France Private Payroll Employment Down Slightly

Private payroll employment in France decreased by 0.1%, or 28,700 jobs to 21.0 million in the fourth quarter of 2025, following a 0.1% fall in the previous quarter, according to preliminary data. Temporary employment remained broadly stable, rising by 0.1% (+800 jobs) after falling by 0.6% (-4,300 jobs) in the prior quarter. Excluding temporary work, job losses were recorded in industry (-3,200 jobs), construction (-3,100 jobs), commercial services (-18,500 jobs), and non-market services (-12,000 jobs). On a yearly basis, private payroll employment dropped by 0.2%, or 40,800 jobs, marking the fifth consecutive quarter of decline after almost four years of growth. Still, employment remained well above its pre-pandemic level (end of 2019), with an increase of 5.3% or 1.1 million jobs.

Private payroll employment in France fell by 0.1%, or 27,300 jobs to 21.03 million in the third quarter of 2025, revised upward from the initial estimate of a 0.3% drop, following a 0.2% increase in the second quarter. Employment in industry declined (-4,800 jobs), while that in non-market services was virtually stable (-800 jobs). Permanent contracts and fixed-term contracts (excluding work-study) rose by 0.1% but remained below its level of a year ago. Work-study contracts declined by 4.6%, or 49,200 jobs. On a yearly basis, private payroll employment decreased by 0.3%, or 72,900 jobs, marking the fourth consecutive quarter of decline after almost four years of growth. Still, it remained well above its pre-pandemic level (end-2019), with an increase of 5.5% or 1.1 million jobs.

Private payroll employment in France fell by 0.3%, or 60,600 jobs, to a nearly three-year low of 20.97 million in Q3 2025, reversing a 0.2% increase in the previous quarter. Job losses were mainly concentrated in temporary employment (-0.2%), which accounted for roughly two-thirds of the overall decline. Excluding temporary work, employment was virtually stable in industry (-0.1%) but continued to fall in construction (-0.3%). Market services (excluding temporary work) declined 0.3%, while non-market services fell by 0.3%. On a yearly basis, private payroll employment decreased by 0.5%, or 112,100 jobs, marking the fourth consecutive annual decline. Despite this, employment remained well above pre-pandemic levels, with a gain of 5.2%, or 1.0 million jobs, since the end of 2019. Temporary employment stayed below its Q3 2024 level by 2.6% and remained 8.6% below its pre-pandemic level.