France Social Welfare — Overview

France's welfare system is built around Sécurité sociale (social security), set up in 1945 and financed by contributions on earnings and the CSG levy. Its five branches (health, work injury, pensions, family, autonomy) work through their own funds (caisses); unemployment insurance (Unédic, paid by France Travail), supplementary pensions (Agirc-Arrco) and supplementary health insurance (mutuelle) sit on top. Since 2016, PUMa (Protection universelle maladie) covers everyone who works or lives in France on a stable and regular basis.

Key points for newcomers:

• Register with your CPAM (Caisse primaire d'assurance maladie). Workers are covered from the start of their job; others after 3 months of residence. You receive a social security number (NIR) that the other branches also use.
• EU and non-EU citizens are treated differently. EU/EEA/Swiss citizens move under EU coordination rules (Regulation 883/2004), which count insurance periods from other member states. For non-EU citizens, a valid residence permit (titre de séjour) is a condition for most benefits, and some (RSA, ASPA) require several years of residence permits.
• Agreements with other countries. France has bilateral social security agreements with around 40 countries and territories (for example the USA, Canada, Japan, South Korea and Morocco) that usually cover pensions. See the Cleiss list.
• CAF (Caisse d'allocations familiales) handles family benefits, housing aid, RSA and the prime d'activité.

The areas at a glance

• Health — Assurance maladie reimburses 70% of the €30 GP fee if you have a declared médecin traitant (2026); a mutuelle covers most of the rest.
• Pension — basic régime général (CNAV) plus Agirc-Arrco points; minimum age 62 years 9 months to 64 depending on year of birth (the rise to 64 was slowed in 2026); 170–172 quarters for a full rate.
• Unemployment — register with France Travail; ARE needs 6 months of work in 24 (5 for some first-time claimants since April 2026) and lasts up to 18 months under age 55 (2026).
• Family — allocations familiales from the second child (€152.25 a month for two children at the base rate, 2026), PAJE birth and early-childhood benefits, CMG for childcare.
• Tax — household-based income tax from 0% to 45% (2026 scale on 2025 income), withholding at source since 2019, CSG/CRDS social levies, one annual return.
• Housing — APL/ALS/ALF housing aid, HLM social housing, rent caps in Paris and some other cities, Visale free rental guarantee.
• Education — school compulsory from 3 to 16 and training to 18; public university fees of €178 (licence) and €255 (master) a year for EU students (2026–27), higher differentiated fees for most new non-EU students.
• Parental — 16 weeks of maternity leave (26 from the third child), 25 days of paternity leave plus 3 days of birth leave, and since July 2026 a new paid congé supplémentaire de naissance of 1–2 months per parent.

Things to watch

• Amounts change every year (most benefits in April, pensions in January); check the agency's site before applying.
• Tax residence (domicile fiscal: home, main stay of 183+ days, main work or economic interests) is assessed separately from social security rights.
• Much information is only in French. France Services offices offer free help with online procedures.

Official guidance: service-public.gouv.fr, ameli.fr, caf.fr, Cleiss: social security agreements

Healthcare — Assurance maladie and the mutuelle

France's public health cover is run by the health branch of Sécurité sociale (Assurance maladie), through your local CPAM. Since 2016, PUMa (Protection universelle maladie) gives cover to anyone who works or lives in France on a stable and regular basis, whatever their job or income. Two features surprise many newcomers: you often pay the doctor first and are reimbursed later (unless tiers payant applies), and public reimbursement covers only part of the cost, so most people add a mutuelle (supplementary health insurance).

Joining the system

• Registration and NIR — employees are covered as soon as they start work. If you do not work, PUMa opens after 3 months of stable residence (immediately for refugees and some other groups). Non-EU nationals must hold a valid residence document. Your social security number (NIR) is also used for family benefits and pensions.
• Carte Vitale — the chip card (also available as an app) that lets doctors and pharmacies send claims directly.
• Médecin traitant — declare a regular doctor (médecin traitant). Inside this coordinated care pathway (parcours de soins coordonnés), a GP visit at the standard €30 fee is reimbursed at 70%; outside it, only 30% (2026).

What you pay

• Patient share (ticket modérateur) — the part not reimbursed, e.g. €9 on a €30 GP visit. Your mutuelle usually pays it.
• Fixed charges — a €2 participation forfaitaire per consultation and franchises of €1 per box of medicine or paramedical act and €4 per patient transport, each capped at €70 a year (2026). A mutuelle does not refund them.
• Medicines are reimbursed at 100%, 65%, 30% or 15% depending on their medical value.
• ALD (affection de longue durée) — for recognised long-term illnesses, treatment of that illness is covered at 100% of the official tariff. Your doctor makes the request.
• C2S (Complémentaire santé solidaire) — free or low-cost supplementary cover for people on low incomes; free for RSA recipients. With C2S you pay no €2 charge or franchises.
• 100% Santé — a range of glasses, hearing aids and dental crowns or dentures with no out-of-pocket cost when combined with a standard mutuelle contract.

Common pitfalls for newcomers

• PUMa and a mutuelle are separate. Private-sector employers must offer a group mutuelle and pay at least half of it; if you are not employed, compare individual contracts or check C2S.
• No declared médecin traitant means lower reimbursement, except for emergencies and specialists you may see directly, such as gynaecologists, ophthalmologists and psychiatrists.
• EHIC (European Health Insurance Card) is for temporary stays. Once you live in France, register with the CPAM instead; the same goes for travel insurance bought abroad.
• Report a move abroad. PUMa can be withdrawn if you no longer meet the residence conditions.

Official guidance: ameli.fr, Service-Public: PUMa, Service-Public: ticket modérateur, forfait and franchises, Service-Public: C2S

Pensions — Basic régime général plus Supplementary Agirc-Arrco

Retirement income in France usually rests on two compulsory layers. The first is the basic pension (régime de base); for private-sector employees this is the régime général, paid by l'Assurance retraite (CNAV). The second is the supplementary pension (régime complémentaire), which for private-sector employees means Agirc-Arrco (one scheme since 2019), built up in points. Other schemes cover civil servants and the self-employed; info-retraite.fr shows all your periods in one place.

Age and quarters

• Minimum retirement age (âge légal) — the 2023 reform raises it to 64, but the increase was slowed for people born from 1964 to 1968. It is 62 years 9 months for people born between January 1963 and March 1965, 63 for those born April–December 1965, then rises by 3 months per year of birth to 64 for people born from 1969.
• Quarters (trimestres) — up to 4 per year. In 2026 each €1,803 of gross annual earnings validates one quarter (150 hours at the minimum wage). For a full-rate pension (taux plein) you need 170 quarters (born 1963 to March 1965), 171 (rest of 1965) or 172 (born 1966 or later), counting all schemes. At 67 you get the full rate whatever your record.
• Basic pension formula — average gross salary of your best 25 years (up to the social security ceiling) × 50% × (your quarters in the scheme / quarters required). Each missing quarter before 67 cuts the rate by 0.625 points (décote, at most 20 quarters); working beyond the requirement adds a bonus (surcote).

Supplementary pension and minimum income

• Agirc-Arrco — contributions buy points; at retirement the points are multiplied by the current point value. Points are kept for life when you change jobs.
• Minimum contributif — a floor for people with a full-rate pension based on low earnings.
• ASPA (Allocation de solidarité aux personnes âgées) — a means-tested top-up from age 65 (earlier in some cases) for residents living in France more than 9 months a year: up to €1,043.59 a month for a single person (2026). Non-EU nationals generally need 10 years of residence permits allowing work.

Agreements with other countries

• EU/EEA/Switzerland — under Regulation 883/2004, periods in other member states count towards your entitlement and each country pays a pension for its own periods.
• Bilateral agreements — France has social security agreements with around 40 countries and territories, including the USA, Canada, Japan, India, Morocco and South Korea. The agreement with South Korea (in force since 1 June 2007), for example, coordinates old-age, invalidity and survivors' pensions. Check the Cleiss list for your country.
• Living abroad — French pensions can be paid abroad; tax and reporting depend on your country of residence and any tax treaty.

Common pitfalls for newcomers

• Periods abroad do not help unless an EU rule or a bilateral agreement applies; without one, a short French career gives a small, pro-rated pension.
• Check your career record early on info-retraite.fr and report missing periods while employers still exist.
• Retirement is not automatic: apply 4 to 6 months before your chosen date. One online application on info-retraite.fr goes to all your basic and supplementary schemes.

Official guidance: info-retraite.fr, lassuranceretraite.fr, agirc-arrco.fr, Service-Public: retirement age, Cleiss: social security agreements

Unemployment — France Travail and ARE

French unemployment insurance is run jointly by the social partners: Unédic sets the rules and France Travail (called Pôle emploi until 2024) registers job seekers, pays benefits and offers job-search support and training. Benefits replace part of your previous wage and depend on how long you worked; after that, means-tested benefits can take over.

ARE (Allocation d'aide au retour à l'emploi)

Rules for contracts ending on or after 1 April 2025 (figures as of 2026):

• Who qualifies — you lost your job involuntarily (dismissal, end of a fixed-term contract), left through a rupture conventionnelle (mutually agreed termination) or resigned for a recognised reason (démission légitime, for example to follow your partner). You need 6 months of work (130 days or 910 hours) in the last 24 months (36 months from age 55). Since 1 April 2026, first-time claimants, and people who have not received unemployment benefit for over 20 years, need only 5 months.
• Registration — register with France Travail within 12 months of the end of your contract, sign your job-search commitment and update your situation every month (actualisation). Payment starts after a 7-day waiting period, longer if you received paid-holiday compensation or extra severance pay.
• Amount — based on your daily reference wage (SJR): the higher of 57% of the SJR or 40.4% of the SJR + €13.18 a day, never more than 70% of the SJR and at least €32.13 net a day. For high earners, the allowance is cut by 30% from the 7th month.
• Duration — equal to the period you worked, with a 25% reduction while the national unemployment rate stays below 9%: at most 548 days (about 18 months) under age 55, 685 days at 55–56 and 822 days from 57.
• Working while claiming — you can combine part of the ARE with new earnings; declare them every month.

After ARE ends

• ASS (Allocation de solidarité spécifique) — a means-tested allowance for long-term job seekers who have used up their ARE and have enough past work.
• RSA (Revenu de solidarité active) — from age 25: up to €651.69 a month for a single person without income (from April 2026). Non-EU nationals generally need 5 years of residence permits allowing work. You must be registered with France Travail and sign an engagement contract.
• Self-employed — if your business closes through court proceedings, the ATI (allocation des travailleurs indépendants) may apply under conditions.

Common pitfalls for newcomers

• Work abroad usually does not count. Periods in the EU/EEA/Switzerland can count under Regulation 883/2004 (bring form U1); with form U2 you can export your home-country benefit for 3 months (extendable to 6) while you look for work in France. Bilateral agreements may not cover unemployment at all; the one with South Korea, for example, covers only pensions.
• Missing your monthly actualisation stops payments and can lead to deregistration.
• Your residence permit is not cancelled by unemployment, but some permits are renewed only if you have enough resources; check your titre de séjour rules before renewal.
• You need a French or SEPA bank account in your name for payments.

Official guidance: francetravail.fr, unedic.org, Service-Public: ARE, Service-Public: RSA

Family Benefits — Allocations familiales and the CAF

Almost every family cash benefit in France is paid by one body, the CAF (Caisse d'allocations familiales), or by the MSA for people in farming. Family, childcare and housing benefits are all handled in your CAF account. Many benefits depend on household income, and most amounts are revised every April.

Main benefits

• Allocations familiales (family allowance) — paid from the second child under 20. The monthly base amount for two children is €152.25 if household income is up to €79,980, then halves in two steps for higher incomes; for three children it is €347.32 (April 2026 amounts, 2024 income). A supplement is added once a child turns 18 (14 for children born before March 2012), except for the eldest of two. There is no family allowance for one child.
• PAJE (Prestation d'accueil du jeune enfant) — the early-childhood package:
  • Prime à la naissance — a means-tested lump sum of €1,093.11 per expected child (2026), paid during pregnancy if you declared it before the end of the 3rd month.
  • Allocation de base — a means-tested monthly allowance until the child turns 3.
  • PreParE — for a parent who stops or reduces work to care for a child (see the Parental Leave section).
  • CMG (Complément de libre choix du mode de garde) — helps pay a registered childminder (assistant maternel) or home carer for a child under 6 (under 12 for single parents).
• Other benefits — complément familial (three or more children aged 3 to 20, means-tested), ARS (Allocation de rentrée scolaire) for children aged 6–18 at the start of the school year (€426.87 to €466.02 depending on age, 2026, means-tested), ASF for a child raised without the support of one parent (or whose child support is unpaid), and AEEH for a disabled child.
• Childcare — crèche places are allocated by the town or the provider; the tax credit for childcare outside the home covers 50% of costs for children under 6, within a ceiling.

Conditions for foreign nationals

• You must live in France (more than 9 months a year) with your children. EU/EEA/Swiss citizens need a right of residence (as worker, student or other). Other nationals need a valid residence permit (for example a VLS-TS, temporary or multi-year card, or resident card).
• Unless your permit allows you to work, you must also prove that your children entered France legally, for example through family reunification.
• EU coordination — if one parent works in another EU/EEA country or Switzerland, Regulation 883/2004 decides which country pays first; the other may pay a top-up (complément différentiel).

Common pitfalls for newcomers

• Not applying. Family allowance starts automatically only if you are already a CAF claimant. Some benefits can be claimed up to 2 years late, but others, such as the CMG, are never backdated.
• Missed income or situation updates often lead to repayment demands. Declare births, moves, couple changes and job changes in Mon Compte on caf.fr.
• Keep your residence proof current. When you renew your permit, send the CAF the renewal receipt (récépissé), which counts as valid proof.

Official guidance: caf.fr, Service-Public: family allowance, Service-Public: benefits for foreign nationals, monenfant.fr

Taxes — Progressive Income Tax and prélèvement à la source

French personal income tax (IR, impôt sur le revenu) is progressive and assessed on the household (foyer fiscal). Since 2019 it is collected through withholding at source (prélèvement à la source, PAS): your employer or pension fund deducts it every month, and an annual return the following spring settles the final amount. Separate social levies, CSG and CRDS, are also taken from wages, benefits and investment income, so income tax alone does not show the full burden.

Who pays and how

• Tax residence (domicile fiscal) — you are a French tax resident if your household or main home is in France, you stay more than 183 days in the year, your main job is in France, or your main economic interests are there. Residents are taxed on worldwide income; non-residents mainly on French-source income. A tax treaty can override these rules.
• Rates (2026 scale, on 2025 income, per part) — 0% up to €11,600; 11% to €29,579; 30% to €84,577; 41% to €181,917; 45% above. The scale is updated every year.
• Family quotient (quotient familial) — taxable income is divided by the number of parts (1 for a single person, 2 for a married or PACS couple, plus a half part for each of the first two children and a full part from the third). The tax advantage per child is capped.
• PAS — your rate is calculated from your last return; until you have filed a first return, a default rate based only on your salary applies. Self-employed and rental income is paid through monthly or quarterly instalments (acomptes).

Other taxes to know

• Investment income — usually taxed at a flat 31.4% (12.8% income tax + 18.6% social levies from 2026, with exceptions such as life insurance), or at the progressive scale if you choose.
• Local and property taxes — taxe foncière for owners; taxe d'habitation now only on second homes; IFI (real-estate wealth tax) on large property holdings.
• Childcare — a 50% tax credit, within a ceiling, for childcare outside the home for children under 6.

Common pitfalls for newcomers

• File a return from your first year, even with little income. For your first return, file online on impots.gouv.fr or on paper (form 2042); you then receive a tax number (numéro fiscal) for your online account. Online filing is compulsory if your home has internet access.
• Declare foreign bank accounts (including closed ones) every year with your return; missing ones are fined.
• Double taxation — France has tax treaties with many countries that decide where each income is taxed and how to avoid paying twice. Check the official list before your arrival-year or departure-year return.
• Arrival and departure years need care: the year is split between your periods of residence and non-residence, and you must give the tax office your new address when you leave.

Official guidance: impots.gouv.fr, Service-Public: income tax scale, Service-Public: tax residence, impots.gouv.fr: tax treaties

Housing — Rental Rules, Housing Aid and Social Housing

French housing support has three main strands: housing aid paid by the CAF towards your rent, social housing (HLM, habitation à loyer modéré) run by public and non-profit landlords, and rent controls in high-demand areas. Tenants are also protected by national rules on deposits and leases.

Renting privately

• Deposit (dépôt de garantie) — at most 1 month's rent excluding charges for an unfurnished home and 2 months for a furnished one. It must be returned within 1 month of leaving if the exit inventory matches the entry one, or within 2 months if not.
• Rent controls (encadrement des loyers) — in high-demand areas (zones tendues), rent increases between tenants are limited. In Paris, Plaine Commune, Est Ensemble, Lille, Lyon/Villeurbanne, Bordeaux, Montpellier, parts of Grenoble-Alpes Métropole and the Basque Country (Pays Basque), the rent itself is capped by local reference rents (as of 2026). Tenants can challenge rent above the cap.
• Guarantor (garant) — landlords often ask for one. Visale, run by Action Logement, is a free rent guarantee for people aged 18–30 and for employees over 30 under conditions.

Housing aid from the CAF

• APL / ALF / ALS — three types of aid, depending on the home and your household: APL for "conventioned" homes (most HLM and some private flats), ALF mainly for families, and ALS for people who qualify for neither, including many students. The amount depends on rent (up to a ceiling), income, household size and area, and is usually paid straight to the landlord.
• Foreign nationals need a valid residence permit. Since 1 July 2026, non-EU/EEA/Swiss students on a student permit can get APL or ALS only if they hold a means-tested grant (bourse sur critères sociaux), work, or are on an apprenticeship or professional-training contract.
• Flatmates can each claim aid if each is named on the lease.

Social housing

• HLM homes are let below market rents to households under income ceilings. One online application at demande-logement-social.gouv.fr reaches the landlords in your area; renew it every year. Waits are long in big cities.
• DALO (Droit au logement opposable) — if you have waited abnormally long for social housing, are homeless, face eviction without rehousing or live in unsafe housing, you can appeal to a mediation committee.

Common pitfalls for newcomers

• No guarantor is a common obstacle for newcomers; apply for Visale before you start viewing flats.
• Apply for housing aid at caf.fr as soon as you sign the lease (bail) and move in, and use the CAF simulator first.
• Unpaid rent for 2 months can stop your APL, and leaving without telling the CAF leads to repayment demands. Update the CAF, the tax office and your address together when you move.
• Check the inventory (état des lieux) carefully on arrival; it decides what can be deducted from your deposit.

Official guidance: caf.fr, Service-Public: APL, Service-Public: rent controls, demande-logement-social.gouv.fr, visale.fr

Education — Compulsory Schooling and Low Public-University Fees

In France, instruction is compulsory from age 3 to 16 (since 2019, when the starting age was lowered from 6), and young people aged 16 to 18 must stay in education, training or work-linked training. Public schools charge no tuition. Public universities charge low national registration fees, and student support comes in several layers: means-tested grants, CROUS housing and restaurants, and CAF housing aid.

Schools

• Stages — école maternelle (3–6) → école élémentaire (6–11) → collège (11–15, ending with the brevet) → lycée (15–18, ending with the baccalauréat).
• Costs — public school is free; canteen prices, school transport and some supplies depend on the local authority and often on income.
• ARS (Allocation de rentrée scolaire) — a means-tested back-to-school payment from the CAF for children aged 6–18: €426.87 to €466.02 per child depending on age (2026).
• Enrolment — for nursery and primary school, register first at the town hall (mairie), then at the school; newly arrived pupils who need French support can join a special class (UPE2A).

Higher education

• Registration fees (2026–27, public universities) — €178 a year for a licence (bachelor's), €255 for a master's and €398 for a doctorate, plus the CVEC student-life contribution of €105. Grandes écoles, engineering schools and private institutions can charge more.
• Differentiated fees for non-EU students — most new non-EU/EEA/Swiss students pay €2,902 (licence) and €3,950 (master) a year (2026–27). Holders of a long-term resident card, students whose tax household has been in France for more than 2 years, refugees and doctoral students pay the standard fees. A decree of May 2026 changed the exemptions universities may grant.
• Bourses sur critères sociaux (CROUS grants) — 8 levels (échelons 0 bis to 7) worth €1,454 to €6,335 a year (2026–27), based on family income and other points. Apply through the Dossier social étudiant (DSE). Non-EU students generally need 2 years of residence and a tax household in France, unless they are refugees.
• CROUS halls and restaurants offer below-market rents and subsidised meals.

Common pitfalls for newcomers

• Housing aid for non-EU students was restricted on 1 July 2026: on a student permit, you now qualify for APL/ALS only with a CROUS grant, a job or an apprenticeship.
• Language requirements — French-taught programmes usually ask for DELF/DALF or TCF results. Students from many non-EU countries apply from abroad through Études en France (Campus France).
• Recognition of foreign diplomas — ENIC-NARIC France issues comparability statements for foreign qualifications, useful for jobs and further study.
• Tax link — a student up to 25 can be attached to the parents' tax household (rattachement) or file alone; the choice affects tax and grant calculations.

Official guidance: education.gouv.fr, Campus France: fees, Service-Public: student grants, etudiant.gouv.fr, ENIC-NARIC France

Parental Leave — Maternity, Paternity and Birth Leave

In France, the Code du travail gives the right to leave, and Assurance maladie (your CPAM) pays daily allowances (indemnités journalières, IJ) in place of salary; the CAF pays the parental allowance PreParE. Figures are for private-sector employees in 2026. Since 1 July 2026, a new paid birth leave of 1–2 months per parent adds to the existing leaves.

Maternity, paternity and adoption

• Congé maternité — 16 weeks (6 before the due date, 10 after) for a first or second child; 26 weeks (8 + 18) from the third child; 34 weeks for twins and 46 weeks for triplets or more. You must stop work for at least 8 weeks, including 6 after the birth. Declare the pregnancy to the CPAM and CAF within the first 14 weeks.
• Maternity IJ — based on your salary of the last 3 months, up to the social security ceiling (€4,005 a month in 2026), with a maximum of €104.02 a day. You need 6 months of affiliation and a minimum of hours worked (e.g. 150 in the last 3 months) or of earnings.
• Birth leave and paternity leave — the second parent first takes a 3-day birth leave (congé de naissance), paid by the employer, then 25 days of congé de paternité et d'accueil de l'enfant (32 for multiple births), paid as IJ. The first 4 days follow the birth leave immediately and are compulsory; the other 21 days can be taken in up to two parts within 6 months.
• Adoption leave — 16 weeks (18 if the family then has three or more children, 22 for a multiple adoption).

Longer leave after the birth

• Congé supplémentaire de naissance (new) — each parent can take 1 or 2 months, at the same time or one after the other, within 9 months of the birth (for children born from January to June 2026, by 31 March 2027). The CPAM pays 70% of net salary in the first month and 60% in the second, within the ceiling of €4,005 a month. Give your employer 1 month's notice by registered letter; they cannot refuse.
• Congé parental d'éducation — after 1 year with your employer, you can stop or reduce work until the child's 3rd birthday. The job is protected but unpaid by the employer.
• PreParE — paid by the CAF if you have at least 8 quarters of pension contributions: €459.70 a month if you stop work completely, less if you work part-time (2026). For a first child, each parent can receive it for up to 6 months before the first birthday; from the second child, up to 24 months each until the youngest turns 3. It cannot be combined with the new birth-leave payment.

Common pitfalls for newcomers

• Too little work history can mean no IJ. Insurance periods in another EU/EEA country or Switzerland count under Regulation 883/2004; periods elsewhere usually do not.
• Self-employed people, civil servants and job seekers follow different rules and amounts; check with your fund.
• Your collective agreement (convention collective) may top up IJ to full salary.
• Pregnant employees and parents on leave are protected from dismissal, apart from narrow exceptions such as serious misconduct.

Official guidance: ameli.fr, Service-Public: maternity leave, Service-Public: paternity leave, Service-Public: birth leave, caf.fr