Private payroll employment in France fell by 0.1% in the fourth quarter of 2025, a loss of 20,900 jobs, bringing the total to 21.0 million. This confirms the preliminary estimate and is unchanged from the previous quarter’s pace.
Temporary employment edged down by 0.2% (–1,200 jobs). It remained below its level in the fourth quarter of 2024 (–0.7%, or –5,200 jobs) and well below its pre‑pandemic level (–8.9%, or –69,300 jobs).
Excluding temporary work, job losses were recorded across several sectors: industry (–0.1%, or –4,500 jobs), construction (–0.4%, or –5,600 jobs), commercial services (–0.1%, or –13,800 jobs), and non‑market services (–0.3%, or –7,300 jobs). By contrast, employment in agriculture rebounded sharply, rising 3.9% (+12,300 jobs).
Year on year, private payroll employment declined by 0.3%, or 60,200 jobs, marking the fourth consecutive quarterly decrease. Nonetheless, employment remained well above its pre‑pandemic level (end‑2019), standing 5.4% higher, or 1.1 million additional jobs.
