Teleworking in France: a guide for foreign nationals
Thanks to the boom in remote work that followed the health crisis, it is now easy to work from anywhere in the world. France, renowned for its varied landscapes and quality of life, has become a popular destination for foreign teleworkers, whether they work for a company based abroad or are self-employed with a business based exclusively outside France.
Are you a foreign national looking to work remotely from France? In this article, ITAMA tells you what you need to do to make it happen!
Introduction
Working remotely is not considered a work activity and is not subject to the French Labour Code, provided that a number of criteria are met:
- Work from your place of residence,
- Do not travel to the sites of clients or companies located in France,
- Not generate income in France.
If these conditions are met, you can work remotely for your foreign employer on French soil without requiring a work permit. You are also authorised to “remote work” from France as an employee of a company based abroad, or as a freelancer or self-employed person, provided that your activity exclusively generates revenue abroad.
Case 1: stay of less than 90 days
If you are a national of a non-EU country and are coming to France to telework for a short stay, you will need a Schengen C visa for tourist purposes. You can apply for this visa online, on the France Visas website.
However, you may be exempt from this requirement if one of the following applies to you:
- You hold a valid immigration document for one of the countries in the Schengen area*. However, it is important to check with the consular authorities whether it can be used for a stay in France,
- You are exempt from the visa requirement because of your nationality**. There is an exception for citizens of Antigua and Barbuda, the Bahamas, Barbados, Brazil, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Mauritius and the Seychelles when calculating the length of stay.
* The list of Schengen countries: https://www.vie-publique.fr/carte/287827-carte-les-etats-membres-de-lespace-schengen
** The list of exempted nationalities: https://www.visa-schengen.info/voyager-en-europe/pays-exemptes/
Case 2: stay of more than 90 days
As a third-country national, you need to apply for a long-stay visa (VLS) from the relevant consulate in your place of residence to come and telework in France for more than 90 days.
Unlike Italy and Japan, there is no specific status for digital nomads in France. However, the consular authorities can issue a long-stay visa by adapting an existing status, provided that the applicant undertakes:
- Not to carry out any income-generating activities in France,
- Not to meet customers in France,
- To provide proof of sufficient financial resources,
- To be covered by medical insurance for the duration of their stay.
You can renew this visa to extend your stay as long as you still meet the eligibility criteria.
Conclusion
Working remotely and legally from France is possible for foreign professionals, provided that they meet certain criteria and have the necessary documents.
For complete, personalised support, you can rely on ITAMA to guide you every step of the way!
