Hiring Cost Calculator
Full French salary simulator inspired by mon-entreprise.urssaf.fr. Enter any amount — employer cost, gross, net before or after tax — and all others update instantly. 2026 rates & RGDU included.
Indicative Estimates Only
This simulator uses 2026 standard rates and the neutral PAS grid. Actual amounts depend on your collective bargaining agreement, local transport levy, specific AT/MP rate, applicable exemptions, and individual tax rate. The RGDU calculation is simplified and may differ from your actual payroll. For precise calculations tailored to your situation, contact our team.
Understanding French Employer Costs in 2026
In France, employer social charges (cotisations patronales) typically add 40-50% on top of the gross salary. This simulator accounts for all mandatory contributions including health insurance, pensions (AGIRC-ARRCO), unemployment, family allowances, and the réduction générale de cotisations (RGDU) for salaries below 3x the minimum wage.
Key 2026 parameters: PASS = 48,060 EUR/year (4,005 EUR/month) — SMIC = 1,823.03 EUR/month gross (21,876.36 EUR/year).
Hiring cost — key questions
Why is the total employer cost so much higher than gross salary?
Because employer social contributions — health, retirement, unemployment, family allowances, workplace accident insurance — are added on top of gross pay. The real total depends on salary level, company size and sector rates. This calculator shows the mechanism; for a specific hire, the applicable collective agreement can add mandatory items of its own.
What is the réduction générale and who benefits from it?
France's general reduction of employer contributions lowers the bill for salaries close to the minimum wage, and tapers off as pay rises. That is why the relative cost of low salaries is much lighter than headline contribution rates suggest — and why the cost curve is not linear as remuneration grows.
Can I pay the French minimum wage (SMIC) to any new hire?
Only if the applicable collective agreement does not set a higher minimum for the role's classification. Conventional minima frequently exceed the SMIC for qualified positions — and when a conventional minimum falls below the SMIC after a SMIC increase, the SMIC applies instead. Both floors must be checked against the actual classification: DAIRIA AI reads the applicable grid, with its date and its extension status.
Which mandatory costs are commonly forgotten?
Complementary health coverage (mutuelle) with a mandatory employer share, occupational medicine fees, contributions tied to the collective agreement (prévoyance, training), and paid leave accrual. None of them is optional, and several depend on the CCN — the same job can cost measurably more from one branch to another.
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