A foreign employer temporarily sending employees to work in France may need to complete a SIPSI prior declaration, designate a representative in France and keep inspection documents available before the assignment starts. These obligations form part of the French posted-worker framework and are separate from simply having a commercial contract with a French client.
What is a posted worker in France?
A posting normally involves an employer established outside France temporarily sending an employee to perform work in France while the employment relationship with the foreign employer continues. It is different from hiring the employee locally through a French employment contract.
If a foreign company is making a local France-based hire without creating a French entity, see the separate foreign employer hiring guide rather than treating the arrangement as a posting.
The assignment should be classified before a SIPSI filing is made. A service contract, intra-group assignment, temporary-work arrangement or posting on the employer's own account can lead to different formalities or exceptions.
When is a SIPSI declaration required?
For postings covered by the prior-declaration obligation, the employer established outside France submits the declaration through the SIPSI online service before work begins in France. The declaration records information about the foreign employer, the workers, the French assignment and the representative where one is required.
Use confirmed project information when filing. If dates, workers, locations or other declared facts change, the posting file should be reviewed and the declaration updated where necessary.
Are there exemptions from SIPSI?
Yes. The French Labour Ministry identifies exceptions, including certain postings performed solely on the employer's own account and certain short-duration activities listed by regulation. An exemption should be established from the facts of the assignment; it should not be assumed merely because the work is short or the employee is travelling for a limited period.
Even when a prior declaration or representative requirement is exempted, other French labour, immigration, social-security or sector rules can still apply.
What does the representative in France do?
Where representation is required, the SIPSI declaration includes a representative in France. The representative is the practical contact for French control authorities during the posting and should be able to make required documents available.
The representative does not replace the foreign employer as the party responsible for the employer's legal obligations. The appointment should therefore be operational: the representative needs access to the file, a reliable contact route and a process for obtaining any missing document quickly.
Which documents should be ready for an inspection?
The inspection file should be prepared before the workers arrive. The exact documents depend on the assignment, but French guidance covers employment, remuneration, working time, social-security and, where relevant, work-authorisation evidence. Some documents need to be available in French and financial information can need to be expressed in euros.
| Document area | Examples to prepare | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Employment | Employment relationship and assignment information | Shows who employs the worker and why the worker is in France |
| Remuneration | Payslip or equivalent and proof of payment | Supports compliance with applicable pay rules |
| Working time | Daily start, finish and duration records | Supports working-time controls |
| Social security | Applicable coverage evidence such as A1 where relevant | Supports the cross-border social-security position |
| Immigration | Work authorisation where required for a third-country national | Shows the worker is authorised to perform the activity |
What should the French client verify?
The French client or project owner can also have due-diligence duties. French Labour Ministry guidance explains that a direct client should verify, before the posting starts, that its foreign service provider has completed the required declaration and representative designation. In practice, the SIPSI acknowledgement often becomes part of the commercial project's compliance file.
What about construction projects and third-country nationals?
Construction and other regulated sectors can add requirements beyond SIPSI itself. The posting should therefore be reviewed against the actual sector, worksite and worker profile. If a non-EU national is included in the team, immigration and work-authorisation questions may also need to be checked separately.
A practical sequence for posting workers to France
- Classify the assignment and confirm that it is a genuine temporary posting.
- Check whether SIPSI and a French representative are required.
- Confirm worker identity, employment details, dates and work locations.
- Prepare social-security and immigration evidence applicable to each worker.
- Submit the declaration before work begins and retain the acknowledgement.
- Prepare translations and the inspection file before arrival.
- Update the declaration if material project facts change.
Francosetup can coordinate the broader posting workers to France process or provide the dedicated posted-worker representative service.
Common questions about SIPSI
Is SIPSI required for every business trip?
No. A business trip is not automatically a posted-worker situation. The purpose and legal structure of the activity in France must be examined first.
Does an A1 certificate replace SIPSI?
No. Social-security coverage evidence and the French posting declaration address different legal questions. One does not automatically replace the other.
Can the French client act as representative?
A representative can be a person or organisation capable of performing the required liaison and document-availability role. The appointment must work in practice and be accepted by the representative.
What if the project dates change?
The declared information should be corrected or updated where required. Project management and compliance records should use the same assignment dates.