🇫🇷 Job offer letter in France: what to include
Updated July 2026 · General information, not legal advice
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French employment law is highly protective and much of it is set not by the individual contract but by the applicable sector agreement (convention collective). A French offer (promesse d'embauche) should therefore be checked against the convention — it routinely sets higher minimums for pay, notice and leave than the general Labour Code.
Get the essentials right and align them with what the contract will say, because a firm promise of employment with the key terms can already bind you.
Quick facts
- Probation (période d'essai)
- 2 months (employees) · 3 (technicians/supervisors) · 4 (cadres) — renewable once if the branch agreement allows
- Statutory notice (dismissal)
- 1 month (6 months–2 years) · 2 months (2+ years); cadres often 3 months by convention
- Paid leave
- 5 weeks (25 working days / 30 jours ouvrables)
- Working week
- 35 hours statutory; cadres often on a forfait-jours
- Governing terms
- Sector convention collective often overrides the Code minimums
What to include in a French offer letter
A typical offer for a France-based hire covers:
- Position and classification (coefficient / niveau) under the convention collective
- Gross annual salary and structure — say whether a 13th month applies (common by convention)
- Contract type (CDI is the default; CDD needs a legal ground and must be written)
- Période d'essai consistent with the employee's category and the branch agreement
- Working time — 35h, or a forfait-jours arrangement for cadres
- Paid leave (5 weeks minimum) and the applicable convention collective
Période d'essai depends on category
The initial probation is capped by employee category: two months for ordinary employees (employés/ouvriers), three for technicians and supervisors, and four for cadres. It can be renewed once — but only where an extended branch agreement provides for it AND the offer/contract mentions the possibility; renewal is never automatic and needs the employee's express agreement. Ending probation requires a notice of prevenance (from 24–48 hours up to one month, depending on time served).
The convention collective changes everything
Almost every French employer is covered by a sector convention collective that can set a 13th-month payment, longer notice (three months for cadres is standard), higher leave, and specific probation rules. Name the applicable convention in the offer and check your terms against it — the Code du travail is only the floor.
Leave, working time and notice
Employees accrue five weeks of paid leave per year (2.5 working days per month). The statutory working week is 35 hours; many cadres instead work under a forfait-jours (a fixed number of days per year). Statutory dismissal notice is one month for 6 months–2 years of service and two months beyond that, but conventions and contracts routinely set more, especially for cadres.
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Create a free offer →Frequently asked questions
How long can a probation period be in France?
The initial période d'essai is 2 months for employees, 3 for technicians/supervisors and 4 for cadres. It can be renewed once only if the branch agreement allows it and the contract mentions it — never automatically.
Is a promesse d'embauche binding in France?
A firm job offer that names the job, pay and start date can constitute a binding promise of employment. Be precise, and align it with the contract and the applicable convention collective.
How much paid leave do French employees get?
Five weeks per year — 25 working days (jours ouvrés) or 30 jours ouvrables — accruing at 2.5 days per month worked. Conventions may grant more.
Official sources
Related guides
This guide is general information for employers, not legal advice. Employment rules change and collective agreements may set different terms — confirm the specifics with local counsel before sending an offer.