Portage salarial blends employee protection with the freedom of independent work. You sell your expertise like a freelancer while a société handles billing, social charges, and converts revenue into a payslip. This gives you a stable fiscal record and access to benefits without creating a company.
Set expectations: we will help you assess fit, compare contract length and type, and map out costs that shape your net income. Typical net take-home can be around half of invoiced revenue after fees and contributions, so fee structure matters.
What stays yours: client relationships, business development, and your professional activité. The model protects your apport de clientèle while you keep autonomy over client choice and negotiation.
We also preview decision points: fees, expense rules, guarantee financière, and the level of support a société offers. Income gaps between missions remain your responsibility, but steady payroll documents help maintain creditworthiness and compliance.
Table of Contents
Key Takeaways
- Portage salarial offers employee protections with independent control.
- Expect about half of invoiced revenue as net pay after fees.
- Keep your client relationships and business development.
- Compare fees, contract terms (CDI vs CDD), and financial guarantees.
- Choose a reputable société for clarity, support, and compliance.
- Useful for France-based pros and international consultants seeking French protection.
Why Portage Salarial is a top choice for independent professionals in France
For experts who sell time and outcomes, the ideal solution combines control with social coverage.
Core value: you keep freelancer agility while operating under a clear statut salarié. That means invoicing freedom plus employee protections.
The concrete protections are real. You remain affiliated with sécurité sociale, build retirement contributions, and access unemployment rights in many cases. Complementary health and other avantages sociaux depend on the provider but often mirror standard coverage.
Compared to a salarié classique, you negotiate scope, price, and timelines directly. There is no client manager giving daily orders. This preserves professional autonomy while keeping social safety nets.
| Feature | Independent setup | Hybrid under statut salarié | Salarié classique |
|---|---|---|---|
| Social protection | Limited | Yes – sécurité sociale & contributions | Yes |
| Autonomy | High | High | Lower (hierarchical) |
| Onboarding for entreprise | Requires vendor setup | Fast for entreprise cliente | Lengthy recruitment |
| Suitable for missions | Yes | Yes (project-driven) | Generally for permanent roles |
Organizations prefer this route to access specialists quickly and avoid long-term headcount. It fits project peaks and transformation needs.
Who it suits: consultants, managers, trainers, and experts who deliver results with clear deliverables and limited supervision.
How portage salarial works from prospect to paycheck
A clear sequence links your commercial work to payroll — and it starts before any invoice is sent.
The tripartite model rests on three actors: the salarié porté, the entreprise cliente, and the société portage. Each has defined duties so your rights and obligations stay visible.
The three-party arrangement
| Party | Primary role | Key responsibility |
|---|---|---|
| Salarié porté | Deliver mission | Negotiate scope, produce deliverables, report activity |
| Entreprise cliente | Buy the service | Define objectives and accept deliverables |
| Société portage | Administrative employer | Issue invoices, handle gestion administrative, pay salaire |
Typical workflow you will follow
Find a mission and agree terms with the entreprise cliente: scope, duration, and daily rate (TJM).
Select a société portage and sign the convention d’adhésion. The portage company then finalizes the service contract and your employment contrat (CDD or CDI).
The société portage invoices the client. Your chiffre affaires is processed: gestion fees are deducted, social contributions applied, then you receive a payslip and salaire.
What “no subordination to the client” looks like
The client sets objectives and checks deliverables, but cannot direct how you work day-to-day. You keep autonomy over methods, schedules, and subcontracting choices.
- Reporting: submit activity reports monthly to support invoicing and payroll.
- Administrative cover: the entreprise portage manages declarations, documentation, and follow-up.
- Buyer tip: confirm timesheet rules, acceptance criteria, and invoicing triggers before signing to avoid payment delays. Also learn more about this model.
The legal framework and collective agreement you should know
Understanding the rules helps you identify a compliant arrangement and avoid disguised employment. The code travail defines the model and sets core protections.
Key legal anchors
Article L1251-1 gives the official definition so you can recognize the regulated model. Article L1251-64 secures your rights on client acquisition and confirms your commercial contributions remain yours.
What the convention collective portage does
The convention collective (IDCC 3219, effective July 1, 2017) standardizes classifications, minimum remuneration rules, and mechanisms such as the commercial bonus and reserve accounts.
Duration limits and compliance guardrails
Missions are commonly capped at 36 months. Clients must not use this model to replace absent staff or to fill a permanent internal position indefinitely.
- Keep these documents: signed contracts, mission description, agreed rate, and monthly account statements.
- Choose a provider that updates you on evolving ceilings and rules.
Who can use portage salarial and who should avoid it
To qualify, you typically need a Bac+2 level diploma or at least three years of meaningful experience in your field. This baseline ensures you can sell a clear service and protect client expectations.
Qualification and autonomy
You must be autonomous in prospecting and organising your work. Autonomy is non-negotiable: you define solutions, deliver outcomes, and manage client relations without daily supervision.
Common beneficiary profiles
Experienced consultants, managers of transition, trainers, coaches, and IT experts often benefit most. These professionals act as a salarié porté while keeping control of their commercial life.
Use cases
Useful scenarios include unemployed professionals combining income with France Travail rules, retirees supplementing pensions, international consultants keeping French protection, and jeunes diplômés who can sell an offer early in their career.
“If you can package expertise and find clients, this route gives employee-style cover while you stay independent.”
Who should avoid it
If you cannot yet price your expertise, lack market traction, or need time to build a client pipeline, another status may be simpler to start with. We recommend testing the market first before you decide to faire portage with a société.
Learn how to faire portage and check whether your activity and profile match the entry rules.
Activities and professions that portage doesn’t allow
Eligibility favours intellectual, consultancy, and project-based services. Several common activities fall outside this perimeter and must be handled differently to remain compliant.
Why services à la personne are excluded
Household and personal care services often require licences, background checks, or specific oversight under French law. These rules conflict with the administrative setup of the service employer model.
In practice, activities like childcare, home nursing, or personal assistance are managed by specialised structures or direct employment schemes, not the hybrid consultant-employer route.
Why regulated professions are generally not eligible
Professions governed by strict regulations—doctors, lawyers, notaries, architects, and chartered accountants—need professional autonomy, diplomas, and professional liability regimes that do not fit this framework.
Carrying out a regulated act inside a consultancy offer risks professional sanctions and contractual nullity.
Why buy-sell trading models don’t fit
Trading or achat-revente relies on goods margin, stock, and VAT rules. The model is built around invoiced prestations, not product margin accounting.
Decision tip: if your activité mixes eligible consulting and an excluded element, separate the scopes clearly and ask your société and a legal advisor for written guidance before contracting with an entreprise.
Contracts you will sign and what each one protects
Three documents usually govern a mission. They set legal duties, financial flows, and operational rules so you know where protections lie.
The convention d’adhésion — what to verify
The convention d’adhésion links you to the société portage. Check the fee schedule, expense rules, and payment timing.
Also confirm reporting duties and the procedure if an entreprise cliente pays late. Ask for a clear example of how net pay is calculated.
The service contract between the société and the client
This contrat frames scope, deliverables, duration, and price between the société portage and the entreprise cliente.
Why it matters: it secures invoicing, sets acceptance criteria, and reduces disputes on mission scope.
Your employment contract: CDI vs CDD
Your contrat travail grants social coverage and employee rights. It defines notice, leave, and eligibility for unemployment under conditions.
Buyer checks: insist on clear wording about salary calculation, apport d’affaires treatment, and deductions. Demand readable summaries and no hidden charges in annexes.
- Verify calculation method and mission acceptance rules.
- Confirm how gestion administrative tasks are handled and billed.
- Prefer a société that provides transparent summaries and written examples.
Choosing CDI or CDD affects reserves, intermission handling, and end-of-contract pay. For help on selecting a provider, review our criteria to choose a société portage.
CDI in portage salarial: what changes between missions
With a CDI contract under this model, stability comes from status, not from a guaranteed monthly salary. You remain a salarié porté, with employee protections, but your salaire depends on billed missions.
How non-billable periods work (and why they are not paid)
Periods without a client prestation are not paid. That means gaps between missions create unpaid intermissions.
This reality makes revenue planning essential. If you are moins ans in the market, build buffers and assume conservative billable days.
The “reserve” mechanism designed to smooth income gaps
Many companies offer a reserve mechanism. Typically a portion (for example, 10% of the last mission’s base) is placed on your activity account to help cover gaps.
On each monthly statement you must see clear movements: reserve credited, reserve released, and remaining balances. Do not accept vague “adjustments.”
- Practical tip: negotiate fees so your salaire brut and net remain acceptable after charges.
- Buyer check: confirm when reserves are released, withdrawal conditions, and whether the société portage offers optional smoothing tools without locking funds.
- Reporting: expect reserve entries chaque mois and transparent accounting on your account statement.
CDD in portage salarial: key limits and must-have clauses
A fixed-term contract is a practical choice when you want a clear start and finish for defined missions. It gives both parties legal certainty and predictable pay rules.
Duration caps and renewal rules you must anticipate
The total length of a CDD cannot exceed 18 months, including renewals. The contract may be renewed up to two times.
If the client expects longer engagement, plan early for a compliant transition such as a CDI or a re-scoped contrat.
End-of-contract and paid leave compensation basics
Standard end-of-contract rules apply: you receive paid leave compensation and an end-of-contract indemnity under labor law. These items change your net outcome and must be visible on each payslip.
Mandatory contract mentions to avoid disputes
- Must appear in the contrat travail: remuneration calculation, gestion fees, and expenses deduction method.
- Detailed description of your expertise, reporting frequency, and client mission details.
- Identity of the financial guarantor, liability insurance (RC) reference, and safety responsibilities.
- Contract issued within two business days of hire by the société.
If you are moins ans of independent practice, insist on written renewal conditions to avoid sudden income stops. We recommend reviewing each clause before you sign.
Understanding your pay: from revenue to net salary
Understanding how your billed revenue turns into the pay you receive helps you plan cash flow and set rates. Below is a simple model and practical checks to protect your income.
How invoiced CA HT becomes your salaire
Mental model: chiffre affaires (CA HT) → minus frais gestion → minus social contributions → gross salaire → net salaire.
What to expect in practice
Many professionals see net around 46–54% of CA HT after fees and charges. This reflects full employee coverage and compliant payroll.
What frais gestion cover and ranges
Frais gestion usually cover invoicing, contract and payroll admin, declarations, legal compliance, and sometimes training or community access. Rates commonly sit between 3% and 10% depending on services included.
Frais professionnels and monthly transparency
Clear policies on frais professionnels (travel, equipment, training) can improve take-home pay by reimbursing costs outside salary. Your account statement must show client payments, detailed frais, social/fiscal deductions, net salaire, and apport d’affaires each month.
“Ask your société portage for a worked example of net pay before you sign.”
| Item | What to check | Typical range |
|---|---|---|
| Frais gestion | Inclusions and extra fees | 3%–10% |
| Social contributions | Employer + employee rates shown | Large variable % of CA |
| Frais professionnels | Reimbursement rules | Depends on policy |
Minimum pay rules under the collective agreement
Minimum pay rules protect professionals from undercutting and ensure a baseline for qualified work. The convention collective sets minimum monthly thresholds so the framework serves experienced consultants, not disguised low-paid labor.
How the Social Security ceiling links to minimums
The minimum remuneration is indexed to the sécurité sociale ceiling. That means thresholds evolve with official ceilings and your provider must update calculations automatically.
Public guidance cites concrete monthly gross examples (for instance, around €2,517.13) adjusted by category percentages.
Seniority and classification impacts
Classifications—junior, senior, and forfait jours—change minimum percentages and expectations.
Junior roles use lower base percentages while senior profiles and forfait jours receive higher minimums to reflect autonomy and responsibility.
What can be included in the minimum package
- Base salaire brut and paid leave indemnity.
- 5% business development bonus (apport d’affaires).
- A reserve mechanism (commonly ~10% for CDI) or a CDD precariousness indemnity at contract end.
CDI vs CDD: cash timing and mechanics
In CDI the reserve smooths gaps but keeps funds tied to activity accounts. In CDD you often receive an end-of-contract compensation that impacts cash timing.
Buyer check for salariés portés: confirm whether the displayed “minimum” is an all-in gross total and which lines (reserve, apport, leave) are bundled. Also review examples of net outcomes.
Finally, minimums are protective floors—not pricing targets. You still need a TJM that supports your desired salary after fees and contributions. For practical guidance on choosing a provider, consult our employment guide and model details at France employment guide and this detailed post on the model in France: learn more.
Social protection and employee benefits you gain as a salarié porté
As a consultant under an employed administrative employer model, you gain access to broad social protections that mirror standard employment. This means clear couverture sociale through affiliation to the sécurité sociale, with contributions made as for any salarié.
Health, retirement and complementary coverage
You keep pension contributions and general retirement accruals. Many providers also offer or facilitate a mutuelle and prévoyance to top up basic protection. Ask the société portage which levels are included and which are optional.
Unemployment rights and France Travail
Working as a salarié porté can preserve access to unemployment mechanisms (ARE) under France Travail rules. Check eligibility and how earned income affects benefit calculations.
Liability, risk management and training
Responsabilité civile (RC Pro) is essential when your advice carries financial risk. Confirm policy limits and documented proof from the société portage.
- Align deliverables and acceptance criteria to limit disputes.
- Seek limitation-of-liability clauses and clear reporting rules.
- Use CPF, VAE, or a bilan de compétences to upskill and raise your rates.
Buyer checklist: confirm who pays insurance, training access, and how fast you get certificates for clients.
Portage salarial for international missions
Delivering services to foreign clients from a French payroll combines international reach with domestic security. This route lets you invoice abroad while keeping French employee protections and clear payroll records.
Working with foreign clients while keeping French protection
Key advantage: you invoice the entreprise cliente through a French setup and remain affiliated to sécurité sociale.
That preserves contributions, retirement accruals, and many social benefits. For consultants selling high‑value expertise, this reduces administrative friction and strengthens client trust.
Detachment scenarios and what to clarify before you travel
Confirm social and tax rules in the country of work. Ask whether a detachment certificate or local registration is needed to keep your French cover.
Before travel, verify that your société portage supports cross‑border invoicing, issues the right contrat wording, and can provide proof of insurance clients may request.
- Agree currency, VAT handling, and payment terms in the service contract with the entreprise cliente.
- Check liability territory and any exclusions in your insurance.
- Validate continuity of sécurité sociale and local labour (travail) obligations.
Finding missions and building revenue predictability
Packaging a compelling, measurable service for the market helps you land missions and forecast income. Define a clear niche, state the outcomes you deliver, and document proof such as brief case studies or client references.
Positioning your expertise and a clear offer
As a consultant, your offer must answer a client problem. Specify deliverables, timelines, and success metrics.
Price on value: justify your TJM with outcomes, not hours. This makes negotiation with an entreprise cliente simpler.
Prospecting channels that work
Mix network referrals, LinkedIn outreach, specialist platforms, and former employer contacts.
Attend targeted events and build partnerships with other consultants to expand reach. Track where leads convert best.
Negotiating TJM and protecting scope
Anchor your rate on impact and list what is included—deliverables, revisions, and travel. Add a clause for scope changes to avoid unpaid expansions.
Managing workload and realistic billable days
Plan conservative billable days (many consultants use ~200/yr). Multiply billable days by your TJM to estimate annual chiffre affaires.
Keep a balanced pipeline, track conversion rates, and keep outreach active while on missions to prevent income gaps.
| Topic | Action | Result | Role of société portage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Positioning | Define niche and outcomes | Clear offer that sells | Coaching and templates |
| Prospecting | Use 4–5 channels | Steady lead flow | Introductions and community events |
| TJM negotiation | Price on value; protect scope | Higher net chiffre affaires | Contract templates and payroll examples |
| Revenue predictability | Plan billable days & pipeline | Realistic forecasts | Reporting tools and sample calculations |
Risks, limitations, and how to stay compliant
Maintaining independence while on payroll-like terms requires proactive steps to avoid requalification and income fragility. Understand the structural limits so you protect your career and cash flow.
Avoiding dependency on a single client and “permanent role” risks
Working mainly for one entreprise can look like a permanent hire. That creates economic dependence and raises scrutiny from labour authorities.
Practical rule: keep multiple clients and rotate mission types to preserve your autonomy and status.
Why income is not guaranteed between missions
The model does not pay you between missions unless the société portage has a reserve or you have revenue. Build a savings buffer and price for downtime.
Common pitfalls that trigger requalification concerns
- Fixed schedules imposed by the client.
- Reporting lines that mimic internal staff.
- Missions that mirror permanent entreprise roles.
Practical safeguards: contracts, savings, and compliance hygiene
Keep each contrat outcome-based, include clear acceptance criteria, and verify the service nature of the relation.
Ask your société portage for written updates when a mission borders on subordination. Save three to six months of expenses as a buffer.
“-ce portage protects you only when you keep independence and follow the rules.”
| Risk | Signal | Safeguard |
|---|---|---|
| Dependency | One long client | Multiple clients / documented missions |
| Subordination | Fixed schedule | Outcome-based contrat |
| Income gap | No reserve | Savings buffer / reserve mechanism |
For detailed provider checks, review our criteria to choose a société portage. Remember: -ce portage is a protective framework only if you respect its rules and preserve your independence.
Choosing a société de portage: the buyer’s checklist
Picking a reliable partner for payroll and admin is one of the most impactful decisions you’ll make as an independent professional. We give a concise checklist to help you choose with confidence.
Transparent fees and what’s actually included
Look for one clear rate that lists what frais gestion covers and what triggers extras (setup, insurance upgrades, or specialised tools).
Ask for a worked example showing how a typical invoice becomes net pay.
Frais professionnels policy and VAT handling
Confirm which frais professionnels are reimbursed, how approvals work, and whether VAT treatment affects your cashflow.
Tip: providers that document VAT restitution rules reduce surprises at year-end.
Financial strength: garantie financière and salary security
The garantie financière is mandatory. Request the guarantor name and the process if a client delays payment.
Check whether the société portage holds reserves or offers salary protection tools.
Support quality: coaching, tools, community, training catalog
Evaluate practical support: templates, active coaching, and an accessible training catalogue can accelerate revenue growth.
Community and prospecting help are useful if they are regular and measurable.
Contract clarity, reporting quality, and company reputation signals
Prefer readable conventions and compliant contracts. Monthly account statements must show client payments, deductions, reserve movements, and apport d’affaires clearly.
Reputation signals: years in business, client references, responsiveness, and transparent gestion administrative practices.
“Choose a partner whose monthly reporting and contract language make your income predictable and your obligations clear.”
| Criterion | What to verify | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Fees (frais gestion) | One clear % and inclusions | Protects your net pay |
| Expense policy (frais professionnels) | Accepted costs and VAT rules | Improves take-home and compliance |
| Garantie financière | Guarantor identity & salary protection | Secures salary if payments lag |
| Support & épargne salariale | Coaching, training, PEE/PERCO options | Boosts skills and tax-efficient saving |
| Reporting & contracts | Monthly statements; readable conventions | Reduces disputes and audit risk |
- Buyer-first rule: Always ask for a sample payslip and one month of account statements before you sign.
- Compare sociétés portage on fee transparency, garantie financière terms, and the quality of their gestion administrative tools.
- When you choose, prefer the provider that makes your cashflow predictable and supports your growth.
Conclusion
When independence meets structure, you gain social coverage without losing commercial control.
Portage salaral offers a clear path: sell your expertise, keep autonomy, and benefit from a payroll framework that banks and clients trust.
Be a buyer: compare sociétés on fee transparency, expense rules, garantie financière, and the clarity of contracts and monthly reports.
You remain the active prospector and the salarié porté who builds a client portfolio; the société portage secures administration and paytout, tout conservant your method and schedule.
Protect compliance: avoid subordination signals and keep missions project-based, not permanent. Shortlist 2–3 sociétés, request net-pay simulations, read the convention d’adhésion line by line, and validate exact net calculations.
-ce portage salarial works when you treat it as a professional framework—clear offers, clear contracts, and disciplined financial planning.
