Temporary jobs rise in France

France’s temporary employment sector saw a 1.3 percent increase between June and September 2026, with 708,300 people working on temporary contracts at the end of September, according to adjusted data from Dares, a French government statistics office.

Growth slows in September

The growth in temporary employment slowed in September, with only a 0.3 percent increase, or 2,400 more workers, compared to August. The sector has grown by 0.2 percent over the past year, but this is a small gain given its sensitivity to economic changes.

Industrial sector leads recovery

The industrial sector was the main driver of the recovery, with a 1.7 percent increase in temporary workers, or 4,200 more people, following a decline in August. The service sector saw a slight rise of 0.1 percent, while the construction sector lost 1.3 percent, or 1,600 temporary workers.

Private sector loses jobs

According to INSEE, France’s national statistics office, the private sector lost 25,800 salaried jobs between June and September, a 0.1 percent decline. The drop in apprenticeship contracts contributed significantly to this loss.

Temporary workers counted in overall figures

The 8,900 additional temporary workers in the third quarter are included in INSEE’s private sector employment estimates. These workers are counted in temporary staffing firms, even if they are assigned to work in industries like manufacturing or construction.

Revised August figures

Dares revised its estimate for August, lowering the decline in temporary employment from 0.3 percent to 0.1 percent. The September data is still provisional, with INSEE planning to release full third-quarter employment results on November 27, 2026.