How long do you need to work to get unemployment benefits in France?

Léa strung together a three-month fixed-term contract and two five-week temp assignments. She signs up with France Travail, feeling good about it. Then the verdict: she's about 15 days short of opening any rights. It happens more often than people think, and it's avoidable.

To get unemployment benefits in France, you need to have worked at least 130 days (910 hours, about 6 months) in the last 24 months, or the last 36 months from age 55. Since April 1, 2026, first-time claimants only need 5 months.

Let's see how the rule works in practice, which exceptions exist, and what changes depending on whether you're an employee, a portage employee or self-employed.

The baseline rule: 130 days or 910 hours

The minimum affiliation period to open unemployment benefit (ARE) rights is 130 worked days or 910 hours, roughly 6 months. It's measured over a 24-month reference period, extended to 36 months for workers aged 55 and over, and you can add up all your contracts to reach it.

Here's what surprises people: the number of employers doesn't matter. A two-month fixed-term contract, a temp assignment, an interrupted permanent job, it all adds up as long as the periods fall inside the reference window. That window counts backwards from the end of your last contract, not from the day you register.

Back to Léa. Three months of fixed-term work is about 65 worked days. Her two five-week assignments add 25 days each. Total: 115 days. She's missing 15, three weeks of work. One more short assignment and she'd have qualified.

Situation	Minimum time worked	Reference period
General case (under 55)	130 days or 910 hours	Last 24 months
Aged 55 and over	130 days or 910 hours	Last 36 months
First-time claimant (no benefits for 20 years), since April 1, 2026	5 months worked	Last 24 or 36 months

Official figures and updates are on the France Travail page on the affiliation period.

When does the required duration change in 2026?

Since April 1, 2026, first-time claimants, meaning people who haven't received benefits in the past twenty years, can open rights with 5 months worked instead of 6. Around 16,000 more people a month could benefit from the change, according to estimates.

The exception mainly targets young workers and late career changers. It stems from a November 2024 agreement between social partners, which needed legislative backing. To know if you're covered, ask yourself one question: have you received ARE in the last twenty years? If not, you're probably in the scheme (see Previssima's analysis, in French).

Another change to watch is the mutual termination (rupture conventionnelle). Based on Unédic clarifications relayed in late July 2026, the maximum benefit period after an individual mutual termination drops to 15 months under 55 (20.5 months after) for contracts ending from September 1, 2026. The required work period doesn't change. Our guide on mutual termination and unemployment covers the procedure.

Other conditions you must meet besides time worked

Working long enough isn't enough: you must also have lost your job involuntarily (end of fixed-term contract, dismissal, mutual termination), be registered with France Travail, be actively looking for work, live in France and not yet have reached full-rate retirement age.

1. The job loss must be involuntary. A resignation doesn't automatically open rights, except in legitimate cases or a validated career-change project.
2. You must register as a jobseeker and file your claim on time.
3. Your job search must be active and provable.
4. You must be physically fit to work.

On that last point, the logic is simple: ARE replaces a salary, not a disability pension. If you're on long-term sick leave, other schemes take over.

How long will you be paid afterwards?

The benefit period matches, day for day, the number of worked days taken into account, with a minimum of 6 months and a cap of 18 months before age 55. The more you worked in the reference period, the longer you stay covered.

A quick example. You worked 20 of the last 24 months: your benefit period is capped at 18 months. You worked 8 months: you'll be paid for about 8 months. Between the two, it's calculated day by day. The amount depends on your reference salary, which is a separate calculation. Keep your payslips and employer certificates: France Travail relies on them, and a missing document can delay your claim by several weeks.

Wondering how ARE fits with wage portage status? The details are in our article on combining wage portage and ARE.

Portage employee, freelancer, auto-entrepreneur: what really counts

In wage portage you're an employee: periods covered by an employment contract with the portage company count toward your affiliation period, like any salaried job. An auto-entrepreneur doesn't pay unemployment insurance contributions and doesn't open ARE rights through self-employed activity.

That's exactly why wage portage appeals to freelancers who want a safety net. Your missions turn into salary, contributions and therefore rights. You can learn more in Weepo's section on wage portage and unemployment.

• Employee on a permanent or fixed-term contract: every worked day counts.
• Portage employee: periods under a portage contract count, not the revenue invoiced.
• Auto-entrepreneur: no ARE affiliation, but specific schemes exist, such as the self-employed workers' allowance, under strict conditions.

If you're torn between statuses, our comparison on combining auto-entrepreneur status and unemployment will help you decide. And for an overview of social protection as a portage employee, head to Weepo.

The official rules are on Service-Public.fr and on the Unédic website.

Frequently asked questions

Can you get unemployment benefits after 4 months of work?

Generally no: the threshold is 6 months (130 days or 910 hours). The only exception since April 1, 2026 is for first-time claimants who haven't received benefits in twenty years, who can open rights with 5 months worked. Four months still isn't enough.

Do paid leave or sick days count?

Assimilated periods, such as certain leave or sick days, are counted under specific rules, within the limits set by the unemployment insurance regulation. Check your situation with France Travail before filing.

Do you need to have worked continuously?

No. Contracts can be spread out and with different employers. What matters is that the total reaches 130 days or 910 hours within the last 24 months (36 months from age 55). Gaps between two jobs don't reset the counter, they simply stay inside the window until it slides past them.

Does a portage employee get unemployment benefits?

Yes, as long as they meet the same conditions as any employee: a sufficient affiliation period and involuntary job loss. Periods under a contract with the portage company are taken into account.

When should you register with France Travail?

As early as possible after your contract ends. Register right after your last working day so you don't lose benefit days.

Key takeaways

• You need 130 days or 910 hours worked in the last 24 months (36 from age 55) to open ARE rights.
• Since April 1, 2026, first-time claimants only need 5 months.
• All contracts add up, whatever the employer.
• The benefit period follows the number of worked days, capped at 18 months before age 55.
• A portage employee contributes like a regular employee, an auto-entrepreneur doesn't.

Related articles

• Unemployment Benefits & Wage Portage in 2026: ARE Rules
• Conventional termination and unemployment: everything you need to know
• Self-Employed & Unemployment in France 2026: ARE or ARCE?