Why most teachers freelance in France
In many TEFL markets, you apply to a school, get hired, and receive a monthly salary. France works differently. Most language schools and in-company training providers hire teachers either on fixed-term contracts (CDD) or as freelance micro-entrepreneurs. The freelance route is more common, particularly for teachers who are building their hours across multiple clients.
The reason is structural. French employment law makes contracted employees relatively expensive for employers (social charges, holiday pay, unemployment contributions), and language schools – many of which are small businesses – find it simpler to work with freelancers who invoice them directly. For the teacher, it means flexibility and the ability to work with multiple schools simultaneously. The trade-off is that you handle your own admin, tax, and social contributions, and you don’t get the protections that come with a formal contract.
If a school offers you a choice between a CDD contract and freelance, weigh the whole package. Unless the freelance rate is at least 20% higher, a contract often works out better once you factor in benefits and potential unemployment coverage.
How registration works
Registering as a micro-entrepreneur is done online through the INPI portal. You’ll need proof of identity, proof of address in France, and, if you’re a non-EU citizen, a residence permit that authorises self-employment.
Once your registration is processed, you receive a SIRET number. This is your business registration number and is what you put on every invoice. You can’t legally invoice anyone without it. Processing typically takes a couple of weeks, though it can be longer.
You’ll also need to create online accounts with URSSAF (for social contributions) and the tax office. Your TEFL course provider or a local English-speaking accountant can walk you through this if the French administrative language feels overwhelming.
Social charges and tax
As a micro-entrepreneur teaching English, your activity is classified as a profession libérale (BNC – bénéfices non commerciaux). Social contributions are calculated as a fixed percentage of your gross turnover – approximately 24-26% as of 2025–2026, with the rate gradually increasing. This covers health insurance, retirement, and other social protections.
You report your turnover and pay contributions monthly or quarterly through the URSSAF online portal. If you earn nothing in a given period, you declare zero and pay nothing.
Income tax is calculated separately. You can either declare your annual turnover on your personal tax return (with an automatic deduction applied before tax is calculated), or opt for the versement libératoire – a pay-as-you-earn option where income tax is included in your regular URSSAF payment as a small additional percentage.
The critical point is that you cannot deduct expenses from your turnover under the micro-entrepreneur system. Your social charges and tax are calculated on gross revenue, not profit. Things like transport costs, materials, and phone bills don’t reduce your tax base. For most TEFL teachers this isn’t a major issue (expenses are typically low), but it’s worth knowing.
What it means in practice
Let’s say you invoice €2,000 in a month from a combination of language school hours and private tutoring. After social charges (~25%), you’re left with approximately €1,500 before income tax. Your actual take-home depends on your total annual income and tax situation, but as a rough guide, plan for around 30–35% of your gross turnover going to contributions and tax combined.
This is why the hourly rate matters. If a school pays you €20/hour as a freelancer, your effective take-home is closer to €13–14 after contributions. If they’d offered you €16/hour on a CDD contract, you’d have similar take-home but with holiday pay, social security contributions paid by the employer, and potential unemployment coverage.
Most experienced freelance teachers in France aim for €20-25/hour from schools and €25-35/hour from private clients. At those rates, with a full schedule of 20-25 hours per week, the income is comfortable, especially outside Paris.
The visa requirement for non-EU teachers
EU citizens can register as micro-entrepreneurs without any additional visa steps. Non-EU citizens need a residence permit that explicitly allows self-employment (activité non salariée).
A student visa does not permit freelance work. If you’re on a student visa and want to freelance, you’d need to apply for a change of status to entrepreneur/profession libérale, which involves submitting a business plan and getting préfecture approval. This is possible but takes months and isn’t guaranteed.
For US citizens, TAPIF offers a simpler entry point: a government-backed placement in a public school with a visa included, though at lower hours and pay than freelance work.
The most direct route for non-EU teachers who want to freelance from the start is a long-stay visa (VLS-TS) with a business plan showing how you’ll support yourself through teaching. If you take our TEFL course in Toulouse, our partner centre can support you through this process.
Getting started as a freelancer
The practical sequence is: register as a micro-entrepreneur, get your SIRET number, and then start approaching language schools and building private clients. Schools will ask for your SIRET before they can pay you.
Building a timetable takes time. Budget for at least six weeks before your income becomes consistent – timetables build gradually as schools add classes and you pick up private students. Having savings to cover your first month or two in France is important.
Word of mouth is the primary driver of freelance work in France. A short, bilingual one-page profile (French and English) with your photo, availability, and the areas you cover makes it easy for school directors to recommend you to colleagues. Deliver it in person in late August or early January, and follow up by email.
