Lost Job on Work Visa

French dismissal law (licenciement) provides strong employee protection through mandatory procedures. For licenciement pour motif personnel (personal reasons like performance/conduct) or licenciement économique (economic redundancy), employers must first send a convocation to an entretien préalable giving 5 working days notice. At the meeting, you can bring a conseiller du salarié from the labor inspectorate list - never sign anything during this meeting. The employer must then wait minimum 2 working days before sending the lettre de licenciement by registered post stating precise reasons (motifs). This letter triggers your préavis (notice period: typically 1-3 months depending on seniority and position) or indemnité de préavis if not worked. After 8 months service, you receive indemnité de licenciement (legal minimum severance: 1/4 month salary per year up to 10 years, 1/3 per year thereafter), though convention collectives often provide more generous terms. You also receive indemnité de congés payés (payment for all unused vacation days). The employer must provide three critical documents: certificat de travail (employment certificate), attestation Pôle emploi (for unemployment benefits), and solde de tout compte (final settlement statement) listing all payments. Register at Pôle emploi within 12 months to claim ARE (Allocation de Retour à l'Emploi): approximately 57% of previous gross salary (capped) for 18-24 months (up to 36 months for 55+). If dismissal procedure was irregular or reasons invalid, you have 12 months to file at Conseil de Prud'hommes (labor court with no filing fees) for compensation. Common grounds include procedural errors, absence of real and serious cause, or discriminatory dismissal.