Private payroll employment in France fell by 0.1% quarter-on-quarter, or 13,900 jobs, to 21.0 million in the first quarter of 2026, matching preliminary estimates and remaining unchanged from the previous quarter. Permanent contracts edged down 0.1% from the prior quarter but remained well above their end-2019 level, while apprenticeship contracts declined by 0.4%. In contrast, fixed-term contracts excluding apprenticeships rose by 0.4% over the quarter. By age group, private sector employment continued to decline among workers aged 15–29 (-0.2%), mainly due to weaker apprenticeship hiring. Employment also fell for those aged 30–54, down 0.2% quarter-on-quarter. Meanwhile, employment among older workers aged 55 and above continued to rise strongly, increasing by 0.7%. On a yearly basis, private payroll employment decreased by 0.3%, or 60,700 jobs, marking the fifth consecutive period of annual contraction, although employment levels remained 5.1% above their pre-pandemic level. source: INSEE, France

Nonfarm Payrolls Private in France increased by 20970 thousand in March of 2026. Nonfarm Payrolls Private in France averaged 16725.31 Thousand from 1970 until 2026, reaching an all time high of 21115.80 Thousand in the first quarter of 2024 and a record low of 12568.20 Thousand in the fourth quarter of 1970. This page provides - France Nonfarm Payrolls Private- actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news. France Payroll Employment in the Private Sector - data, historical chart, forecasts and calendar of releases - was last updated on June of 2026.



Calendar GMT Reference Actual Previous Consensus TEForecast
2026-04-30 06:45 AM
Private Non Farm Payrolls QoQ Prel
Q1 -0.1% -0.1% 0% -0.1%
2026-05-29 06:45 AM
Private Non Farm Payrolls QoQ Final
Q1 -0.1% -0.1% -0.1% -0.1%
2026-08-06 06:45 AM
Private Non Farm Payrolls QoQ Prel
Q2 -0.1%


Related Last Previous Unit Reference
Employed Persons 28259.00 28221.00 Thousand Mar 2026
Employment Rate 69.50 69.40 percent Mar 2026
Government Payrolls 6063.10 6054.00 Thousand Mar 2026
Labor Force Participation Rate 75.60 75.50 percent Mar 2026
Long Term Unemployment Rate 2.00 1.80 percent Mar 2026
Manufacturing Payrolls 2824.40 2829.90 Thousand Mar 2026
Non Farm Payrolls 27033.20 27072.50 Thousand Mar 2026
Private Non Farm Payrolls 20970.10 21016.50 Thousand Mar 2026
Population 69.08 68.85 Million Dec 2025
Productivity 101.41 101.40 points Mar 2026
Unemployment Rate 8.10 7.90 percent Mar 2026
Wages 3602.00 3490.00 EUR/Month Dec 2024
Wages in Manufacturing 122.90 122.70 points Dec 2025


France Payroll Employment in the Private Sector
In France, Payroll Employment in the Private Sector refers to the number of persons, regardless of work duration, in employment on the last day of the quarter. Employment estimates are in all sectors. Until the third quarter of 2010, data refers only to mainland France. From the fourth quarter of 2010 onwards, employment estimates cover all France (excluding Mayotte).
Actual Previous Highest Lowest Dates Unit Frequency
20970.10 21016.50 21115.80 12568.20 1970 - 2026 Thousand Quarterly
SA

News Stream
France Private Payroll Employment Down 0.1%
Private payroll employment in France fell by 0.1% quarter-on-quarter, or 13,900 jobs, to 21.0 million in the first quarter of 2026, matching preliminary estimates and remaining unchanged from the previous quarter. Permanent contracts edged down 0.1% from the prior quarter but remained well above their end-2019 level, while apprenticeship contracts declined by 0.4%. In contrast, fixed-term contracts excluding apprenticeships rose by 0.4% over the quarter. By age group, private sector employment continued to decline among workers aged 15–29 (-0.2%), mainly due to weaker apprenticeship hiring. Employment also fell for those aged 30–54, down 0.2% quarter-on-quarter. Meanwhile, employment among older workers aged 55 and above continued to rise strongly, increasing by 0.7%. On a yearly basis, private payroll employment decreased by 0.3%, or 60,700 jobs, marking the fifth consecutive period of annual contraction, although employment levels remained 5.1% above their pre-pandemic level.
2026-05-29
France Private Payroll Employment Falls 0.1% in Q1
Private payroll employment in France fell 0.1%, or 11,400 jobs, to 21.0 million in Q1 2026, matching the previous quarter and compared with expectations of stagnation. Compared with the same period last year, private employment dropped 0.3%, or 64,400 jobs. Temporary employment continued to weaken, falling 0.3% (-1,900 jobs), remaining below both its level a year earlier (-0.7%) and its pre-pandemic level (-9.2%). Excluding temporary work, employment was mixed across sectors. Agriculture declined (-1.2%, or -4,000 jobs), alongside industry (-0.1%, or -3,200 jobs). Construction continued to contract (-0.5%, or -7,700 jobs), extending its downward trend. In contrast, market services excluding temporary work were stable, while non-market services rebounded (+0.2%, or +4,500 jobs). Despite recent weakness, private payroll employment remains significantly above pre-pandemic levels, up 5.3% (+1.1 million jobs) compared with end-2019.
2026-04-30
France Private Payroll Employment Down 0.1%
Private payroll employment in France decreased by 0.1%, or 20,900 jobs, to 21.0 million in the fourth quarter of 2025, matching preliminary estimates and remaining unchanged from the previous quarter. Temporary employment declined slightly by 0.2% (-1,200 jobs), staying below its level in the fourth quarter of 2024 (-0.7%, or -5,200 jobs) and significantly below its pre-pandemic level (-8.9%, or -69,300 jobs). Excluding temporary work, job losses were recorded in industry (-0.1%, or -4,500 jobs), construction (-0.4%, or -5,600 jobs), commercial services (-0.1%, or -13,800 jobs), and non-market services (-0.3%, or -7,300 jobs). In contrast, employment in the agriculture sector rebounded by 3.9% (+12,300 jobs). On a yearly basis, private payroll employment dropped by 0.3%, or 60,200 jobs, marking the fourth consecutive quarter of decline. Still, employment remained well above its pre-pandemic level (end of 2019), with an increase of 5.4%, or 1.1 million jobs.
2026-02-27