Guide To: Freelancing In France

Becoming self-employed or working on a freelance basis is a popular option for many expats who need to earn a living after moving to France. Catharine Higginson explains the rules and regulations.

- Catharine Higginson

Finding paid employment in France can be tricky; the recognition of professional qualifications can be a barrier, finding work is also often about who you know rather than what you know and in rural areas there simply may not be the employment opportunities that job-seekers are looking for.

As a result, opting to become self-employed or freelance is a popular option for many British residents in France and it makes sense on many levels. Those with prior experience of being self-employed in the UK will have a slight advantage.

They will be familiar with all the potential pitfalls (as well as the plus point of being able to work while wearing pyjamas!); however, there are big differences in terms of rules and regulations when you work on a freelance basis in France and whether you are an old hand or just starting out in the world of self-employment, it’s well worth checking out French employment law and regulations for sole traders.

HELP AND ADVICE

Whether you have an existing business, a great idea for starting a new one or simply want to start doing what you already do, but for yourself rather than an employer, you need to start by checking whether you are allowed to carry out your chosen activity under one of the business structures that govern self-employed home workers in France. The most commonly used is the micro-entreprise (ME) regime formerly known as auto-entrepreneur.