Working abroad is a project that motivates more and more professionals. Why ? Several reasons encourage this decision: the climate, personal reasons, economic reasons, etc. Beyond this change of life, many make the choice to become an employee abroad by settling there.
But did you know that it is possible to work abroad while residing in France and keeping your status as a French employee?
Let’s discover together the status of secondment 🙂
What is secondment status?
This status allows a French resident to work abroad while being employed in France. Under this status, the French resident contributes to the general French social security system and continues to benefit from French health insurance.
However, this secondment is temporary and cannot exceed 24 months with the possibility of a single renewal. Therefore, the waiting period is 2 months before the same employee is seconded again.
Secondment for an employee
Several steps are necessary to organize the detachment. Therefore, let’s see the chronology of these different steps.
- The employer must inform the URSSAF of your departure as a seconded employee via an online procedure issuing the A1 certificate. This certificate is a European document that attests that the social security legislation is applicable to you if you carry out activities in several European Union Member States
- Then, the employer must give you the A1 certificate and you must present it to the competent body in your host country
- In parallel, you must apply for the European Health Insurance Card
- Afterwards, you can apply to the French health insurance fund for the S1 form. This allows you to reside in an EU Member State other than France and to register with the health insurance institution in your place of residence. From then on, you will be able to receive benefits in kind from the health and maternity insurance. This form must be submitted to the competent organization in the host country upon arrival.
- Finally, you will have to apply to the competent body, certifying that you have the right to reside in that country for secondments of more than 3 months.
The secondment for a self-employed worker in France
In order to have the status of self-employed worker, you must :
- Maintain in the other State the conditions allowing you to resume the activity there upon your return
- Have been working there for at least 2 months
- Not exceed 24 months of secondment
As an employee, you will have to apply for the A1 portable document which attests to your maintenance to the social security legislation in the State. This A1 document must be kept with you at all times because the French authorities may carry out checks.
If you come to reside in France and wish to benefit from the coverage of your health care in France, it is imperative to request the portable document S1 from your health insurance fund before your secondment.
You will then be covered as an insured person under the French system, while continuing to be covered by the health insurance of your sending state.
Even for your projects abroad, the secondment status allows you to temporarily keep the advantages of a French worker. Ideal especially for cross-border workers! 🙂
