, your employer of record in France will screen the candidates to verify that they suit the experience and skills described in their resumes. After discarding profiles, the process will continue until you find the right person for the next stage.
5) Continue with in-depth interviews
After being selected in the first interview phase, candidates will be called for an in-depth conversation either directly with you or with one of the hiring managers at the employer of record in France. This step helps you better understand whether the pre-selected professionals meet the requirements to join your team since technical knowledge and interpersonal skills are valued.
6) Draw up the job offers and sign the contracts
Once the candidates have passed all the filters, your employer of record in France will assume responsibility for hiring following local regulations. Your EOR will forward the job offers. When both parties agree on what your company offers its employees, such as salary, benefits, and working hours, they will sign the employment contract.
7) Onboard your new employees
Your employer of record in France will handle the administrative tasks related to hiring collaborators in this territory, so you can start managing the relationship with them. Now that they are part of the company, you can introduce them to the rest of the team and get ready to start work.
Serviap Global can help if you need an employer of record in France
As an EOR, Serviap Global takes care of all the administrative tasks that come with hiring and managing employees. We can help you expand your business with our international PEO / EOR services in over 100 territories, including an employer of record in France.
Our operations started in Mexico, our home country, more than a decade ago. Nowadays, our team includes talented people internationally, across multiple continents, ready to assist you.
Along with our commitment to providing top-tier services and seeking continuous self-improvement, we offer EOR and PEO services across Europe, including France.
Contact us to learn about our services or schedule a meeting with one of our account executives to discuss how we can help you as your employer of record in France.
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