dolly44

hi all we are thinking of moving to France for a change in life , is there any work in France for a plasterers ? info would be great thanks dolly

Chatter Static

It's a pretty difficult time here looking for work it took my wife a year to find a job but it can be done. Is the plasterer familiar with French plastering methods as it's done a bit different here and some folk can find French plaster a challenge if they buy the quick set stuff.

Lots of folk move here and don't manage to get employed in their preferred skill area so bring a very reasonable buffer and learn as much of the language as you can before you come.

dmu

Hi, and welcome to the Forum!
I can't help re work for plasterers in France, but be aware that the general unemployment rate here is much higher than in the UK. You could go on the "Pole-Empoi" website and enter "plâtrier" to see what vacancies there are all over France at present.
You'd have to compete with qualified French candidates for any jobs going. How is your French?
If the "we" includes children, then your hoped-for change in life might not be as pleasant as you think if you don't have a job to come to. Even for a couple, it would be advisable to have a job lined up before you come, or bring enough savings to tide you over a good year while job-seeking, and sort out healthcare coverage. If you aren't in the French Social Security system by working, you'd have to take out private insurance, as I believe the famous S1 will soon cease to exist for UK expats of working age.
Others will be along soon, but give us more info about yourselves and we'll be able to advise better.

dolly44

thanks for replying well my son is the plasterer and my husband is a chef how does street food work there ? i mean posh food in a box served from a catering tralier as we do that in the summer in cormwall ? any ideas thanks dolly

cardi

Your best bet is to go to an area with many Brits who can give you plastering and other custom based on you speaking their language. There are loads of qualified French plasterers just scraping along with a bit of 'au noir' work.

Novocastrian

Oh dear. You need to do a lot of research I fear.

dmu

+1
particularly concerning all the rules and regulations on preparing and selling food!

EuroTrash

Moving to France certainly would change your lives but most Brits who come here and work would probably agree it's not entirely a change for the better. There are advantages, mainly in quality of life, but there are disadvantage mainly in terms of what a struggle it is to earn a living as compared to the UK. If you've got very good reasons for choosing France then fair enough, but if you just want a change, there are easier ways to achieve it.

dolly44

we lost my dad 1 year ago and been wanting to move to france for a long time ! after loosing my dad makes you think how short life is and we should do with it what we want big world out there my brother emigrated Australia and my cousin and his family emigrated new Zealand .... iv never wanted to go to them places i love Europe the open space and the warm for my arthritis in my hip my sons are grown now my eldest has autism his 24 he will be coming and my other son and girlfriend are not sure yet my mum will be coming to she wants a whole change in life and she has arthritis to . my hubby is a head chef and 50 but he feels like a change in carer more slower pace his in the middle of becoming a driving instructor but how does would a British driving instructor get on in france im just trying to find out all the info we have to sell our home first in Cornwall ! also going to study French my hubby and older son are really good with it but i sound like del boy from only fools and horses originally a essex girl lol and i work in beautie work for myself

dmu

There have been other threads on 3-generation-families upping sticks and coming to France without any of the adults having jobs to come to.
I'm also thinking of your mother who suffers from arthritis. Is she sure she wants to suffer in a foreign country? I've seen many elderly parents return to the UK because they couldn't communicate with the doctors and medical staff and were very unhappy.
You must also consider healthcare coverage for all your family and son's unrelated girlfriend - if your mother receives a UK Pension, she'll be covered, but she'd have to take out a Mutuelle (top-up insurance) to reimburse what the French Social Security doesn't.
I've no idea how one qualifies as a Driving Instructor in France, but the first necessity would be to speak French fluently, not just "really good". As I said above, the unemployment rate is higher here than in the UK and becoming a Driving Instructor is one solution for unemployed French people with a driving licence....
You've done well to ask advice on the Forum! You've got a lot of homework and research to do before you can decide, and we can point out everything you should take into account.
P.S. Just noticed your other thread on Rentals, which is another problem.....
Google "devenir moniteur d'auto-école". This site
http://www.gralon.net/articles/ensei...tion--5294.htm
is one of many results and should give your OH food for thought.

dmu

Hi, I've just re-read your post and wonder how you'd be earning enough between you to keep your family. Being realistic, I'm afraid your OH and elder son will find it very difficult to find a job, and be aware for yourself that most high street boutiques are closing down in our nearest town, as customers are having to tighten their belts and beauty care is a luxury, and you aren't likely to find a salaried job. You could be a roving beautician like our hairdresser and go to customers' houses, but you'd have to set yourself up as an Auto-Entrepreneur. (At least the advantage of that is that you'd get into the French S.S. system but you'd have to pay contributions however much (or little) you earned...).
To give an idea of the cost of living, the official French Poverty Threshold stands at 977€ (take-home income) per month FOR ONE PERSON to survive (the basics - food, utilities, insurance, property/occupation taxes, but doesn't include treats and the above-mentioned Mutuelle and/or private healthcare insurance). Not counting your other son + gf, multiply this by 4 and ask yourself whether your joint household income will suffice. Others may come along to say that they live on much less, but this is an official figure and according to a recent survey, the minimum monthly income for a decent life is considered to be nearer to 1500€ per person....
Please think this through carefully! I'm being realistic, and fore-warned is fore-armed!

EuroTrash

Well dolly44, I can't honestly say that the odds seem to be in your favour, but I like your attitude and from what I've seen, it's the people with the right attitude that sometimes make a go of it against all odds.

I think you can forget the driving instructor idea. Not only would he have to learn excellent French, he'd also have to learn the Code de la Route from scratch. Passing his French theory test would be the first challenge - sit him down at http://www.code3000.net/tests-code-route.php and tell him to answer the questions! (and if he passes, I take my hat off to him - I've been driving here for 10 years and I've never passed yet)

Keep saving up and keep thinking of ideas, and hopefully you'll hit on something.

Chatter Static

Here you can not reverse without your seatbelt on and I have a ticket to prove it

Shirtback

+1

Ok, I'll bite ;-)

Putting aside all the other (HIGHLY important) considerations, e.g. Health issues, etc : your husband, as a qualified & experienced chef, *might* be able to find CDD/seasonal work as "kitchen staff" in a high traffic tourist area, in a major chain/large hotel/restaurant. If he speaks fluent French. (Lucien-Barriere in Normandy comes to mind). If he doesn't, look at plongeur jobs.

I'm afraid your son as a plâtrier will struggle to compete with local unemployed ones with 20/30 + years experience.

I do like your style & enthusiasm ( no sarcasm or irony). Natives.co.uk (not just ski jobs) may be a way of trying out the experience without jumping into the deep-end without a safety net.

SB

Novocastrian

I tried that test this afternoon and had a certain amount of difficulty.

Partly due to my inadequate French to be sure, but it's a hard test apart from that I'd say.