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Unemployment protection

How to get money if you lose your job

Unemployment protection

If working in France and you become unemployed, you should immediately notify the authorities.

First, register at the ASSEDIC, the French unemployment agency , (website in French) and then visit the Pole Emploi, the French national agency for employment  (website in French). Each agency should give you an appointment where an advisor will examine your situation and help you search for work.

You will receive an unemployment allowance (paid through ASSEDIC) based on the following conditions:

  • you have not become unemployed through your own decision
  • you have made at least 6 months of social security contributions in France during the previous 22 months
  • you are less than 60 years old
  • you are physically capable of working

The allowance is paid for 7 months (if you worked at least 6 months over last 22 months) or for 22 months (if you have worked at least 14 months over last 2 years). The monthly allowance usually starts at 50% of previous salary and decreases over time. To receive it, you need to be actively looking for work and may be asked to provide proof of this.

If you leave France after losing your job and do not register as a job-seeker, you will not receive benefits. This is not always the case if leaving for another EU/EEA country; when working there for that country's minimum period you may be entitled to benefits that take into account the time worked previously in France. Before leaving France, get a completed E301 (which lists the periods used to calculate unemployment benefits).

Coming from another EU/EEA

If you come from another EU/EEA-country to search for a job in France, you might be able to receive umemployment benefits. This depends on your personal situation:

You've worked in a EU/EEA country, but have not received any unemployment benefit there:

A general rule is that the last EU/EEA country of employment pays the unemployment benefit. Get an E-301 form before coming to France. The form lists the periods which will be considered for calculating unemployment benefit if you are unemployed in France. Therefore you have to work at least one day in France to entitle you to take into account a period of employment in another EU/EEA country. The calculation of benefit will be based on your last French salary if you worked for at least four weeks - otherwise a reference salary is used.

You've received unemployment benefit in a EU/EEA country:

If you have been registered as a job-seeker in an EU/EAA country for at least four weeks and wish to move to France, ask for form E-303 from the organisation paying your benefit and cancel you registration there. Then you must register in France as a job-seeker (at an ASSEDIC agency in your new place of residence in France) within seven days of this cancellation. You should then receive unemployment benefit in France (for a maximum of three months), but your application may take some time - so ensure you have cash to cover living expenses.

At the end of the three months (or before), you can return to the country where you previously received unemployment benefits and ask to receive them again. If you do not return within three months, you may lose benefits in your EU/EEA country of origin.

You have resigned from your job in a EU/EEA country to follow your spouse (or partner) who has found work in France:

This resignation should be considered as a legitimate cause of unemployment. Therefore you will be entitled to receive unemployment benefit, provided that your previous contributions are sufficient. Ask for form E-301 before leaving your EU/EEA country of origin.

Important: Information about unemployment benefits changes frequently in France and other EU/EAA countries. Make sure you ask for information about your personal circumstances from the relevant agencies/organizations (such as ASSEDIC in France) before making decisions based on the rights to unemployment benefits.

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