Teaching Jobs in France

Teaching Jobs in France

Expectations of Teachers

Teaching conditions in France are not bad. The French, although not completely socialist, have worked very hard throughout their history to make it easier on the layman. They are said to work less than most other European countries, strike more and yet make a fairly decent wage. On the flipside, employment in France is higher than many other European nations, so finding and securing work can be a tough job in itself. Even the French themselves have justification to complain about that.

As a foreigner looking to teach, you can work on fixed-term contracts, indefinite contracts or be paid hourly. Contracts are usually 15-20 hour-week deals, so you may need to supplement with some private tutoring or other employment. In most countries it is illegal for teachers to work more than 30 hours per week – contact hours that is (as you don’t get paid for lesson planning). France is no different, with the cap on 35 hours. A permanent contract is called a “C.D.I”. If you’re training as a teacher in France, your school may have more information on obtaining contracts and what they consist of in France. One of the trainers at my school, TEFL International, had some experience with them and gave me a host of information on the ins and outs.

With a contract, most teachers suggest getting hold of the worker’s rights document titled the “Convention Collective”. Make sure you ask for one in English, unless your French is fluent, and you may want to do so discreetly if you’re still in a probationary employment period (wink, wink, nudge, nudge). Some legal points you’ll find in it include getting paid for preparing or correcting any outside class work. Discover that your employer must pay you time for traveling to teaching sites as well. Don’t worry if you discover these things after working, the Collective also states that if previously neglected by your employer, you’re entitled to back pay. Now there’s some info that may come in handy. And if you want to be really picky, you’ll find out that you’re supposed to get a copy of your working timetable seven days before it begins. So what? Well, any cancellations to the timetable need to be paid for after you’ve got your copy. You can also join a local union (or form one with 11 teachers or more), which membership will cost you 1% of your take home pay. Joining a union would be very French.

A contract is a very good thing to have, in France anyway. But getting the contract, that’s a little more difficult. The French are very protective of illegal immigration and schools. As eager as they are to have native English speaking teachers, they will often only open the door for you if you know the legal knock. That means European Union legal-like.

Many American teachers have attested again and again, how doors get closed when they fail to present the legal papers. Some have found “under the table work”, but not as easily to do as finding it in other countries. This can make it a bit difficult to fill up a teaching timetable that will generate enough income to keep you living in the French style you’ll soon become accustomed too.

Even legally, it can be difficult. Most employers want to see you in person before they give you a job. However, in France, you cannot change a tourist visa to a working visa while being in the country. The process can require a tourist trip to France, job hunt and an offer, returning to your home country for three to five months while your employer gets a long stay visa authorization from the French Ministry of Labor. And the French don’t like to do anything fast. Then you can come back, work and get a “carte de Sejour” (or “resident” or “travail”) which is good ID for one year. If you really love it, meet a French partner and stay for ten years, you can than get a “carte de Residentis”, valid for ten years and without restrictions. But by then, you’ll be French anyways and in no rush to get it.