Guide to finding a job and working in France

CDI and CDD are terms that you are sure to come across in your job search, so we’ll start by defining these and and other key terms. They refer to the different types of job contracts between employer and employee.

Fixed term contract (CDD, Contrat à durée déterminée)

In CDD contracts, a start and end date are pre-established between the two parties. It can be full time or part time. It also includes an initial trial period (la période d’essai), during which either party can terminate the contract without notice.

Upon the agreed end date of a CDD, the employee is entitled to a bonus (prime de précarité) that is calculated as 10% of the gross remuneration during the contract period. If you terminate your contract early, you will not receive the 10% bonus!

A CDD can be terminated early in a few different ways: by mutual agreement between employer and employee, via reclassification to a CDI, or by termination of the employee for a serious fault. The notice period is calculated as one day for every week worked. A CDD contract can only be renewed twice. If the employer wants to renew for a third time, the employee can request for the contract to be reclassified as a CDI.

Permanent contract (CDI, Contrat à durée indéterminée)

In this contract type, there is a set start date but no fixed end date. It can be full time or part time. The trial period is 4 months, renewable once, so up to 8 months total. After the trial period, the employee can hold the post for as long as (s)he wants, and it is very difficult to be fired from that point onward (only in case of serious fault). Because of this stability, CDI contracts are the most sought after and hard to obtain. Unsurprisingly, CDI contracts are also the most advantageous when looking for housing, as landlords prioritize candidates with greater income stability.

The contract can be terminated at any moment by either party, upon resignation, firing, or mutual agreement. The notice period depends on employee tenure: one month notice for up to one year of work, two months for up to two years, and three months for more than two years of work.

Even though the Working Holiday Visa has an end date, you’re still allowed to sign a CDI contract. You and your employer just need to respect the validity of your work authorization.

Interim

This type of contract is only possible if there is a specific project need for a short duration. The employee is hired by an agency (une entreprise de travail temporaire), to carry out a specific task for a client company. Similarly to the CDD, at the end of the contract, the worker is entitled to a bonus equivalent to 10% of the gross earnings from the contract period. S(he) also has the right to be compensated for paid holidays.

Seasonal

This contract type is very similar to the CDD. Employers can only use this contract for seasonal work, in other words work that is required every year during the same period (e.g., ski resort employee, beach lifeguard, or fruit picker). A seasonal contract cannot exceed 8 consecutive months. It can only be renewed under certain conditions. Under a seasonal contract, workers are not entitled to the 10% bonus (prime de précarité).

Alternating student internship (alternance)

You might come across alternating contracts. This is only applicable to students whose programs allow them to alternate between classes and work (e.g., three weeks of work, one week of classes, repeat).

Employee statuses

Employees can have one of two statuses: manager (cadre) or hourly employees (employé). Both are employees within a company. The difference is mainly in the responsibilities and working hours. Managers will have more responsibilities and generally hold a more specialized educational background. They also receive higher pay. They have more autonomy in making decisions, but don’t have fixed working hours and don’t receive monetary compensation for overtime. Hourly employees are the inverse of the described for the most part.