To work in France (I am American)?

Question

can a career in journalism allow me to move to and work in France? and I'm learning French now and hope to be fluent in it by the time I graduate from college.

Answer 1

You can be sent to France as a reporter if you are already high up in the journalist profession in your own country but, unless you are the official permanent correspondent for an American newpaper, the authorities do not consider it to be necessary for foreign reporters to settle in France for years on end. There are special visas for the press but it does not allow them to remain on French territory for longer than other American citizens.

http://www.immigration.gouv.fr/IMG/pdf/immigrationprofessionnelle_etrangers_anglais.pdf

http://www.frenchlaw.com/Immigration_Visas.htm



In 2003, France issued only 6500 visas for permanent employment, of which 313 were to Americans. The other visas were mainly given to natives from ex-French dependencies. The construction industry and hotel-restaurant sectors accounted for a large part of the latter.

Answer 2

Sure, you can get a job in an American or English paper or channel and be sent to France, or you can try to work in a French paper (you don't have a chance to get a job in a French TV or radio channel) but that would be way much harder as you will compete with native French speakers who will be preferred over you, both because they know how to write French style (very different from the English/US way of writing articles) and know the local ways, more, customs and politics. Besides, French journalists usually start at the 'chiens crevés' level (dead dogs, ie the really no interest one liners), and furthermore not as full time but as pigiste (paid by the number of words or pages or minutes on TV).

Answer 3

I know girl, I'm in the very same boat. Living in France is my dream ever since I visited the fabulous beautiful country in 2006. I too want to make this dream happen once I complete school (Graduate School) in 2 years.



Visit www.expatica.com/fr/main.html (I just found the site yesterday. It's loaded with current news events in France, forums to ask your questions, advice on moving and finding work in France, etc)



Email me: [e-mail] if you come across any information. I'm eager to find how we can make this possible.

Good luck to us and lets help one another :)

Answer 4

You can very well move to France to complete your studies in journalism.

The students are very welcome especially from US, and then you can become more fluent, and look for a job at the same time.

To settle in France it will be most helpful, you can get contacts here, and it can even turn out to be a permanent job.