Quick answer: France has steady demand for English teachers in language schools, companies and private lessons. Language school employees earn €16–25 per teaching hour, while micro-entrepreneur freelancers charge €25–40 for private and business lessons. EU and Irish citizens can work freely; UK, US and other non-EU citizens need a long-stay visa or a route such as TAPIF. Start with our teaching English in France guide.
If you dream of living in France but need an income, how about teaching English? If you haven’t got a background in teaching, then you’re not alone. Most English language teachers have re-trained from other careers. So what kind of teaching opportunities exist, how much can you expect to earn, how do you stay legal and how do you get started?
Can you legally teach in France as a non-EU citizen?
If you hold an EU or Irish passport, you have the right to live and work in France – you can arrive, register and start teaching. Since Brexit, UK citizens no longer have that right. Without a visa you are limited to 90 days in any 180-day period in the Schengen area, and those days come with no right to work. To live and teach in France, British citizens now need a long-stay visa (visa de long séjour); the routes and application process are set out on the official France-Visas portal, and it is worth checking the FCDO travel advice for France before you make plans.
For Americans, the best-known route is TAPIF (the Teaching Assistant Program in France), which places US citizens in French schools as English language assistants for 12 hours a week over the academic year, with a net stipend of about €800 a month. TAPIF is the American strand of the wider France Éducation international language assistants programme, which recruits young graduates from dozens of countries, so it is worth a look whatever your nationality.
The other common route is a student visa: enrol on a course (French language courses are popular), work part-time alongside it, and build your contacts. Many non-EU teachers start this way, then move onto freelance status once they have residence in place.
Where is the teaching work in France?
While the French do learn English at school, lessons are weighted heavily in favour of writing and grammar and so most require supplementary English if they want to speak more naturally or use English for a specific purpose, such as for work. This makes learning from a native speaker very attractive and you might find that conversational English is most in demand. Corporate demand gets an extra push from the CPF (Compte Personnel de Formation), a personal training budget that every French employee accrues – and English lessons are consistently one of the most popular things they spend it on.
Typically you could be teaching in one of the following ways...
1) In one of the many private language schools
This is a great way to get started and it takes the headache out of finding your own students - although don’t expect a full timetable straight away. Wall Street English (formerly Wall Street Institute) is one large franchise with schools offering short and long term contracts across France. To find other language schools, try typing in ‘cours de langues’ in the region of your choice in the French yellow pages online. Expect pay of around €16-€25 per teaching hour.
2) By phone or online
This is a very well established method of learning English in France, long predating the video-call boom. There are a number of schools offering part time work including Phone English. A fast and reliable broadband connection is all you need these days. Expect €12-€20 per hour.
3) As freelancers
Finding work within your local community. Living in Brittany, ex-solicitor David Allan (pictured right) teaches English to supplement his retirement income. He soon found students came knocking on his door once word went around there was a qualified English teacher in town. He generated interest by leaflet dropping with the header:
"What are your New Year resolutions, giving up smoking, chocolate or learning English? If it’s the latter, give me a call!"
Work has also increased thanks to a feature on him in a local paper. He says,
"I have a variety of students; children after school, the local doctor, a pilot and a group of 4 ladies who come for conversation."
To add to this variety he teaches English by phone. Try advertising in a local free newspaper like Bonjour and in shops, supermarkets and cafes. Expect around €25-€40 per hour for 1-1 private and business work, a little less in rural areas.
4) Through the French Chamber of Commerce network
Many chambers have language centres attached to them which is where Kerry Edwards works in Caen. She comments:
"Teaching is held within classrooms at the centre or on customer sites. I did a TEFL with Business course with (more on this below) and this has certainly helped me to specialise within this area. I have taught English to company directors, salesmen, technicians, engineers and accountants as well as others within the hotel and restaurant sector."
Expect pay rates of €20-€35 per hour.
5) As a language assistant in schools
The official route is the assistants programme described above (12 hours a week, around €800 a month net). Outside the programme, start by offering to volunteer at a local school and build from there.
Employee or micro-entrepreneur: how do teachers work legally?
If you have the right to work in France, there are broadly two ways to do it: as an employee, or as a freelancer with your own registered business.
Employing people permanently is expensive and bureaucratic in France, so most language school contracts have ‘vacataire’ status. Essentially, this means pay only when work is available rather than a fixed amount each month. Also there is no entitlement to holiday or sickness pay or other benefits. However, the flexibility of such a contract means you can work elsewhere.
If you freelance, keep everything legal by registering for tax and social payments (like the UK NI). The status most teachers choose is the micro-entrepreneur regime – this is the new name for what used to be called auto-entrepreneur. You register once, online, at the official micro-entrepreneur portal, and Urssaf handles your business registration, social payments and tax together (there is even an English speaking hotline number). Expect social charges and tax to take roughly 25% of what you invoice, and note that under the micro-entrepreneur regime you can do your own bookkeeping – choose a heavier company status and you will need an accountant. Registration itself is not expensive at all but the initial bills come quite rapidly afterwards.
How much do English teachers earn in France?
Here is what the main ways of working typically pay in 2026:
| Status / route | How it works | Typical pay (2026) |
|---|---|---|
| Language school employee (vacataire) | Paid per teaching hour, only when work is available | €16–25 per hour |
| Micro-entrepreneur freelancer | You invoice students and companies directly, simplified tax via Urssaf | €25–40 per hour for private and business lessons |
| Language assistant (TAPIF / assistants programme) | 12 hours a week in state schools over the academic year | About €800 a month net stipend |
| Chamber of Commerce / corporate trainer | Business English at the centre or on company sites | €20–35 per hour |
| Phone / online lessons | A long-established French habit, part-time friendly | €12–20 per hour |
How do you train to teach English in France?
In contrast to 20 years ago, many EFL teachers are more mature in years and have re-trained, recognising that the ability to teach their native language offers a very portable career option. While simply being in France could be enough for you to find a little teaching work in areas where native speakers are a rarity, for greater opportunities and to ensure you feel confident to take money for your efforts, it is wise to invest in a TEFL/TESOL course. There are a huge variety to choose from, from the traditional 4 week intensive CELTA or Trinity courses which now cost around £1,500–1,800, to the myriad of online or weekend courses. These can be completed in your own time and cost much less.
If the online option appeals, it is worth choosing an accredited 150-hour Advanced TESOL as a measure of quality. As business English is so huge in France, adding a 30-hour specialist Teaching Business English course can help you stand out from the crowd and may help secure better pay. A good accredited course will take you through grammar, lesson planning, and material selection.
Kerry Edwards says of her Global English TESOL course:
"The (online) TEFL training gave me a very good basis on which to start teaching. I never realised the extent of English grammar. That, together with all the practical aspects of teaching were very well covered. I had already started a contract before finishing the course but the fact that I was studying for the TEFL certainly helped me to get the job."
Being fluent in French in order to network is very useful and a degree, a driving license and any business or teaching experience are also valuable additions to any TEFL CV.
Frequently asked questions
Do you need French to teach English in France?
Not in the classroom – modern EFL methods are English-only, and your students are there to hear English. Where French really helps is in networking, finding students, handling paperwork and settling into local life, so it is well worth working on alongside your teaching.
What is TAPIF and who can apply?
TAPIF is the Teaching Assistant Program in France, the US strand of the official language assistants programme. American citizens aged roughly 20–35 teach English for 12 hours a week in French state schools over the academic year, for a net stipend of about €800 a month. Apply via tapif.org in the autumn for the following school year.
Can Americans teach English in France?
Yes. The main routes are TAPIF, a student visa with part-time work, or registering as a micro-entrepreneur freelancer once you have residence in place. Direct sponsorship by a language school is uncommon, so most Americans start with one of the first two.
Is freelance teaching viable in Paris?
Yes – private and business lessons in Paris command €25–40 an hour, and corporate demand is strong thanks to CPF training budgets. Expect to build your student base slowly over the first year. Read our graduate’s account of teaching English in Paris for a realistic picture.
A final word
Giving something back to the community you live in by teaching English can be a hugely enriching experience. Teachers are generally regarded very highly and teaching English will bring you in meaningful contact with French people, as well as providing a rewarding way to live and earn or supplement an existing income.
Your next step
Download the guide below for more information on teaching English in France + course recommendations.
* I did it! My freelance TEFL experience in France
* Our most popular online TESOL course for teaching English in France
* Our teaching English in France destination guide
More France stories from our graduates
* Teaching English in Paris
* Teaching English in France as a freelancer
* How I mastered teaching business English in France
* Life and English teaching in rural France
* Mother and son excel in TEFL careers in France
* Rocking up in France
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Any questions? Contact Louisa Walsh, Course Director at Global English TESOL, specialising in online TESOL provision: lwalsh@global-english.com or call 01392 411 999