What is a freelancer?
In France, a freelancer is called an auto/micro-entrepreneur or profession libérale, or more colloquially, a self-employed person (the equivalent of running your own company, but with yourself as the only employee). Self-employment is common in a wide range of professions, including editing, catering, IT, translating, artists, photographers, and tour guides.
Once you become a freelancer, you are no longer an employee and are therefore managed by the Union for the Collection of Social Security and Family Allowances Contributions - URSSAF (Union de recouvrement des cotisations de sécurité sociale et d'allocations familiales). You need to contact URSSAF for all matters related to freelancing.
The differences between a Profession Libérale and an Auto Entrepreneur are as follows:
The main difference between Profession Liberale and Auto-Entrepreneur lies in the scope of professional activities and the tax system .
Whether it is Profession Libérale or Auto-Entrepreneur, the type of residence card held is "Entrepreneur/Profession Libérale" with a line of notes: Exercise d'une activité non salariée.
In other words, as a French freelancer, one cannot engage in ordinary CDD/CDI paid work, but must engage in professional activities as an independent individual to provide clients with mental, technical, and nursing/therapeutic services.
The more common types of freelance jobs in France include: consultants, translators, tour guides, trainers, photographers, designers, lawyers, accountants, doctors, etc.
The relationship between freelancers and businesses is a partnership, not an employment relationship. The contract is called a partnership agreement (contrat de prestation de service). Businesses pay freelancers for their services, and freelancers are required to issue invoices to the businesses.
Freelance work forms:
Freelancers can be employed by multiple companies. They sign contracts with the companies and provide services to the companies. The companies will pay them corresponding remuneration, and then freelancers can issue invoices and handle tax issues by themselves.
It is important to note: a freelancer is a person who owns a company, so when each freelancer signs a contract with another company, it is no longer an employee (Salarié) contract such as CDI or CDD, but a cooperation contract (Contrat de Collaboration) between the two companies.
Students who successfully become freelancers can obtain a long-term residence visa (VLS-TS) marked with "Entrepreneur/Profession libérale" (Entrepreneur/Freelancer).
What are the regulations for being a freelancer in France?
Basic conditions:
In theory, anyone can become a freelancer in France. This is a form of employment that requires the following conditions:
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Meet the French requirement of adulthood (i.e. over 18 years old);
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Have a permanent residence in France (can provide proof of residence within 3 months);
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If you are not a French citizen or a member of the European Union, you only need a Titre de séjour (except for tourist visas);
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Possess a diploma of L3 or above;
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No criminal record
Who is suitable to become a freelancer?
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A successful freelancer is often more proactive in work and life and has good adaptability.
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In addition, good career planning is particularly important. You also need to have an accurate positioning of your own market and the ability to handle affairs and accounts.
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If a freelancer is proactive and handles related matters step by step, their income will generally be higher than that of a CDI. Conversely, if they lack initiative, they are likely to be lower than a CDI.
New rules for freelance registration in France:
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Starting from 2023, the new government unified enterprise service platform - Formalites Entreprises will be officially put into use.
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Whether you are registering as a freelancer or changing your company address after moving, you can complete it on this platform and no longer have to shuttle between different websites!
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If you qualify for the first-year tax and social contribution deduction (L'ACRE) for self-employed workers, you must submit your application when you register. If you forget to submit your application, you have 45 days to do so. If you miss this deadline, you will not be able to benefit from the deduction.
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After successfully registering, you will receive three letters from URSSAF, INSEE, and IMPOT. These three letters are very important, so be sure to keep them safe! At the same time, you may also receive some scams or advertising emails, so be careful to identify them.
How to become a freelancer in France?
As a foreigner, how can you obtain a "freelancer" residence permit in France? To become a freelancer in France, you first need to apply for a freelance visa (Libre Professionnel). Below is the detailed process of applying for a freelance visa and how to apply for a freelance visa:
1. Documents for Self-employed Residence Permit
The following documents are required to apply for a freelance visa in France:
Personal information (general information):
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Passport front page
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Copy of the front and back of your residence card
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Proof of housing within the past 6 months: It should be noted that if your office is at home, you need to prepare a registered mail receipt for the landlord's consent to work from home.
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3 recent standard ID photos, size 35mm x 45mm
Freelance related materials:
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After registering a freelancer's business license, you will automatically receive three letters: INSEE, URSSAF, and IMPOT
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Business Plan
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Financial projections
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Resume
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Personal motivation letter
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French diploma (must be L3+ diploma)
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Company cooperation agreement (at least two copies are recommended)
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Recent receipts and invoices related to business activities
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All other financial documents that can prove business activities (such as bank statements, bank-issued and stamped deposit certificates)
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Avis d'impot (tax return)
2. Application Process for Self-employed Residence Card
Step 1: Register as a freelancer on the government website
Since both are managed by URSSAF, whether you choose Auto-Entrepreneur or Professional Libérale, you need to register in the URSSAF system and interface.
>> Auto-Entrepreneur registration interface
>> Profession Libérale registration interface
Once you have successfully registered, you will receive three letters from URSSAF, INSEE, and IMPOT. These letters contain all the information about your company registration: your company number, company category, etc. Be sure to save them carefully.
Step 2: Submit materials online and obtain Avis sur Projet
In 2022, the French government stipulated that those who apply for a self-employed residence permit and whose business activities are commercial/artisanal/industriel must first submit materials online and obtain Avis sur Projet before they can obtain the Rendez-vous from the police station to change their residence permit and submit materials offline.
Step 3: Make an appointment at the police station
After completing all relevant procedures online, you will receive a confirmation of the submission of materials (Confirmation de dépot), and then wait for the materials to be processed. Once the review is passed, you will receive an RDV invitation.
During the waiting period, you can actually prepare the materials for applying for a freelance visa (see above for details).
Different police stations may have different document requirements. For example, some may require proof of application approval from the Ministry of Economic Affairs. Therefore, it is important to understand the requirements of your local police station in advance to avoid the risk of having your documents rejected.
Step 4: Wait for the Self-employed Residence Card
Finally, wait patiently for the freelance residence card application process. Under normal circumstances, the freelance application will be reviewed and the freelance residence card will be issued after a certain period of time.
In general, the above outlines the application process for a freelancer in France. However, there are many details that require attention at each step. Negligence at any stage can lead to the risk of incomplete documents or operational errors.
What are the factors that affect the success rate of freelancing?
The professional activities you engage in as a freelancer must be related to the major you studied in France. For example, if you studied Marketing, a recommended professional activity would be conseil en marketing.
In your motivation letter and business plan, you can describe your study and career experience.
When submitting your documents to the police, it's best to have at least one month's income to show that you're successfully running your own project and generating income. Note: Your monthly income from freelance work must be higher than the SMIC (the latest SMIC standard in 2022 is 1645.58€/month).
There are many other factors that influence the success or failure of a freelancer's application, such as:
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Material integrity
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Motivational rationality
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Whether the registration option is consistent with the professional expertise
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Feasibility of career planning