Portage salarial in France offers a clear path for independent professionals who want freedom with safety. Under this tripartite model, a salarié porté delivers services to an entreprise cliente while being employed and paid by a société de portage. The company converts invoiced revenue into payroll after fees and social contributions, so net pay often averages around ~50% of the billed amount.
You keep control of your clients and missions. We handle invoicing, payroll, compliance, and payslips. This gives you autonomy like a freelancer plus the protections of a statut salarié and formal employment rights.
Expect clear answers here on eligibility, how pay is calculated, which benefits you keep, and how to choose a provider. We emphasize transparency: you should be able to track every deduction from client payment to salary. This framework rests on French labor law and the industry collective agreement.
This solution suits qualified professionals selling intellectual services, consultants, and senior specialists. It is less suitable for low-margin trades or large teams working on-site full time. For an overview of the practical advantages, see our guide on advantages of portage salarial.
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Key Takeaways
- Portage salarial blends freelance autonomy with employee protections.
- A société de portage converts invoices into payroll; net pay averages ~50%.
- You keep control of clients while the company handles invoicing and compliance.
- Transparency lets you track deductions from client payment to salary.
- Best for qualified professionals offering intellectual services.
What portage salarial is and why it exists in France today
Legislation in France shaped a solution that blends freelance freedom with formal employment safeguards. The goal was to let specialists sell services independently while preventing abusive labor lending and keeping social protection intact.
A hybrid model of autonomy and employment
The structure lets a salarié porté choose missions and set prices like an independent. At the same time, the worker signs an employment contract and benefits from payroll, declarations, and coverage.
The tripartite relationship
Three parties matter: the salarié porté, the société portage acting as employer-of-record, and the entreprise cliente that buys the service. This split clarifies invoicing, liability, and social security roles.
Key legal milestones
- The Code du travail (Article L1251-64) defines the contractual links.
- Framework matured from the 1980s and was codified by law n°2008-596 and ordinance n°2015-380.
- The convention collective signed 22 March 2017 (IDCC 3219) formalized protections and practical contract rules.
These milestones mean clear contract requirements, mission limits, and guaranteed protections under the collective portage salarial framework.
How portage salarial works from mission to monthly payroll
The operational journey starts with a direct client negotiation that secures scope and price. You decide deliverables, duration, and the daily or hourly rate. This protects your autonomy and clarifies expectations.
Onboarding and contracts
After the agreement, you sign a convention d’adhésion with the société. This sets fees, expense rules, and reporting cadence.
The two-contract structure follows: a commercial service contract links the client and the société, while a contrat travail binds you to the employer. The entreprise portage handles invoicing and payroll.
Monthly flow and accounting
Each month you report time and deliverables. The société issues the invoice, collects the chiffre d’affaires, deducts gestion administrative fees and social contributions, then issues your payslip.
| Step | Actor | Timing | Key output |
|---|---|---|---|
| Negotiate mission | You + Client | Before start | Scope & rate |
| Onboard & sign | Société | At start | Convention d’adhésion |
| Monthly reporting | You + Société | Chaque mois | Invoice & compte d’activité |
| Salary processing | Société | Monthly | Gross → Net payslip |
In plain terms, the billed chiffre d’affaires becomes gross salary after fees. Net pay follows standard deductions. If you want to faire portage, this rhythm ensures clarity and reliable pay while you focus on delivery.
Who can benefit from this status and entry conditions
Not everyone qualifies for this hybrid employment — the scheme targets professionals who bring clear expertise and independence.
Qualification threshold
You generally need a Bac+2 (level 5) or equivalent diploma. Alternatively, three years of proven professional experience in the same field is accepted.
What autonomy means in practice
Autonomy means you find clients, set or negotiate your rates, plan delivery, and execute missions without daily orders from the client. This separates you from a salarié classique.
How eligibility is checked
During onboarding the employer-of-record reviews diplomas, work history, and client records. This ensures compliance and confirms you can legitimately exercer activité as an independent worker.
Typical profiles and a quick self-check
- Common profiles: consultants, trainers, interim managers, and senior specialists.
- If you cannot yet sell or deliver independently, wait until you validate your market.
- Successful candidates become salariés portés with documented autonomy and sector expertise.
-Ce portage salarial is aimed at experienced professionals who want independence with employment protections. If you meet the diploma or experience rule and can build a commercial pipeline, this status may fit your goals.
Roles and responsibilities in the portage ecosystem
Each actor must know precise duties to avoid reclassification or disputes. Clear roles reduce legal exposure and simplify daily work. This section outlines what you must do, what an entreprise cliente may request, and what the société portage must provide.
Responsibilities of the salarié porté
As a salarié porté, you deliver the agreed service, manage the client relationship, and meet deadlines.
You must report activity at least monthly and keep records of time and deliverables. This reporting reduces contraintes administratives for you and secures payroll processing.
What the entreprise cliente can and cannot request
An entreprise cliente can hire an expert for a defined mission with clear scope, deliverables, and price.
It cannot use this solution to staff a permanent task, replace an absent employee, or mask regular headcount needs. Contracts must state scope, duration, and price to respect the Code du travail.
What the société de portage must provide
The société portage is your employer: it issues pay, makes declarations, and handles administrative obligations.
The société must hold a financial guarantee to secure salaries and contributions and maintain transparent monthly statements.
For guidance on choosing the right provider and verifying guarantees, consult our selection criteria at criteria for choosing a société de.
Employment contracts in portage: CDI vs CDD and what changes
The contract you sign sets how missions are paid, how gaps are treated, and which protections you keep. Choose carefully: the form of the contrat travail affects daily security and operational flexibility.
CDD specifics
A fixed-term contrat travail links the salarié to a defined mission. It may be renewed up to two times and cannot exceed 18 months in total, renewals included.
CDD contracts can be for a fixed end date or for an uncertain term with a minimum duration. The company must give you the signed contract within two business days. Parties may defer the start by up to three months by mutual agreement.
At end of CDD, standard rules apply: paid leave compensation and any end-of-contract indemnities where eligible.
CDI specifics
An indefinite contrat travail keeps the employment relationship open. Inter-mission periods are not automatically paid unless the société secures new revenue.
This offers continuity in social coverage for the salarié, but financial continuity depends on billed missions.
Mandatory clauses checklist
- Remuneration and salary calculation — how salaire brut is derived from mission revenue.
- Payment terms, fees and expense deductions method.
- Expertise description and reporting frequency.
- Retirement and pré-voyance bodies and the identity of the financial guarantor.
- Reference to the convention collective and convention collective portage when applicable.
Clear, complete contracts protect you. Insist on written clauses that explain fees, reporting cadence, and pay mechanics before you sign.
Employee benefits you keep while working independently
Working as an independent while retaining employee-grade protections gives real peace of mind for many professionals.
Social security and everyday health coverage
Affiliation with the général sécurité sociale means you keep core health coverage like a standard salarié. Reimbursements for doctor visits, hospital stays, and prescriptions apply under the same rules.
This coverage secures daily risks and keeps medical costs predictable while you focus on missions.
Unemployment rights and France Travail
You generally remain eligible to register with France Travail and to open unemployment rights when conditions are met.
Entitlement and benefit levels follow rules similar to standard employment, so gaps between missions are not automatically uninsured.
Retirement contributions and portability
Your activity generates contributions to mandatory pension schemes and complementary plans.
Portability means accrued rights follow you: pension points and complementary contributions remain credited when you change missions or employers.
Mutuelle, prévoyance, and professional liability
Access to a company mutuelle and pré-voyance covers additional health costs, long-term incapacity, and death benefits. These protections matter when work is irregular.
Assurance responsabilité civile professionnelle (RC Pro) is usually required. It protects you when advice or services cause financial loss to a client.
“The best of both worlds: autonomy in your missions with employee-level protection that reduces personal risk.”
| Benefit | What it covers | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Health (sécurité sociale) | Medical care, hospital reimbursements | Keeps medical costs predictable |
| Unemployment | Registration with France Travail, possible allocations | Income safety between missions |
| Retirement | Mandatory and complementary pension contributions | Builds long-term retirement rights |
| Mutuelle & prévoyance | Top-up health cover, incapacity, death | Protects household finances |
| RC Pro | Liability for professional errors | Makes client work securer and contract-compliant |
Decision point: for many senior professionals, the stability of these benefits outweighs higher contributions. If you want a detailed note on required liability cover, see our guide on professional liability in this framework.
Understanding salary portage salarial and the real net take-home
Understanding how billed revenue becomes your real take-home helps you set sustainable rates. We explain why a large invoice does not translate to identical salary and how to read the monthly statement with confidence.
Why net pay often averages around half of the invoiced amount
A typical market reality: after the société applies frais gestion, employer and employee social contributions consume a large share of the chiffre d’affaires. That is why €10,000 invoiced rarely equals €10,000 in pocket money.
From salaire brut to net: what is deducted and why
The journey shows on your payslip: billed revenue → gross salary (salaire brut) → social charges and taxes → net pay. Deductions group into management fees, employer/employee contributions, paid-leave compensation, and payroll taxes.
Minimum pay rules under the convention collective portage
The convention collective portage sets minimum remuneration elements: leave compensation, business development bonuses, and reserves for some contracts. These rules protect you and make pay components transparent.
Practical tip: run a salary simulator before signing a mission so you can negotiate a sustainable daily rate based on real net benchmarks, not just the invoice figure.
Fees explained: frais de gestion, cotizations, and transparency
Understanding fee structure helps you compare offers and avoid surprises on your payslip. Fees are not just a percentage: they pay for payroll, legal compliance, and day-to-day support that keeps your activity running smoothly.
What frais de gestion cover
Typical range: management fees generally sit between 3% and 10% of billed revenue depending on services.
Frais gestion usually fund invoicing, payroll processing, tax and social declarations, and basic client follow-up. They also cover compliance work and access to reporting tools.
Spotting hidden add-ons
- Check for onboarding or setup fees billed separately.
- Watch for extra invoicing or transfer charges per client.
- Ask if optional insurance or paid tools are added on top of the fee.
- Favor clarity over the lowest percentage for long missions or high revenue.
What the monthly account statement should show
Each statement must list: amounts paid by the client, management fees, expense reimbursements, social and fiscal withholdings, net remuneration, and any business-development bonus.
This breakdown, provided chaque mois, lets you audit deductions without extra accounting skills. Clear statements reduce disputes and strengthen trust between you and the société de portage.
“Transparent fees and a solid garantie financière protect your income when client payments are delayed or contested.”
Optimizing income legally with expenses and employee savings plans
Smartly managed work expenses and savings plans increase the value of your contract income. We advocate optimization without shortcuts: improve net pay by using compliant tools, not by hiding revenue.
What frais professionnels can cover and why it matters
Frais professionnels are costs incurred for missions that a société accepts as deductible. Common examples for consultants include travel to client sites, client-meeting meals, and software or hardware directly used for a mission.
Document every receipt. When an expense is approved, it may reduce the social-cost base and improve your net salaire portage depending on provider rules.
Employee savings that boost total compensation
Two mechanisms often offered are PEE and PERCO. These épargne salariale schemes let you place part of your gross or bonuses into tax-advantaged plans.
Employer contributions to these plans increase overall value while preserving social protection for the salarié.
Practical habits to stay compliant
- Capture receipts immediately and tag them by mission.
- Reconcile expenses monthly before the payroll cutoff.
- Follow your provider’s expense policy and keep mission-level documentation.
Goal: optimize net outcomes while keeping clean records for audits. This way you stay independent and secure, tout conservant the protections of employment status.
Collective protections: convention collective and financial safeguards
A unified collective agreement brings consistency and legal certainty across providers in the sector.
What the framework guarantees
The convention collective (IDCC 3219) standardizes rights and employer duties for the sector.
It sets minimum pay elements, reporting rules, and protections for the salarié.
Why the garantie financière is essential
The garantie financière is non-negotiable.
If a client delays or defaults, this guarantee ensures wages and social contributions are paid.
Compliance signals to check
Before you sign, verify the provider shows clear contracts, an identifiable guarantor, and consistent monthly statements.
| Protection | What it covers | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Convention collective | Minimum pay rules, reporting cadence | Reduces ambiguity between roles |
| Garantie financière | Salaries and social charges if client fails to pay | Protects your income and rights |
| Compliance signals | Signed contracts, guarantor identity, monthly statements | Lower legal and payment risk |
“Treat legal rigor as a quality marker: it shows a société portage that respects rules and protects clients and salariés.”
For practical guidance and a deeper overview, read our portage salarial guide.
Legal alignment with the Code du travail reduces reclassification risk and makes the model trusted for senior consulting missions.
Who this model serves best in the French market
This route suits professionals who sell expertise by project rather than routine labor. It favors people who can define deliverables, negotiate rates, and run missions independently.
Consultants, managers, trainers and intellectual-service providers
Consultants, interim managers, trainers, and similar specialists fit naturally here. Project work, clear deliverables, and client billing align with the contractual setup.
Young graduates, career changers and retirees seeking flexibility
Jeunes diplômés can use this path to build client experience quickly while testing sectors. Career changers and retirees gain scalable hours and simplified administration.
Job seekers combining activity with unemployment benefits
Some job seekers may combine early revenue with ARE under strict rules. Proper declaration is essential to preserve rights and avoid overclaiming.
International consultants maintaining French coverage
For missions abroad, détachement options let a consultant keep French sécurité sociale. This is useful for cross-border work while remaining a salarié porté under French law.
- Best fit = expertise + autonomy + a viable daily rate.
- If you lack commercial traction, wait until you can sell missions independently.
What you can do in portage and what portage does not allow
This regime is designed for expert, deliverable-driven services — not for hands-on personal care or simple resale.
Allowed work typically includes intellectual services with clear outputs. Common domains are:
- IT projects and development sprints;
- HR consulting, recruitment strategy;
- Marketing strategy, content and campaigns;
- Finance advisory and reporting;
- Coaching and training with defined deliverables.
Excluded activities are explicit. Do not use this route for services personne such as home care, routine domestic help, or simple buy–resell trading. Regulated professions (lawyers, doctors, architects, chartered accountants) usually fall outside the scope. Ask your professional order for clear rules and seek legal advice if unsure.
Operational limits protect the salarié porté and the entreprise cliente. Missions cannot be perpetual: the maximum continuous assignment is 36 months. Clients may not use the arrangement to cover normal staff tasks or to replace an absent employee.
Practical tip: if a case seems borderline, verify with your provider and confirm you can legitimately exercer activité. For more on consultancy offers and compliance, see our portage salarial consultancy guide.
How to find missions while in portage
Winning assignments in this model depends on how well you present outcomes, not just skills.
Remember: the société handles payroll and compliance, but it does not source clients. As a salarié porté you remain the commercial engine for your chiffre affaires.
Define your offer and ideal client
Package work as clear outcomes: deliverables, timeline, and measurable results. This helps prospects see value quickly.
Prospecting that fits independent work
- Network at industry events and alumni groups.
- Ask satisfied clients for referrals and testimonials.
- Use targeted outreach and mission platforms to respond fast.
Set and negotiate a sustainable TJM
Calculate TJM from desired net income, billable days, and provider deductions. Avoid low rates: fees and charges can erase margin.
“Negotiate on outcomes and impact; protect your rate while keeping long-term trust—tout conservant professionalism.”
| Step | Focus | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Positioning | Outcomes, target client | Speeds decision-making |
| Prospecting | Network, referrals, platforms | Steady lead flow |
| Pricing | TJM, billable days | Ensures sustainable revenue |
How to choose the right société de portage for your goals
A careful choice of provider reduces surprises on your payslip and protects income.
Start with transparency. Ask the provider to show frais gestion as a clear percentage or fixed fee and list what is included. Confirm which services trigger extra charges.
Evaluate fees, expenses and tools
Compare frais gestion percentage versus fixed costs and check if gestion administrative, invoicing, or transfers add fees.
Ask which frais professionnels are accepted, how approvals work, and what receipts are required.
Use a salary simulator to model net pay across TJMs and expense levels before you commit.
Assess support and community
Check access to training rights, coaching, and an active consultant network. Good support speeds client wins and pricing maturity.
Verify financial strength and guarantees
Request the identity of the guarantee provider, the scope of the garantie financière, and how it covers salary if clients delay payment.
Insist on clear contracts and monthly reporting
Ensure the contract references the convention collective and details reporting cadence, fee breakdown, and expense handling.
Choose based on facts—transparency, service depth, and compliance—rather than marketing promises.
Common risks and how to stay compliant under the Code du travail
Small signs of client control, repeated over time, can trigger costly reclassification under the code travail. Stay proactive: spot dependency, document role limits, and preserve your independent methods.
Avoid single-client dependency and manage gaps
Relying on one entreprise cliente increases risk. Diversify your pipeline by keeping at least two active prospects and limiting renewals to defined periods.
Inter-mission gaps are normal. A CDI does not guarantee pay between missions. Plan cash flow, keep a prospecting cadence, and set clear end dates in the contrat travail.
Keep autonomy to prevent reclassification
Autonomy signals protect the salarié porté: you control methods, scheduling, and deliverables. Avoid daily orders from the client and refuse tasks that mimic internal staff duties.
Document deliverables and on-site conditions
Record scope, change processes, duration, and safety measures in writing. When working chez client, clarify that the client is responsible for health and safety and log site conditions.
Maintain professional liability insurance. Adequate responsabilité civile covers damages, errors, and client claims during delivery.
| Risk | Preventive action | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Client subordination | Limit daily directives; keep own methods | Protects status under code travail |
| Single-client dependency | Diversify clients; cap renewals | Reduces reclassification and income risk |
| Unclear scope chez client | Signed scope & safety clause in contrat travail | Avoids disputes and liability claims |
| On-site damage | Hold valid responsabilité civile; report incidents | Covers claims and preserves reputation |
Getting started quickly with portage in France
With the right paperwork and a confirmed client, you can be operational within 24 hours. We explain the realistic timeline, required documents, and the first-month steps so you start with clarity and confidence.
Timeline expectations
Once a mission is agreed, onboarding is fast. The convention d’adhésion and employment contract can be signed within hours.
Many consultants start within 24 hours if they provide proof of expertise and a client purchase order. Expect monthly reporting obligations after launch.
What to prepare
- Proof of expertise: diploma or documented experience to validate your profile.
- Clear mission scope: deliverables, duration, and agreed pricing to set the chiffre affaires.
- Client documents: service contract or purchase order for the entreprise portage and société portage to invoice.
First-month checklist
- Sign the convention d’adhésion and your contrat travail.
- Confirm reporting rhythm and submit timesheets and expenses chaque mois.
- Validate invoices, meet expense deadlines, and note payroll dates to set pay expectations.
- Track days billed and expected net pay on a simple personal dashboard to reduce contraintes administratives.
Practical note: choose a provider that shows clear timelines and transparent activity statements. For help choosing, see our selection criteria.
Conclusion
This framework gives independent professionals a predictable legal and social platform to deliver paid missions.
In short, portage salarial is a tripartite system: you, the société de portage and the entreprise cliente. The société handles invoicing, payroll and compliance so you can focus on delivery.
You keep benefits like sécurité sociale, retirement contributions and unemployment access, but expect net pay to reflect fees and contributions — often near ~50% of billed revenue.
Success depends on autonomy, clear contracts, and the mandatory garantie financière. Use compliant frais professionnels to optimise take-home pay.
Next step: simulate your salaire portage salarial, validate eligibility to exercer activité, and compare sociétés by fees and transparency. With good preparation, this option lets you freelance confidently while keeping employee-grade protections,
