In terms of social security, posted workers are workers who are sent abroad by their main employer to carry out temporary assignments in France.

Their relationship of loyalty to their main employer continues for the duration of their temporary assignment in France. Under certain conditions, you are generally entitled to benefit from the social security system of the country in which you work. In this case, social security contributions are paid in the country of origin.

A worker posted to France who is normally employed in a Member State of the European Union or the European Economic Area remains subject to the social security system of that Member State.

Any assignment in France, whatever the nationality of the worker, must be notified in advance by the employer. This process is carried out through the Sipsi service, which comes under the Ministry of Labour.

Conditions to be met for the status of posted worker to be accepted

– the employer is used to carrying out most of his activities in the Member State where he is established

– the loyalty relationship between the employer in the country of origin and the worker posted to France continues for the duration of the posting

– the worker carries out an activity on behalf of the initial employer

– the employee is a national of a member state of the EU, the European Economic Area or Switzerland

– the conditions are identical for third-country nationals, generally working for an employer established in the EU, the EEA or Switzerland.

If these conditions are met, the worker will be granted the status of posted worker.

In other cases, posted workers will be covered by the French social security system. Contributions must be paid in France.

Duration of assignment and rights of intra-European posted workers

People in these situations can be posted for a period of 24 months.

In exceptional cases, an extension may be requested if the assignment exceeds or exceeds 24 months. Exceptions to the extension of the mission are only possible if an agreement is reached between the foreign organization and the CLEISS.

Workers posted to the EU are entitled to health and maternity insurance in France for the duration of their assignment, as if they were insured under the French social security system.

To benefit from the services offered in France, they must be registered with the French social security system.

Family members (spouse or unmarried partner, minor children) accompanying workers posted to France are also insured if they reside in France for the duration of their posting.

Summary of formalities for you and your employer

  1. your employer informs the competent authorities of the country to which you are posted
  2. your employer requests document A1 “certificate concerning the social security legislation applicable to the holder”. The A1 form confirms the social security legislation applicable to you.
  3. you request the S1 document “registration with a view to benefiting from health insurance coverage” from the competent authority in your country.
  4. you send the S1 document to the Caisse Primaire d'Assurance Maladie (CPAM) of your place of residence in France immediately after your arrival.

Finally, the competent CPAM will register you with the information contained in the S1 form with the French social security: you and the members of your family will thus be covered for medical expenses (treatment, medical care, hospitalization, etc.) by the scheme. general in France.

Seconded employees from non-members of the European Union and assimilated

Workers posted from countries with which France has signed bilateral agreements can continue to be insured under the social security system of their country of origin for all or part of their temporary employment in France.

The duration of the worker's coverage by the social security system of his country of origin is determined by the bilateral agreement (from a few months to five years). Depending on the agreement, this initial period of temporary assignment may be extended. It is important to check the terms of each bilateral agreement in order to better understand the framework of the transfer (duration of the transfer, workers' rights, risks covered).

For the employee to continue to benefit from the normal social security system, the employer must request, before his arrival in France, a temporary work certificate from the social security liaison office of the country of origin. This certificate confirms that the worker is still covered by the original health insurance fund. This is necessary for the worker to benefit from the provisions of the bilateral agreement.

Note that some bilateral agreements do not cover all risks related to illness, old age, unemployment, etc. The worker and the employer must therefore contribute to the French social security system to cover the costs not covered.

End of secondment period

At the end of the initial mission or the extension period, the expatriate worker must be affiliated to French social security under a bilateral agreement.

However, he can choose to continue to benefit from the social security system of his country of origin. We then speak of a double contribution.

Here are the steps to follow if you are in this case

  1. you must provide proof of your registration with the social security system of your country of origin
  2. your employer must contact your country's social security liaison office to obtain a certificate of temporary dispatch
  3. the social security of your country will confirm your affiliation for the duration of your secondment by a document
  4. once the document is issued, your employer keeps a copy and sends you another
  5. the conditions for covering your medical expenses in France will depend on the bilateral agreement
  6. if your mission is prolonged, your employer will have to request authorization from the liaison office in your country, which may or may not accept it. The CLEISS must approve the agreement to authorize the extension.

In the absence of a bilateral social security agreement, workers posted to France must be covered by the general French social security system.

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