The 964-Hour Rule: Legal Basis
In France, the right to work for non-EU foreign students is governed by Article L. 5221-5 of the Labor Code and the provisions of the law of 7 March 2016 on the rights of foreigners. The general principle is: a residence permit marked 'student' serves as a work authorization up to 964 hours per calendar year.
This cap represents 60% of the French legal annual working time (1,607 hours). It was set to allow students to partially finance their studies while keeping academic activities as the priority. Beyond this threshold, a separate work authorization is required.
Students who are nationals of the European Union, the European Economic Area (EEA), or Switzerland are not subject to this cap — they have the same work rights as French citizens.
How to Calculate and Track Your Worked Hours
The 964-hour cap runs from 1 January to 31 December of each calendar year. This matters: if you start working in September for the academic year, your counter resets on 1 January — not at the next academic year's start.
Concrete example: A student works 20 hours/week from September to December: roughly 4 months × 4.3 weeks × 20h = 344 hours. If they continue at 20h/week from January to June (6 months): 6 × 4.3 × 20 = 516 hours. Total: 860 hours. Approximately 104 hours remain available for the rest of that year.
Recommended tracking tool:
| Month | Employer | Hours Worked | Annual Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | Café Le Marais | 80 h | 80 h |
| February | Café Le Marais | 72 h | 152 h |
| ... | ... | ... | ... |
| Cap | — | — | 964 h |
Keep all pay slips and employment contracts. The prefecture may request these at residence permit renewal to verify compliance with the annual cap.
Employer Obligations: Verification and Authorization
Any employer wishing to hire a non-EU foreign student must verify the validity of the residence permit. Since the digitalization of procedures, this can be done online via the ANEF portal or the residence permit verification service provided by the Ministry of the Interior.
The employer does not need to apply for a separate work authorization as long as the student stays within the 964-hour annual cap. However, if the employer wishes to employ the student beyond 964 hours, they must:
- File a work authorization request with the DREETS (Regional Directorate for Economy, Employment, Labor and Solidarity) of the relevant department.
- Provide an employment contract, job description, and evidence that no local candidate was available (labor market test).
- Wait for the DREETS approval before the student works any hours beyond the cap.
DREETS processing times range from 4 to 8 weeks depending on the region. In Île-de-France, delays can exceed 10 weeks during peak periods.
Special Case: Algerian Students and the Lower Threshold
Algerian nationals are subject to a derogatory regime under the Franco-Algerian agreement of 27 December 1968, revised several times since. This bilateral agreement governs all aspects of the residence rights of Algerian nationals in France, including student work conditions.
The cap applicable to Algerian students is generally set at 50% of the legal working time, which administrative practice interprets as 480 hours per year in most prefectures. Some prefectures apply 804 hours (50% of 1,607). The situation varies by department.
Recommendation: if you hold Algerian nationality, ask your prefecture directly what hourly cap they apply locally. Request the answer in writing (letter or email) to protect yourself in case of dispute. Do not rely on secondhand information from peers.
Alternance Contracts and Exceptions to the Cap
The 964-hour cap does not apply to work-study (alternance) contracts. Two types of contracts are concerned:
Apprenticeship Contract (contrat d'apprentissage)
This is a full-time employment contract (35 hours/week) alternating between company periods and training center periods. It falls under the Labor Code, and a student residence permit authorizes it without any hourly restriction. Non-EU foreign students can sign an apprenticeship contract without any additional administrative steps.
Professional Training Contract (contrat de professionnalisation)
Similar in structure, this contract is aimed at adults (26 and over) or job seekers. It is equally exempt from the 964-hour cap.
Supervised Internship (stage conventionné)
A supervised internship backed by a tripartite agreement (university–company–student) is not classified as salaried employment under French law. It is not counted against the 964-hour cap. The statutory internship allowance (minimum €4.35 net/hour for internships exceeding 2 consecutive months in 2025-2026) is not a salary in the legal sense.
Working Remotely for a Foreign Employer From France
The 964-hour cap only covers salaried employment exercised on French territory. If you work remotely from France for a foreign employer, the situation is more complex and depends on where tax and social security obligations lie. Consulting a specialist in international labor law is advisable to avoid any compliance risk.
Useful Resources
- Service-Public.fr — Foreign students and work rights: https://www.service-public.fr/particuliers/vosdroits/F2209
- DREETS Île-de-France: https://idf.dreets.gouv.fr
- ANEF — Residence permit verification: https://administration-etrangers-en-france.interieur.gouv.fr