hi - i've been here since 1989 and have always worked for french companies - i've been made redundant twice (licenciement économique) but been lucky enough to find work soon after though hopefully my good reputation has helped ? - I'm currently employed in Limoges and qualify for french retirement in two years if I chose to accept it - nowadays it's possible to retire and carry on working a certain amount of hours per month (up until a few years ago once retired you were not allowed to work as well)
My husband and I are in the AE-type camp, so not salaried, but our clients our mainly French. Work a lot with Airbus. Maybe a lot of people move here to get out of the 'rat race' of working for businesses?
LOL, thanks Andrew, I knew there'd be someone sensible who could answer!!
I work for a French University- probably one of the rare employers who would have or could have given me a job here. I spent a fortune getting TESOL only to discover I'd never get a teaching job because I am a Kiwi, unless I was a French citizen (led astray by teaching organisations).
My existence here is completely dependent on my boss and his ability to find money to pay me each year. I can't leave and get a better/happier job. If I was an EU citizen I would consider the world's my oyster and become an AE because as I age I realise my options are very limited anywhere and I can never compete with a French person because of my language ability in French. In France I would have useful skills. In NZ those skills would have no market.
Ha ha, Alan! @Chris, auto entrepreneur - the simples way of being self-employed in France if your turnover isn't too high ;-)
Hello,
I'm American and work as an English teacher at an international school near Nice. I work for an association that works with the French system, so my Master's degree didn't have to be translated or approved or anything along those lines. If I DO want to change though, and go through the French system, I would have to get my CAPE-S, which I heard is quite daunting (especially with my level of French!).
It's an auto entrepreneur - someone that sells American cars.
I think!
I'm American, but I'll respond. I'm an AE. Why? Hmm. First because I like being independent. And I'm guessing that someone who has the spirit to move to another country also has the spirit of an entrepreneur.
Second, it's really difficult to get jobs in France, even if you are French. But I find that there are many opportunities to run a small business. So, in short, it's just easier?
Toni
Hi Vero,
Sorry for being thick, but what's an AE?
I don't think I'm one! - I work as a musician so am employed by French people most of the time but sometimes Irish and English.
Chris
as former English midwife it was not the language skills that were the issue but the inordinate amount of red tape laid down by the NMC in England to get my qualifications accredited in France. I basically had to re-train and present evidence to NMC before they would consider transferring to French system. After 30 years as a practising midwife and and 5 years as a midwifery tutor I found this ridiculous.To remain on the midwifery register every midwife has to re-register annually so the evidence was already there that I had the skills
The Language level needed was quoted as "University /academic level minimum needed with evidence" which I duly presented and was then asked to come and sit the language exam !!??
so it was "good old blighty" who were the problem, not France.
Hi Véronique
Full time employment in a French company for me. This is my second stint in France, the first being probably the best period of my professional life based in Paris. I took a few years out from my profession (Engineering) and worked with my neighbour in the UK running a business. I tried my hand when I moved back to France in 2004 but the set-up wasn't the same and I decided to get back into Engineering. Not an easy task in France when you've been out of the loop for a few years. Also, my background was in Automotive Engineering and the only thing here in the Lot is Aeronautical I did manage to find something and have moved on to another company. I've been with them for 6 years now. My main gripe about French working is hierarchic and departmental attitude if you get my drift. That said, it pays the bills. Bon Courage :D
I too use the term immigrant, or integrated immigrant, the term ex-pat just doesn't fit with me ;-)
Our business loan is enormous too, Tracy, and once we buy a house again (ours is sold at last!) we'll have an enormous mortgage on that too :-O
My husband has been Réél Simplifié for the past 5 years. He works as an electrician here; the same as what he was in the UK. However we are going to change from this regime due to the excessively high cotisations under this. The reason why a lot of people become AE is for this very reason. Our final decision to change regimes was made after receiving our cotisations for 2013. Above the 46% we had a further charge of €1898 pension contribution. Fortunately a high percentage of our clients are French so understand why jobs cost so much but many British speakers never do.
Most of our British friends are self employed except for a couple who have jobs in supermarkets. There isn't much work around for anyone in this rural part of France anyway. I would love a part-time job but have not been successful yet in finding one, possibly its an age thing, but I will keep trying.
For the two years to October I was employed by the UK subsidiary of a US company but based in their Beziers office/factory where the majority of the team that reported to me was already based (as had been my French predecessor). My boss was in London. For issues concerning the French employees in my group and sales though the French subsidiary I had to deal with HR and finance locally which was an interesting experience. I don't think the interestingness was due to the Frenchness, but more likely the company culture and local characteristics.
I don't regret the experience but would definitely not look to do it again!
Hi Véro,
I'm going to be really boring.
I've got no qualifications as such aaprt from 3 A-levels.
I moved to France 23 years ago, I started working in a department store, then a smaller "boutique". Next went to work for a firm that made soft furnishings for hotels & restaurants, I was on the technical side, taking measurements, ordering stuff & managing the sewing & fitting teams.
When this company closed due to lack of orders I went back to shop work.
So I suppose you could say that I've always worked for French employers.
Don't worry, it's not fatal, OH and I were both teaching last year and we're both out of it now and back to "normal" life ;-)
Yes and no Dave. I know people in manual skills who went to their local chambre de metiers and went through all necessary steps to be recognised here. A couple of them have fairly dodgy French, but they got their. Some are doing as well as French equivalents and others are doing as badly as many French people with the same skills. There are plenty of both French and non-French 'cowboys' across the board. The bottom line is that the economy is not doing so well, lots of people are unemployed and many others are doing two jobs anyway. Many of the small farmers hereabouts need two jobs or they would have no chance of survival. A French teacher friend uses his former profession as a backup or else he would find it difficult to support a family on his salary. However, as Andrew says, and I broadly speaking agree, you have hit the nail on the head regards finding a job - for anybody.
Not necessarily so Dave, I didn't continue my education after A levels and prior to working in France, didn't speak much French at all (one failed 'o' level back in the early eighties), I've learnt it all here. My only 'professional' qualification is my coach drivers licence which I acquired after I moved here, I did take it back in the UK but have since updated it with the FCOS in France. Same for my husband although he is a genuine qualified carpenter with an 'equivalence' certificate from the Chambre de Metiers to prove it :-), again, he has learnt French whilst living here.
We have both done numerous manual jobs over the years, like I said earlier, language skills and a willingness to take any work are the most important factors to success. I might add that we not your typical ex-pat though, we have an enormous mortgage, two young children and consider ourselves immigrants, not ex-pats.
No, it is relevant Conor. The English, to use a single example, are not issuing multilingual birth certificates, but they are available in Scotland and extensively throughout the EU. EU reports my wife and I use are usually only available in English and French but those first written in another language are increasingly being widely translated. Things are moving. The English and French are being a bit slow compared to others though...
I think you've hit the nail on the head, Dave, being completely honest, most non French haven't got a hope in hell of finding a "normal" job in France at the moment. It's not a great deal easier for the French either!