Moving to Paris...but can I work?

[jhermes]

My husband is Japanese, working for a multinational corporation. I'm American. He's been transferred to Paris. We both just applied for our Cartes de Sejour. His co-worker said, "oh, but you can't work here"...????

I checked the French Embassy website, and, although most of the information is for a EU residents or spouses of French citizens, I thought that spouses of people on the Foreign Executive visa could work. Assuming that what his co-worker said is true, I can think of 4 possibilities:

1) I read the website wrong. Always a chance of that.

2) This "not working" thing is some kind of weird company rule that has nothing to do with visas.

3) My husband is for some reason not eligible for the Foreign Executive visa, even though as far as I can see he fits all of the requirements.

4) The less-than-impressive Executive Relocation firm that his company has retained never even applied for the Foreign Executive visa, and instead got him some random other kind of visa.

Any ideas?

I guess that my basic question is: what types of visas WOULD allow accompanying spouses to work in France?

I'm a PhD in TESL, with the associated student loan debt, and would very much not like to spend a couple of years comparing the various flavors of macarons while the interest accrues on my debt.

Is there some other way to obtain work permission for France? I'm not assuming that I would waltz into a fulltime faculty position...I'm sure that there are too many well-qualified long-term residents. A pastiche of part-time jobs would be fine. I would be perfectly happy to teach Business English...did it for years and it was a good fit for me.

Help?

[dijid]

Do you know the exact French wording of the visa status he has applied for? If he has applied for "Salarie en Mission" - which is a 3 year CDS - you will receive a "Vie Privee et Familiale" which has rights to work. That one is awarded only under certain circumstances and has to do with how the employee is paid and by whom. It is essentially for people employed by a foreign company that has interests in France, but their salary (and benefits) come from the home country. You are not eligible for Carte Vitale or anything else while on that CdS. This is the situation for our family.

The "Cadres dirigeants ou de haut niveau" sounds more like an "executive" visa. That one gives the spouse visitor status and does not come with the right to work. However, if I've read it correctly, if the spouse can sign a work contract, they can apply at the Prefecture for a change in status to get the right to work. It sounds like this wouldn't work if you were just trying to pick up a couple part time jobs, though.

I hope it works out for you.

[Bevdeforges]

To answer your question simply, no, you most likely can't work.

I've never heard of a "foreign executive" visa for France. There is a "scientific and researchers" visa (actually I believe that's the title of the carte de séjour) where a dependent can work. But a normal work visa, even for someone at the executive level yields a non-work visa for the trailing spouse.

The information on the various consulate websites varies (in both content and quality, I must say) but on the US site I checked, it's never really stated plainly about the work status of dependents on "accompanying family" visas. The "scientific researchers and university professor" is the only one I'm aware of where the spouse can work. But for "foreign executives" the correct visa type is a "work" visa, plain and simple. Which consulate did you apply through?

If your French is up to it, you might want to check on the auto-entrepreneur site Portail officiel des auto-entrepreneurs They have confirmed that you can set up an AE business on a "visitor" visa, and I suspect it might depend a bit on your local prefecture whether or not they'd clear you for AE status, which would give you leave to freelance in teaching English.

The other option is to telecommute back to the US. It's not exactly legal, but generations of trailing spouses have gotten away with it over the years.
Cheers,
Bev

[jhermes]

Thanks to both of you!! I'll work on finding out.

And I suppose I could always work on that book I've been meaning to write....I think that's what you're supposed to do when you're deep in debt and living in a garret in Paris anyway, right?

[dijid]

Originally Posted by Bevdeforges

I've never heard of a "foreign executive" visa for France. There is a "scientific and researchers" visa (actually I believe that's the title of the carte de séjour) where a dependent can work. But a normal work visa, even for someone at the executive level yields a non-work visa for the trailing spouse.

The information on the various consulate websites varies (in both content and quality, I must say) but on the US site I checked, it's never really stated plainly about the work status of dependents on "accompanying family" visas. The "scientific researchers and university professor" is the only one I'm aware of where the spouse can work. But for "foreign executives" the correct visa type is a "work" visa, plain and simple. Which consulate did you apply through?

There are different types of work visas. Here's the "Salarie en Mission" info:
Pour la promotion de l'immigration professionnelle

And here's the "haut niveau" one that I think is the "executive" one the OP refers to:
Pour la promotion de l'immigration professionnelle

These are essentially for global companies moving employees to France, and not for French employees to bring in someone.

[jhermes]

Thanks...that helps a LOT.

Now to try to get a straight answer from an "Executive Relocation" company that can't seem to arrange for the kitchen stove to be turned on...

As I read it, if I were to find a position in France, I could apply for work permission through the employer. I can't imagine why they'd bother, though, when they could just hire someone from the UK without all the hassle. Still, it gives me hope.

Not working is like living in a hotel for 4 months...not nearly as fun as it sounds.

[jhermes]

Just thought I'd follow up with the reply I ended up getting:

"Your husband is a « salarié en mission » and a « cadre de haut niveau » as well.
You will apply for a « vie privée et familiale » type of residence card. This card is a one year residence (we will renew it as long as you will stay in France) card that allows you to work in France.

We did pick up our Cartes de Sejour, and I do in fact have permission to work. Step 2: finding something to do!!