Hello , I need some help and advice I'm a British citizen and I want to move to France , but I have no idea where to start , I have a girlfriend that lives in France that's why I have this desire to start fresh in Rouen to be precise, basically I need to know job opportunities for someone who doesn't speak French, and how I can live there possible . Things like that I would really appreciate the help as the quicker the better. Best regards
Moving To france
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In terms of immigration, pack your British passport, hop on the train, and go. If you don't already have some other way to satisfy the minimum income/wealth standard in France (at least the "social minimum" -- roughly 500 euro per month from what I can tell), you have 3 months to find a job. (That could mean washing dishes in a restaurant, for example -- French language fluency is not ordinarily a firm requirement for that job role.) You'll also have to register as a resident if you stay longer than 3 months.
See Europa.eu for more information.
See Europa.eu for more information.
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The general, national unemployment rate in France is approximately 10.4% -- slightly better than the Eurozone's 11.1% rate. However, in the latest statistics I could find the unemployment rate in Upper Normandy, which includes Rouen, is at least one percentage point higher than the French national rate.
Though there are slight differences in how the statistics are calculated, France's unemployment rate compares to a 5.5% national unemployment rate in the United Kingdom.
You can also safely assume it is more difficult (than the average) to find employment in France if you are not fluent in the French language.
Though there are slight differences in how the statistics are calculated, France's unemployment rate compares to a 5.5% national unemployment rate in the United Kingdom.
You can also safely assume it is more difficult (than the average) to find employment in France if you are not fluent in the French language.
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I'm not sure what you mean. You hold a British passport, so as a worker (earning at least the social minimum) you have the legal right to stay as long as you want. Whether you can afford to stay or not is your decision based on your earnings and lifestyle expectations.
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One small correction here - that three month "limit" is only if you want to transfer unemployment benefits from the UK to France. As an EU national, you have the right to live and look for work in France as long as you want to - though the general rule applies that, until you're contributing into the system (called "cotisations") you won't be entitled to benefits from the system.
Finding a job without any or much French is a whole different story, I'm afraid. The only real "English speaking only" jobs tend to be those reserved for monolingual executives transferred in by their multinational company. Some folks come over with the intention of teaching English, but the market for that is pretty nearly saturated. Even with a TEFL or TESOL qualification, the hourly rates are low and many language schools will only take on part-timers.
The other "practical" issue is that of finding a place to live, assuming that you'd be looking to rent. In France, you're generally expected to be able to provide 3 months' back payslips to establish your credit. So there's this chicken and the egg issue.
If you can stay with your girlfriend, that eliminates one problem - but be aware that you need to have private medical coverage if you aren't eligible for the national plan through work. It used to be possible to get an "interim" coverage by showing proof that you were covered in the UK up until your departure, but that option is currently available only for retirees. Your girlfriend may be able to add you to her national coverage - but only after you get PACSd or married.
So, in short, it's not all that difficult, but there are some specific hurdles to jump.
Cheers,
Bev
Finding a job without any or much French is a whole different story, I'm afraid. The only real "English speaking only" jobs tend to be those reserved for monolingual executives transferred in by their multinational company. Some folks come over with the intention of teaching English, but the market for that is pretty nearly saturated. Even with a TEFL or TESOL qualification, the hourly rates are low and many language schools will only take on part-timers.
The other "practical" issue is that of finding a place to live, assuming that you'd be looking to rent. In France, you're generally expected to be able to provide 3 months' back payslips to establish your credit. So there's this chicken and the egg issue.
If you can stay with your girlfriend, that eliminates one problem - but be aware that you need to have private medical coverage if you aren't eligible for the national plan through work. It used to be possible to get an "interim" coverage by showing proof that you were covered in the UK up until your departure, but that option is currently available only for retirees. Your girlfriend may be able to add you to her national coverage - but only after you get PACSd or married.
So, in short, it's not all that difficult, but there are some specific hurdles to jump.
Cheers,
Bev
To be frank unless you have a particular skill and have reasonable French then the chance of finding a job is not very good I am afraid.THe cost of living is about the same as the uk and you will have to pay for health care-if you do not have a job or a source of income you will not be able to join the French health care system so you will need private insurance
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Whilst not wishing to pry into your private life in any way, as someone who has been around the block more than a few times, I would just say that such a move creates many opportunities for argument and misunderstanding. Your relationship with your girlfriend will need to be bullet-proof to survive.
If so then, in the immortal words of Delboy Trotter, "Who Dares Wins Rodney". Go for it and the best of luck.
If so then, in the immortal words of Delboy Trotter, "Who Dares Wins Rodney". Go for it and the best of luck.
Thanks mate , I don't know about bulletproof but we are a strong couple I just don't want to be this far away from her. I don't want to look back in 10 years and regret not doing this but in other case I don't want to look back and think what a waste , I guess the be all and end all is the job factor , I have to have a job within 3 months of arrival that's the difficult part especially with me speaking no French at all , but I really want to be with her so I guess I'll risk everything I have to be with her! Best regards
However much I longed to be with somebody, if I wanted the relationship to survive long term I would not move in lock stock and barrel if it involved taking a gamble on getting a job within 3 months of arriving. Not in the current economy.
I would look for jobs online (not hard to do), I would travel over and combine job interviews with togetherness, I would learn French to the best of my ability to improve my job prospects, and I would move just as soon as I had a job to go to but not before. If it takes 6 months or a year then it does. If it's a strong relationship it will survive on that, in fact it will thrive on it because it will show how hard you're trying, and once you move over it will be solid.
Being in a position where you have no job, no benefits, no income of your own, nothing to do all day and relying on your partner for everything is not good for self-respect, let alone keeping the respect of somebody else. Speaking as one of the fairer sex, who like Harrygatto has been round the block a few times - no matter how drop-dead gorgeous you happen to be in yourself, there comes a time (usually a matter of months in my experience) when that on its own isn't enough for a girl. Unless your girlfriend is very atypical.
But it's your life.
I left the UK ten years ago and have been living in Asia. I have dual nationality French/British) and still pay taxes in the UK for rentals. I'm thinking about returning to Europe, at least for more than one or two months and year and want to be in France. My French is okay and I can teach English, which I've been doing for the last ten years. But where do I start? Currently I seem to be a non-person in that I'm not resident anywhere. I'm not sure if I can even get insurance to cover me in France for this reason, and I believe that as of a few weeks ago the NHS will be charging me 150% of the cost of treatment despite the fact that I still pay NI contributions and tax in the UK.
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