Moving to France
Posted by CosmicNorthernLights@reddit | expats | View on Reddit | 86 comments
I’m working in the US and have a fairly comfortable life.
Recently, I applied internally for our company in Southern France and got accepted. So, this would be an internal transfer and a so-called “permanent contract”.
The company will do all of my paperwork for the visa and help me get set up in FR.
I’m married, and my wife works in hospital administration. I understand that for her to assimilate into the culture and find a job, she will need to be proficient in French.
I know the EU/FR has a lot of work and health benefits as compared to the US.
I’m of Indian origin, and my wife is white. I’m a US citizen. I have worked in the US for 20 years, and if we move, the plan is to work until retirement in France.
I know there’s a lot of inertia of rest in the US as we have a life here, I have been in US for 20+ years and my wife was born in US. The prospect of the EU is exciting. I’m also wondering how after 5 years it will feel once the newness wears off.
This job seems to be good on paper and will give me a boost in terms of work exposure.
Any wisdom on what factors we need to be aware of?
FinestTreesInDa7Seas@reddit
I'm a Canadian (who has lived in the US), and I'm presently living in France.
Here's a bunch of things that you should be aware of:
goos_fire@reddit
Regarding daily integration and making friends -- The OP is going to live in/near Aix-en-Provence. There are several cities in the South, including Aix-en-Provence, that are accommodating to english-speakers (due to the number of tourists and multi-national retirees) and open to foreigners (although it is even easier on the Cote d'Azur,). It also has a pretty large ex-pat and immigrant population, which will make things easier while you learn French.
Getting your french up to speed for both of you will be important. Depending on the relocation package, you may get language tutoring and relocation assistance, but Aix has plenty of private schools as well. The speed will depend on your individual aptitude. We do not live there (but have met people who live there or lived there). We live in the south and we have had previous multinational company job-related expat experiences.
CosmicNorthernLights@reddit (OP)
Thanks for the helpful post. No illusions of the ease of learning French as compared to Spanish because of the different pronunciation. Started to learn Spanish for a few months.
Our work environment is English but in a French company, so coffee and cooler convos will be hard initially but in due course I’m sure I can chat. Hope there will be a Good Samaritan who may sympathize with my plight
FinestTreesInDa7Seas@reddit
Yes Aix-en-Provence does have a reputation for having a decent population of English-speaking expats.
I think I wrote my comment about that poorly, I had just woken up. When I said that OP will have trouble socializing, I meant with locals.
You will indeed find English expats there, but the French-speaking locals are not going to socialize with you.
Advanced-Royal8967@reddit
Yeah, and that means you’re not getting fluency anytime soon.
deep-sea-balloon@reddit
I agree with you though I admit I've lived in places in France where this was true. I guess I played it on hard mode, not purposely but because of where my spouse is from and where I was expected to be for work. Nine years on, it's better but it left lots of scars. Wouldn't do it again.
FinestTreesInDa7Seas@reddit
Yes I also did the "hard mode" thing too years ago. Before recently moving here again, I had lived for 1 year in Paris in 2007-2008.
At that time I probably only spoke around B1 level French, and I struggled a LOT. If someone had the patience for me, I could get through conversations without too many pauses and uhs/umms as long as they didn't use too many words that were unfamiliar to me. But as soon as a conversation picked up pace or became more technical, I would get left out quickly.
Back then, the extent of my socializing was being occasionally included in the social circle of a few people that I had befriended.
I definitely wouldn't do that again. Personally, I wouldn't suggest anyone move to France unless they speak at least B2 level French.
Lindenbaumlemma@reddit
I think you’re overstating some of the issues. Simple matters are more difficult, but the France as it is now versus the France I first visited in the 1980s are worlds apart when it comes to the language barrier. Online procedures, translation apps, and the acceptance (not approval) of many French that foreigners (especially from EU countries) will come here and use English. Aix-en-Provence has many immigrants or temporary residents who may learn French but speak English to get by.
Op and his wife will also likely find many other transplants to socialize with, if nothing else, but I have found many French people where I live in the Gironde to be quite friendly and happy to go to lunch and such.
I agree that the ability to converse in French would greatly increase the experience. It’s certainly hasn’t been miserable. I’m due to start a class soon, though. Ugh.
FinestTreesInDa7Seas@reddit
Yes some things have been moved online, but I have never seen a form/process online within the French government that was offered in English.
Websites like Service-Public.fr will indeed let you look at some documents in English, but when you go to a form submission page, it's French only.
In my time in France, I haven't once ever had the impression that an online or in-person official process with the government would be even slightly accommodating to someone who doesn't speak French.
Yes you will find some shops that will speak English to you, often in a limited capacity. But most of this is going to be centred around the tourist-heavy parts of the city, and near the university. As you venture further away from those areas, the use of English will be hit and miss.
This seems like a realistic thing to expect once you have reached at least B1 or B2 level French, but even those levels are likely 1 year away from OP since they currently don't speak French (maybe 6 months if they really work hard at it by attending French classes). So there's potentially a year or so ahead of them where the idea of socializing with French locals is a very unrealistic expectation.
Yup, that's about it.
Cautious-Listen-1053@reddit
Indian origin French citizen Moving to the US. If you have made good money in the US, move to France with the intention of settling down here possibly well into your post retirement life. If you have financial backup, the quality of life here is unparallelled to anywhere in rest of the world
turtlerunner99@reddit
I would investigate your wife's job possibilities. If she is starting from zero in French, has she ever learned another language to a level that she can work in it?
I'm not sure how well her work experience will translate to the same job in France.
CosmicNorthernLights@reddit (OP)
No she has not, I think it might take her \~2 years before she can work, is my estimate.
Dandylion71888@reddit
From scratch? To be proficient enough to work in hospital administration? Wayyy more than 2 years.
You wife is about to give up her entire career with almost no hope in going back into the same career.
anniiebananie@reddit
If you are immersed in the language living in a country, you can definitely learn in less than 2 years. However, it does depend on how much exposure you have to the local language and individual aptitude for learning languages.
The career point is very valid though, as I'm not sure how easy it would be to get a job in that field, let alone as a foreigner (I am an expat in France).
Dandylion71888@reddit
To be proficient enough to work in a hospital? You not only need to learn conversation but very niche language as well.
They should not plan on anything close to two years of being proficient enough.
anniiebananie@reddit
Learning niche vocabulary isn't that hard if you are proficient in the language (from 2 years of lots of immersion and exposure) and you study it specifically on top of that.
However, I also said getting hired in her desired field is a whole different issue. I was simply stating that language proficiency is possible in two years, with the caveats that you have to be a little apt at learning languages and most importantly, you need plenty of exposure to native conversation.
Dandylion71888@reddit
As someone else stated, healthcare is a higher level of proficiency required.
How immersed will someone not working , with no support system be able to be? Be realistic, the vast majority of people aren’t going it in 2 years and it’s bad to get hope up.
Educational_Gas_92@reddit
Additionally, her degrees and experience would need to be acknowledged in France. It's not simple, healthcare is strict, as it should be. It's not like a graphic designer or similar, who would just need to learn the language to start working.
MilkChocolate21@reddit
She won't be immersed in the French she needs for her profession. She won't be able to work in 2 yrs in French.
anniiebananie@reddit
As I said, immersion is key. If she's not immersed enough, obviously it won't work. I learned French in less than 2 years but because I had plenty of exposure and conversations in the native language while living here.
I also said that getting hired in her desired field is a whole different issue from becoming fluent in the language.
MilkChocolate21@reddit
You will learn French for daily life by immersion plus classes plus whatever nature aptitude you have. You will not learn the language of a hospital in French classes for beginners, or as you learn to navigate daily life. I have specifically taken German and Spanish for engineering precisely for this reason. You can be fluent in regular life and still lack the appropriate skills for professional life.
OkTap4045@reddit
No immersion is not key it is method and motivation.
Plus healthcare in US and France, specially on the administrative side.
LeviXC@reddit
Umm no. Most places went native French.. I’ve been living here for three years and I am nowhere close. His wife is not going to be working, it’s unlikely she’ll even qualify for a talent visa over a French person. She will have to VLS-TS it.
deep-sea-balloon@reddit
I've been here 9 years busting my butt and I'm finally scratching at the edge of C1 🤣 I don't work in admin but I do "white collar" work and people still make comments and wrinkle their nose at my French level. (I'm clearly not native). But at least I have a job.
anniiebananie@reddit
I said that getting hired in her desired field is a whole different issue. Language proficiency is possible in 2 years, but only under certain conditions (aka it takes a fair amount of effort). Getting a job in hospital administration seems a lot more difficult when up against native candidates and limited positions available.
OkTap4045@reddit
Possible for an extreme minority, majority of peoples will take years to have a proper conversion, and decade to be fluent.
MilkChocolate21@reddit
She won't be professionally fluent in 2 yrs. This is an exciting adventure but she might be unable to work for a while, and language is the biggest but not the only hurdl
arlenejoy22@reddit
Frankly, there is a big need for caregivers in the south of france who are fluent in english with intermediate french minimum (DELF B1- b2) to take care of aging English and American population who have retired there. Of course the money will be a fraction of what she earned in the states , but cost of living is half of what it is , so it shouldn’t be an issue with your income. If She buckles down for her first 9-12 months and works really hard at learning French full-time, with her hospital/nursing experience in the US she will not have a hard time finding work as a Caregiver for senior English speakers.
SetEnvironmental9368@reddit
OP's isn't a nurse or caretaker; she a hospital administrator. Way different situation
arlenejoy22@reddit
I didnt say she could get a job as an administrator.
champagnehall@reddit
I am SO GLAD you said this. I'm an American with French relatives and friends and they all say this. Moreover, they have said specifically that they wonder where all the white people in the healthcare field have gone. I'm black, these relatives and friends are white and not at all racist, but they seem to want to see people who look like them taking care of them, and not immigrants from Africa and Asia. I think that if OP's wife buckles down and learns the language, she will be quite employable just because she's white.
arlenejoy22@reddit
My point is, her french doesnt have to be perfect as a caregiver for british and american seniors. The english is most important. Regardless of her skin color.
myrighthandwoman@reddit
Is your wife into the idea? If not, I wouldn’t go. Both partners need to be equally enthusiastic for this to work. I learned that the hard way.
interino86@reddit
It depends on the package, I wouldn't live in France with less than 100k base
SetEnvironmental9368@reddit
Lol, 100k euros is what directors and doctors make in France. No one is going to be offering OP that.
interino86@reddit
It's quite common for senior positions ;) For me that the mini price to live with french people
SetEnvironmental9368@reddit
Lol, a senior management position without being a fluent French speaker or having any experience working in France?! You're totally clueless. OP has a better chance of winning the lottery.
interino86@reddit
It's obvious for French language.
I'm talking about my personal experience and my relationship to the country (I speak French but I'm not French).
LivedNotThisLife@reddit
Dealbreaker: can you live off of just your salary? As others have pointed out, your wife will need significant proficiency in French for most positions, which takes time. And, as at least one person noted, teaching is often the spousal fallback but it doesn’t pay terribly well, and the number of job openings are limited.
Close second: can your wife live with walking away from her career-to-date? If she’s opening to finding a new use for her skills then, depending on what they are/what they lend themselves to, things could be feasible in a shorter period of time and a way that is more rewarding for her.
Language acquisition as we age is no joke. It sounds like you are at least bilingual. Does your wife speak anything besides English? Did she ever take another language in school, if so, how’d she do? Also, the cruel reality of mid-life hormonal changes in the female brain really should not be underestimated in any context. Add in new language acquisition (when you’re clinging, some moments, to your first language by your fingernails…) and, ouch, it can be really demoralizing.
Have you both traveled outside of the US together? Has it been a good experience for both of you? If not, has your wife ever traveled internationally?
Related to #4 - do you have enough time and financial means to take a quick trip to France fur a boots-on-the-ground reality check? It’s a very “lite” check, but could prove pivotal.
Have you painted yourself into a corner with your application? (Either with your company or your wife.) Basically, did you ask the hive mind the right/actual question? (No right/wrong answer, just noting DIDO.)
There is quite a bit of lived (France specific) experience available out there, whether YT channels, FB groups, IG accounts, etc. Maybe spend a few hours spelunking through them. Some better nuggets to be had there than an open call here.
It really could be an amazing experience, and one you both end up loving. But your post seems a bit tardy and that you have some serious research to do. Research that would have likely served you both best if each of you did your own and then you discussed/compared and determined it was a path you both wanted to pursue ahead of you applying for the transfer. But hey, life isn’t always tidy! Wishing you luck and peace of mind in sorting through things.
CosmicNorthernLights@reddit (OP)
Yes we can do that at least for a few years.
Yes, she can. She’s not a nurse but a receptionist and scheduler. Based on my research, learning Doctolib is needed in France.
Very valid point.
Yes Indian and Italy . She’s very resilient and tough.
Yes we do. Thinking about it and we may actually do that.
I have yet to sign so there’s time. I’m negotiating my salary and benefits at the moment. What questions should I ask?
Yes joined a few FB groups and been doing my research. I have checked about apartments, transportation, cost of living etc. What are some items you would suggest?
mmoonbelly@reddit
SetEnvironmental9368@reddit
No company is going to give OP's wife a CDI right off the bat. Hell, she'll struggle to get a temp job in a café with her level of French.
mmoonbelly@reddit
I was taking about OP.
ariankhneferet@reddit
The technical French your wife needs to learn is going to be very challenging and take several years. A lot of what she needs to know outside of conversational French will need to come from either a specialized tutor or self-study. Ask yourself if the *average* person in the US has the professional language fluency needed to do her job. Now imagine a newborn baby learning it. That’s going to be her situation. Not to mention, the French will hire a native speaker over an immigrant for such a job every single time - unless there is an extreme dearth of people in the region with her skills. She should be prepared fo never work in her field, and to consider what other options she might have.
The-American-Abroad@reddit
I see that basically no one commenting here has been to France.
Yes, your wife will be able to learn enough French in 2 years to work, assuming she makes it a full time job to learn. It’s not that difficult.
Aix is a great place to live, if perhaps a little boring. It’s in a great spot to explore the surrounding region as well.
I would aim to live in or near Aix – don’t live in Marseilles because you think you need to be in a big city.
CosmicNorthernLights@reddit (OP)
Yes. I know it’s a difficult language with words pronounced differently than what’s written say Spanish or Italian. I fully expect a learning curve, frustrating days and coming out of our comfort zone.
It doesn’t bother me as I have been through the wringer of learning but I do want to take care of her and not let her down.. she’s not a book worm but she’s a smart person who can figure things out .. so I know it will be frustrating for me but in due time I hope she will have the wits to overcome her own fears ..
lovepeacefakepiano@reddit
Be prepared to support her with this at the expense of your own comfort.
That means speaking French at home at least part time. Watching French tv and movies. Making an effort to make French friends. I’ve known plenty of people who stayed in an “expat bubble”, and their language skills reflected that. If she isn’t working and isn’t spending time with native speakers, then she won’t get any immersion just from getting groceries and going to one or two language classes (where she will meet…other expats).
Foxtrot-0scar@reddit
>We would be living in Aix as it’s good to integrate and be near people if we decide to venture out into the villages …
You Americans really have no clue whatsoever do ya! 🤣
CosmicNorthernLights@reddit (OP)
What do you mean by your comment ?
librekom@reddit
Foxtrot-Oscar just gave you the full gold-medal performance of a very specific French national sport: smug, dismissive condescension disguised as intelligence. The kind of person who treats every conversation like a PhD viva nobody asked for. In American films, the stock idiot is the loud, overconfident moron who thinks volume equals competence. The French equivalent is the sneering pedant who acts like basic human warmth is intellectually beneath them.
Every sentence has to imply you’re either uninformed, naïve, or clinically stupid. Never helpful, never constructive, never simply pleasant. Just a constant passive-aggressive masterclass in ‘well actually’. They mistake cynicism for sophistication and treat enthusiasm like a developmental disorder.
And honestly, people like that are part of why the French have the reputation they do abroad. Not because French people are inherently rude, but because this particular breed of joyless intellectual cosplay drains the oxygen out of every interaction. They act as if kindness is weakness, curiosity is childish, and being approachable would somehow lower their IQ by twenty points
formerlyfed@reddit
👏 👏 👏
Foxtrot-0scar@reddit
France like many of its neighbours are quite insular and integration is not that easy especially if you have nothing to offer culturally. Americans often try to ‘emulate’ the European lifestyle and give up after a few years to return home because no one was buying it.
The-American-Abroad@reddit
If she can spend 20-30 hours a week learning, she’ll definitely be at C1 level in a couple years. Especially if she is talking in person to locals.
Aix is nice and the only real criticism of it is that it’s kind of an upscale place, hence a little boring if you’re twenty-something and want excitement. In your situation I don’t think that’s a real issue.
It also gets super hot in the south in the summer, so be aware of that!
bebok77@reddit
Check that your driver license can be converted to french one. Some US states don't have equivalence. Practically it mean you will have to pass the french driving exam. Each district have one or two sessions per quarter for the writing exam and you can pay a translator to assist during the practical exam.
Lindenbaumlemma@reddit
Good point. Op mentioned the Bay area, so I take it he’s in California. That license can’t be exchanged.
Op: Consider a brief move to a state that has a license exchange agreement with France before you arrive (the license has to be issued before you start living here). It’ll make life easier if you don’t have to go through the normal testing process.
CosmicNorthernLights@reddit (OP)
I’m in Michigan , so thankfully we have the reciprocity agreement.
Mashdoofus@reddit
I'm an Australian doctor and I learned French from zero to now working as a doctor in a French public hospital. It's TOUGH. For me I'd never taken a period of involuntary unemployment before and those 2 years were the hardest in my life. Trying to stay focused on getting back into employment is tough psychologically. Keep in mind you can do every class in the world but this does not prepare you to actually work in French in a technical field.
Competitive-Leg-962@reddit
Learning French as a first language for Americans is tough as nails. Especially since she's in her mid to late 40s judging from your narrative, so unless she's taking daily classes starting today and continuing in France, it will take 5+ years of "casual learning" to get anywhere.
Also, the healthcare system in the EU is drastically different from the US, so I'm not even convinced her degrees and experience can translate to anything meaningful.
With that in mind, I'd make sure that your salary would be enough to provide a comfortable income for all of you.
As far as health insurance is concerned, you get universal healthcare and free coverage for your wife and (if any) kids until they are 18 (or max 21 and still going to school).
All other applicable wisdoms depend on the specific location, there's quite a difference between Toulouse, Marseilles and Nice for example.
CosmicNorthernLights@reddit (OP)
The area we are planning to move is Aix, our office is nearby Aix.
Competitive-Leg-962@reddit
Aix? Just Aix? That's a tiny village middle of nowhere in central France.
The-American-Abroad@reddit
He almost certainly means Aix en Provence, which everyone calls Aix.
What is the point of this kind of deliberate misunderstanding in your comment?
Competitive-Leg-962@reddit
There are 7 places called Aix, and nobody calles Aix en Provence just Aix.
RedditJustTheOnce@reddit
Yeah my sister in law is there at the moment, loads of people in the south just call it Aix
The-American-Abroad@reddit
Yes, they do, and I can tell you have zero clue of what you’re talking about.
radoncdoc13@reddit
Being pedantic is a redditor's pastime
Parisny@reddit
You probably mean Aix-en-Provence
CosmicNorthernLights@reddit (OP)
Yes Aix En Provence
RoundAd4247@reddit
Exactly, it’s not just the language, but most likely OP’s wife’s profession doesn’t exist in the French healthcare system (not any other healthcare system not based on maximising profits for hospitals and insurance companies).
Extension_Spring_473@reddit
I'm of Indian origin too, originally from Canada. Came to France as I was recruited by a company back then and they too did all my paperwork. I have since naturalized as a French citizen and this country is home now. No place is perfect, but I personally believe you will be better off just for giving it a try. If it doesn't work to your favour, you can always go back. But you never know until you give it a try!
M2LA@reddit
I did not catch where you currently live
just a random core dump, there are lots of good comments others have made here
I live in Los Angeles and have a life partner that purchased an 1850s haussmannian in September 2024 in Nimes not far from AIX. we both wanted a renovation project to get our mind off trump and wanted + emergency escape if things really got bad. I am 70, she is 73. she is a very intelligent family law attorney. she started taking French is 2019, 2-3 lessons a week and she sounds great to me, and others are impressed but she still says she has a long way to go. I know zero French; I imagine that I will pick up some casual phrases over time but that is it. my point being its very complex language.
We are very well traveled. France is a beautiful country. the French focus is family and life experiences. you get back with you put out. they love to have fun, sometimes to excess. there is currently a 5-day festival related to bull fighting, and I have not really slept for 5 days. will go to Italy next year to avoid this. going shopping in the enclosed market across the street from me is a blast, so much fun. everything is so different it’s hard not to make an adventure out of it all. most things exist in state of brokenness, so it makes everyone patient. the TGV shot to Paris may be the best in France, about 3 hours, that is just amazing. each route has a different speed TGV; they are not all the same. you have easy access to all part of Italy, AIX is really a great location, anybody that says differently is flat out wrong. similar population to nimes, but more of a college town vibe.
getting items you are used to in the states sometimes is not easy, I just traveled with a swifter XL on the plane. amazon (hate the man love the company) has vastly improved over the past few years, much better selection, next day delivery, easy returns. food is great, wine is great. internet can be good or bad. my electrician just pulled fiber and an ethernet runs though the prewired areas, so I am ready for the fiber install in September when I return. nothing is done with care, no weather boxes outside, exposed wires. craftsmanship and pride run the gamut, but you can find good labor if you are prepared to pay for it. our place is mind blowing but it did not come cheap. they take time off all the time, evening during projects, it can be maddening. one really must manage expectations and be patient. my favorite pastime is visiting new towns and traveling to Italy, we both love food, wine, adventure. we have met many new friends, both locals and expats.
even if I could move here full time I would not, mostly because of the weather, it’s just unpredictable and not as good when compared to LA, currently we are in a heat snap and sure the coast is better but its still in the 80-90 in AIX as I type. in winter when the leaves fall it looks pretty beat up and cold. I would not move because Medicare blows any other system out of the water. I know this does not apply to you guys. I cannot imagine trying to get a job here, the economy currently is far from ideal. re your wife, they are always going to choose somebody from France vs an American I would think, especially now. I would not move here because I love to drive and the idea of a Porsche or BMW M2 on these streets would be impossible. mostly I would not move because at the core I am American. I do not hold much hope for the country, but I would hate to leave and pray it does not come to that
United_Cucumber7746@reddit
Here’s a clearer version:
Your wife is a white Caucasian woman. If she has never learned another language before, it is very likely that she won’t learn one now. More often than not, when I meet white North American women in my home country, they never learn the local language. Part of that is because people are often kind enough to switch to English for them, and part of it is because they usually end up in English-speaking bubbles.
I think this comes from a mix of cultural entitlement, the fact that monolingualism is very common in the U.S., and other social factors.
RidetheSchlange@reddit
"I’m also wondering how after 5 years it will feel once the newness wears off."
So you're novelty seeking? What does it matter if this is the plan:
"the plan is to work until retirement in France."
And the choice:
"I applied internally for our company in Southern France and got accepted"
You asked for this, applied for it, and are planning retirement there, but now you want to understand what happens when the novelty wears off? Well, integrate and live there and it becomes your home.
With regards to the wife, she can start with the language now and at least get herself to A2 French, then in France she can take full-time, intensive courses which will cost a lot of money, but will also handle helping the integration process at a much faster pace. If she is capable of doing this, she will be able to achieve C-level in roughly a year. These are normal courses offered for prospective university students, but also others, that are ambitious and goal-oriented or need to go into the workforce soon with a certified language skill.
The issue also is that her hospital administration skills won't transfer and she will need to relearn and attend an university or other vocational school and this would likely be a minimum of another year. At best, this is an intensive, full-time, two-year plan for her to be employable in a trained field. If low-skill work is fine, then one year and that's optimistic due to how bad the job market is for France and how protective it is being in a downturning economy.
Next, as far as you go, you mention nowhere looking into learning French and I'm guessing you're not planning to learn it which will bring significant problems right away, including even setting up bank accounts, administrative stuff, everyday stuff, etc. Have you even visited France? Next, there is backlash throughout Europe against Indians and the visibility and perceived abuse of the family reunification thing is causing lots of tension and the moment people see one Indian, they are concerned that suddenly the person will use reunification to bring six other family members over. Just be aware of this.
FR-DE-ES@reddit
My friend in Paris sold her mom's house in Aix-en-Provence after inheriting it when his mom died because his kids are mosquito-magnet who were always hounded by mosquitos when visiting grandma in summer and hated coming to this region. You are aware of the tiger mosquitos problem in that part of France? I spent one recent summer in nearby town and was eaten alive despite exercising all precautions and used every anti-mosquitos device/product available, I was terrified to even open the windows. They are very aggressive, especially after the rain. The tiger mosquito season is April-November. Tiger mosquito: a holiday that turns into a confinement due to bites – Interview ; Fight against the proliferation of mosquitoes - Mairie d'Aix-en-Provence
This part of France also has the famous mistral wind -- usually blows in winter or spring, though it occurs in all seasons and sometimes lasts more than a week.
TailleventCH@reddit
Working in a public hospital would be an issue because it a public job, which is limited to European nationals.
So your wife would have to look at private healthcare.
ElSuroGato247@reddit
You can’t assume you’re going to be able to retire in France buddy, that’s not how transfers work.
There could be things out of your control that force you to move back to the US.
CosmicNorthernLights@reddit (OP)
That’s my wish list proposal… what do you think things that are out of control ?
ElSuroGato247@reddit
I mean you just can’t assume that you’ll get the chance to retire in France because you’re being sponsored by your employer, so your whole point of being in France is to work for your employer, it’s probably not even a path to permanent residency.
Generally, being sponsored by your employer when doing an internal transfer abroad is only going to be a temporary permit.
You can’t retire in France on a temporary permit.
reddargon831@reddit
It really depends what visa it is. If it’s a talent visa like the EU blue card it won’t be tied to that employer and it counts towards long-term residence. Given that OP said they’ll be on a permanent contract, my guess is that it’s not going to be a salarié en mission visa, which is the one that presents more problems, but OP should of course confirm.
Also if OP stays 5 years (and learns french to B2 level) they can apply for nationality.
HotMathematician4638@reddit
Can your wife get a job now working in maybe health insruance claims etc - something that can be done remotely? That would make things a lot easier. She could then become self-employed in France and work as a contractor for US companies.
Honestly, working in the French healthcare sector as a foreigner will be extremely difficult if not impossible. Trailing spouses who don't have a job themselves usually are deeply unhappy after a while as their integration into local circles is a lot more difficult. You both need to have a plan in place beforehand or you might end up getting divorced.
That_Quality_8957@reddit
South of France is wonderful for summer vacation, boring for a life. If you got sick I guess being in EU would be worth it, but I wouldn’t leave a comfortable life in the US
goldenvisa6387@reddit
Most peoples like moving france because wedding ,buisness ,enjoy france is beautiful country
Foxtrot-0scar@reddit
All fun and games until they get to Aix.
Early_Divide_8847@reddit
Are y’all cool if she doesn’t work? If so, go have fun. Good luck!
ponpiriri@reddit
Your wife may not find a job and if she does, she will be severely underpaid. Most (female) trailing spouses stay home or start working as teachers.
French is going to be the least of her worries, but you both should atart learning French asap because the language requirement for multi year residency permits was increased and they added a civic exam.
Depending on your visa, you may not have to take it but your wife could.
Make sure they tell you your net salary and not brut. Also, they should help you secure an apartment cuz if you do it on your own, you will need a French garant or pay a company yearly to do it for you.
Life is great in France as long as you're within the system, but just brace yourself for less warmth, even in the south.
TalkRemarkable6913@reddit
can she work remotely for a US company ?
franckJPLF@reddit
I guarantee you’re going to hate it. You won’t have friends because of your origin, and people will make your life miserable because that’s the French way of life, especially in the south.