FRANCE – 2016 Minimum Salary Increases
The French government has announced an increase in the minimum legal monthly salary requirement (SMIC), with effect from January 1, 2016, bringing it up to 1,466.62 EUR per month (up from 1,457.52 EUR per month in 2015).
The SMIC is the minimum legal salary for all workers in France. A change to the SMIC affects minimum salary thresholds for some types of work permit.
Note that the French bargaining agreement’s specifications on the salary also have to be taken into consideration.
Intra Company Transferees
The increase to the SMIC particularly affects employees coming to France as intracompany transferees (i.e. using the Salarié en Mission route) as the minimum salary level for this route is set at SMIC x 1.5; i.e. at least 2,199.93 EUR per month. Again, the collective bargaining agreement also has to be taken into consideration.
Salary Requirements for Foreign National Employees in France
It is important to note that foreign nationals locally hired in France must be paid salaries comparable to what a French national in the same position at the same company would expect to receive.
Salaries in all cases should meet minimum requirements as stated in the applicable French conventional labour regulation (i.e. collective bargaining agreement) applicable to the parent French company.
Background
The SMIC increases every year in France. It is calculated as an hourly rate, with the monthly rate being worked out assuming a 35 hour week (which is the general working week in France, although depending on the employment contract and category of employment this may vary). More information on historical SMIC rates is available here.