Minimum wage
in France.

SALARY PAYMENT IN Euro (EUR, €)

CONTRACT LANGUAGES French / English

PAYROLL TAX 29.50% – 31.30%

PAYROLL CYCLE Monthly

TIME TO HIRE 12 hours

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France

What is the minimum wage in France per hour?

On January 1, 2024 the French Statutory Minimum Wage (SMIC) increased to €11.65 per hour.

This is the legal minimum wage which applies to workers who are over the age of 18, regardless of the work performed, and employers cannot pay their employees less than this wage.

However, young people under 17 years old with less than 6 months of professional practice can be paid 80% of the legal minimum wage between 16 -17 years of age and 90% between 17-18. Young students on apprenticeship contracts are getting a wage which may vary between 25% and 78% of the SMIC in accordance with their age and the number of years working for the employer. Young people do not get any wages for a work experience at all but may be given an expense allowance. Nevertheless this allowance is compulsory by law for a work experience of more than 2 consecutive months.

Part time workers cannot receive a wage less than the hourly SMIC.

Are there regional variations in France minimum wage?

France has a government-mandated minimum wage which applies throughout the metropolitan territory, in Guadeloupe, Guyana, Martinique, Reunion, Saint-Barthélemy, Saint-Martin and Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon. No worker in France should be paid less then this minimum pay rate.

The only exception is Mayotte, where the amount of the hourly gross minimum wage is fixed at 8.35 euros from August 1, 2022, i.e. 1,266.41 € monthly on the basis of the legal working time of 35 hours per week.

How has minimum wage in France changed in the last 5 years and beyond?

In the last 5 years the minimum wage in France has increased by 16.6%, from €9.88 per hour in 2018 to €11.52 per hour as at May 1, 2023.

The French Labour Code sets out the 2 principles by which the minimum wage is revalued:

By looking at the monthly non-smoking consumer price index on January 1 each year,
and when this consumer price index reaches a level corresponding to an increase of at least 2%.

France – Minimum Wage Over the Years

Date	Min. wage, hourly rate (EUR)
2023	11,52
2022	11,07
2021	10,48
2020	10,15
2019	10,03
2018	9,88
2017	9,76
2016	9,67

How does the minimum wage in France compare to surrounding countries?

France’s minimum wage places it in 5^th place across the 21other EU countries which have a minimum wage, behind Luxembourg, Netherland, Belgium and Germany. France is in the top 3 percent of all countries based on the yearly minimum wage rate.

Is there a different minimum wage for expats in France?

No, there is no different minimum wage for foreigners in France.

Hiring in France, Made Easy

Your business can easily hire employees in France without opening a local entity. We handle local employment law, complex tax regulations, and international payroll in 180+ countries worldwide. All you need to do is focus on your business.

FAQs

What is the difference between the average salary and the minimum wage in France?

The minimum wage in France is €20,996.40 per year. Whereas, the average annual salary in France is €28,080.

Is it possible to hire skilled employees close to the minimum wage in France?

It is generally not possible to hire skilled employees near the minimum wage in France, nor is it advised. When hiring international employees on a dispersed team, it is usually a wiser investment to hire employees with track records of success and several years of experience who you know can work independently and be successful.

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