Back to France: What is the right to unemployment benefits?

Verified 17 June 2024 - Directorate for Legal and Administrative Information (Prime Minister)

Your entitlement to unemployment benefits varies depending on whether you are returning to France, or from a country of the European Economic Area (EEA) or Switzerland, or another country. We explain to you what your rights are.

EEA and Switzerland

Your entitlement to unemployment benefits varies depending on whether you have lost your job abroad and you are returning to France or whether you are being compensated abroad as a jobseeker and you are returning to France.

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Loss of employment abroad and return to France

Before returning to France, get the U1 portable document to the competent institution in respect of unemployment insurance in your former State of employment abroad.

This form summarizes the periods of insurance or employment completed to calculate your unemployment benefits.

This U1 form is not available online.

If you don't have U1 portable document, contact the agency France Travail (formerly Pôle emploi) in your home to ask your former country of employment abroad.

Who shall I contact

On your return to France, you must work first at least 1 day in order to be able to receive unemployment benefit.

Then register as a job seeker with France Travail.

Register for France Travail (formerly Pôle emploi)

To calculate your period of membership, France Travail takes into account the periods of work completed abroad indicated in the U1 portable document.

Length of membership is the minimum period of work during which you must have worked, depending on your age and your last months on the date of termination of your employment contract.

For more information, contact:

  • Either of the competent institution in respect of unemployment insurance in your former State of employment abroad
  • Either of the agency France Travail from your home to ask your former State of employment abroad

Please note

the rules are different for frontier workers.

Compensation abroad and return to France

Before returning to France, get the U2 portable document to the competent institution in respect of unemployment insurance in your former State of employment abroad.

This form summarizes the periods of insurance or employment completed to calculate your unemployment benefits.

This U2 form is not available online.

If you don't have U2 portable document, contact the agency France Travail (formerly Pôle emploi) in your home to ask your former country of employment abroad.

Who shall I contact

This document attests to the duration of your entitlement to unemployment benefits (up to 3 months, this period may be extended up to 6 months).

On your return to France, you must register with the agency France Travail from your home in the 7 days after the registration end date in the State you are returning from.

You give France Travail the U2 portable document .

The body paying your unemployment benefits abroad continues to pay you your unemployment benefits but France Travail is following your job search in France.

Other situation

If you are not a member of France Travail (formerly Pôle emploi), you are not entitled to unemployment benefits upon your return to France. You can request a social assistance.

Other countries

Your entitlement to unemployment benefits varies depending on whether you have lost your job abroad and are returning to France or whether you can benefit from unemployment benefit entitlements acquired before your expatriation.

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​Loss of employment abroad and return to France​

On your return to France, you must register as a job seeker at the agency France Travail (formerly Pôle emploi) of your domicile in the 12 months following the loss of your business.

Register for France Travail (formerly Pôle emploi)

To calculate the duration of your benefits, France Travail takes into account the duration of your membership at the end of the employment contract.

The period of membership is the minimum period of work during which you must have worked, depending your age and your last months on the date of termination of your employment contract.

To calculate the amount of your allowance, France Travail takes into account the salaries received during the expatriation.

For any inquiries regarding your allocation file, please contact the expatriate service Mobility Internationale de France Travail.

Recovery of unemployment benefit before expatriation

You retain your unemployment insurance benefits for 3 years.

On your return to France, you can benefit from a recovery of the rest of your former unemployment benefit entitlements, if any remain.

Warning  

Before your departure abroad, do not forget to declare your expatriation to France Travail to interrupt the payment of your allowances to avoid having to repay wrongly paid sums.

Other situation

If you are not a member of France Travail (formerly Pôle emploi), you are not entitled to unemployment benefits upon your return to France. You can request a social assistance.

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