I’ve gotten asked this and I’m not really sure how to answer because I don’t know exactly how France regulates it, but according to my student visa I’m allowed to work 60% of the duration of my visa, which comes out to like 25 hours a week. I know that everyone has different stipulations on their visa so check yours to be sure of the hours. But I don’t know how students, or those that are actually in France to work, pay for housing, and food, and the general cost of living in Paris on that kind of budget.


I know as an American working less than 40 hours a week seems absurd. After all we love money and how else are we going to make money if we can’t work?!? American kryptonite. But I don’t know how overtime (working more than the 25) and that kind of thing works in France. And none of the French people I know complain about not being able to work more. If anything they complain that they work too much. I can’t even. 

I don’t know how they would check on that type of thing. Your contracts I suppose. If I can find someone to give me more information I’ll definitely post it here. You could try consulting the Ministry of Labor, but trying to get anyone in the government to answer your questions is like pulling teeth. Most of the time they don’t even know what they’re talking about. And if your French isn’t that great it’s going to be even harder.