France is considered as one of the most attractive destinations for economic migrants. However, before you start working in this country, find out what you need to do before your arrival. How to go to France? What formalities must be completed before and after arrival? The answers to these and other questions, you will find in our article.
Are you looking for a job in France?
Entering and staying in France
Any person who is a citizen of one of the EU Member States, may enter France upon presentation of:
- a valid passport
- temporary passport
- ID card
An additional advantage is that there is no obligation to register your stay. EU citizens are also exempted from the registration obligation.
How to go to France? To go with an employment agency or on your own?
If you decide to go to France for work with an employment agency, you don’t have to worry too much about formalities. Employment agencies exist for that, to help the future employee find a job, accommodation, transport and complete all formalities.
Do you have doubts about how employment agencies work? Be sure to read our article >> How do employment agencies work? What do they earn?
After all, many people plan to go to France on their own. How to get down to it? Read on!
First formalities before arrival to France
- Preparation of the most necessary documents
Remember, to collect a briefcase with the most necessary documents. These include:
- ID card and / or passport – it is worth having both of these documents with you
- driving license (if you have and e.g. it is required at work)
- birth certificate and a certificate of no criminal record (translated into French)
- marriage certificate and children’s birth certificates (if you have any)
2. Termination of all work contracts in your country
This is a very important point that hardly no one remembers. We are talking here, among others, about contracts for telephone, Internet and other media, passes (e.g. for the gym), subscriptions. It is worth breaking contracts in your country of origin before leaving for France. Doing this remotely can prove to be difficult or even impossible.
3. Getting a French health insurance card – Carte Vitale
Carte Vitale is the equivalent of the EHIC, which is not valid in France. On the other hand, Carte Vitale can only be used in France. It will not be honored while staying in another country.
The process of making a Carte Vitale can seem to be complicated, especially for people who do not speak French.
What else is needed to do before going to France?
- Rent an apartment or room in France
It turns out that renting an apartment in France is not the easiest task. This is mainly due to the lack of available apartments for foreigners. If your employer does not provide you with accommodation for the duration of the contract, look around for an apartment before your arrival. We recommend looking for apartments on French portals with advertisements about renting, for example:
- https://www.fnaim.fr/
- https://www.avendrealouer.fr/
- https://www.locservice.fr/
- https://www.leboncoin.fr/
Find out more >> How to rent an apartment in France? – Practical tips
Important! To rent an apartment in France without a job, it is almost impossible! When signing the rental agreement, a document confirming our employment and source of income must be presented. Moreover, it must be a contract for an indefinite period (CDI).
- Finding a job in France
As we mentioned above, employment in France is a necessary condition, if we want to rent an apartment and settle in this country for longer. Therefore, the question arises: Where to look for a job?
On our portal europa.jobs, job offers in France appear regularly. It is also worth taking a look at French classifieds portals such as:
- https://www.pole-emploi.fr/
- https://www.clemajob.fr/
- https://www.directemploi.com/
- https://www.keljob.com/
If you’re familiar with the French language, then search this way.
- Arranging transportation
The last step before going to France will be finding transport. Very often, employment agencies organize transport abroad for employees.
However, if you act alone, you need to find out well earlier, about the available options. The best choice will be to fly with low-cost airlines such as Ryanair, LOT or Wizz Air. Ticket prices start from about EUR 12.53. If we are flying from Poland we can fly, among others, to airports in: Paris, Lyon, Nice, Nantes, Lille, Toulouse or Grenoble.
Formalities upon arrival in France
- Opening an account in a French bank
Every EU citizen can open an account in a French bank.
However, you have to bear in mind that online applications are not available to foreigners. To open a French account, you must come to the bank in person with all the necessary documents. Before you go to the bank of your choice, find out what documents are required. The procedures are however, not standardized for all French banks.
You will most likely need:
- identity document
- proof of registered address in France
- employment certificates
In most cases, the employer requires the foreign worker to open an account in a French bank. Why? Because then the execution of transfers becomes faster and more convenient.
Of course, upon arrival, you should take care of all the above-mentioned formalities. In addition, we encourage you to enroll in a French language course before moving to France (or immediately after) or start self-study with generally available aids (applications, YouTube, etc.). Even basic knowledge of French will make it easier for you to function at work and in everyday life.
Find out How to obtain French citizenship?