Walvi — independent European work & salary dataNot affiliated with the EU or any government · always verify with official sources
EU member · Schengen

Working in France

High wages and a structured route; functional French helps a lot for most jobs.

Euro (EUR)Work visa (salarié) + residence permitVisa 8–16 wksNet ≈ 66% of gross
Estimates last reviewedJune 22, 2026Indicative monthly figures in EUR · confirm pay & visa rules with the official source.
Currency
Euro (EUR)
EU / Schengen
Yes
Main language
French
Permit type
Work visa (salarié) + residence permit
Visa processing
8–16 weeks (typical)
IELTS required
Usually not
Rent (shared)
€500 /mo
Food + transport
€460 /mo

Salary & savings by occupation

10 jobs
OccupationGross /moNet /moSavings (housed)Savings (self-paid)
Truck DriverSkilled · demand Very high€2,950€1,950€1,490€990
HVAC TechnicianSkilled · demand High€2,850€1,880€1,420€920
ElectricianSkilled · demand Very high€2,800€1,850€1,390€890
WelderSkilled · demand Very high€2,800€1,850€1,390€890
PlumberSkilled · demand High€2,750€1,820€1,360€860
CarpenterSkilled · demand High€2,650€1,750€1,290€790
Tiles & Ceramic WorkerSkilled · demand High€2,600€1,720€1,260€760
Machine OperatorSemi-skilled · demand Very high€2,600€1,720€1,260€760
Cook / ChefSkilled · demand High€2,500€1,650€1,190€690
Construction WorkerSemi-skilled · demand Very high€2,400€1,580€1,120€620

“Housed” savings assume the employer provides accommodation; “self-paid” deducts typical shared rent of €500/mo. Net pay uses France's typical take-home rate of about 66% of gross.

Work permit & visa

Work visa (salarié) + residence permit. The employer files the work authorisation with the labour ministry; the 'Passeport Talent' suits skilled and higher-paid workers. Typical processing runs about 816 weeks once the employer-side steps are done. A formal English test such as IELTS is usually not required for these trades.

Official reference for France: france-visas.gouv.fr

Indicative estimates, not a job offer. Salary, cost and savings figures are modelled from each occupation's rough EU average and a per-country wage index, and exclude employer-specific terms, exchange-rate swings and personal tax. Visa rules are summarised for general guidance. Always confirm pay and immigration rules with the official source or embassy, and never pay a fee for a job offer you have not verified.