Register at the job centre (Pôle Emploi)

In short

More than 16 years

Last update : 9 janv. 2023

What is it?

Pôle Emploi can help you find a job or training to acquire new professional skills, adapted to the job market.

It is a public service that advises and supports you, in a personalized way and according to your needs.

Pôle Emploi can also offer professional immersions to discover a profession with an internship in a company.

Good to know: You can register with Pôle Emploi as soon as you receive the receipt confirming the recognition of international protection.

Once registered with Pôle Emploi, you become a "job seeker".

This status can allow you to have:

Free access to all Pôle Emploi services ,
Support in the realization of your professional project,
An " allowance " (= financial aid) if the conditions for receiving it are met. For example, if you have worked at least 6 months (= 130 days or 910 hours) in the last 24 months since the end date of your employment contract, you may be entitled to the Return to Work Allowance ( ARE)

Who is it for?

Location

France entière

Age required

More than 16 years

Location

France entière

Age required

More than 16 years

What to do?

Check if you can register with Pôle emploi

You can register as a job seeker if you meet certain conditions:

Be looking for a job;
Be of working age (from 16 years old);
Be physically able to work;
Declare a domicile in France.

For foreign workers, you must hold a residence permit allowing you to work in France and register with Pôle emploi. For more information, you can look at this web page.

Go to the website to register

You can register online on your phone or computer.

When you arrive on the home page of Pôle emploi , click on "Register / Re-register".

Then click on "I start" .
Do a simulation to check if you can register online.
Select your situation and click on "Validate" .
Check the documents requested for registration and click "Next" .
Finally, choose the profile that suits you and click on "Start registration" .
Good to know: If you meet any difficulty registering on the internet, you can go to a local agency. Find the Pôle Emploi agency closest to you and explain to reception that you wish to register. The agents will check your situation and offer you an appointment to help you finalize your registration.

Complete your personal information

You must fill in your personal data:

your first and last name,
your date and place of birth,
your address,
your family situation,
your social security number,
your phone number,
your email.

Then choose how you want to exchange with Pôle Emploi:

→ If you click on “yes, I accept” , you will receive all your documents only by email and on your personal Pôle Emploi space.

→ If you click on “no, I do not accept” , you will receive your documents by post AND on your personal Pôle Emploi space.

Create access codes to your account

Here you must create your login credentials for your Pôle Emploi account:

Choose a "username" (for example, your email or your name).
Choose a "password" (it must have at least 8 characters, a letter, a number and a symbol)

Your identifiers will allow you to connect to your personal space after your registration.

Good to know: Attention, do not forget them, it is very important! Feel free to jot them down somewhere on your phone, computer, or on paper.

Finalize your registration

To complete your registration, complete your "Reason for registration".

Answer all questions about your personal situation.

At the end of registration, you must choose a date for your first appointment at Pôle Emploi.

Good to know: This appointment is mandatory .

Once registered with Pôle Emploi, you obtain your Pôle Emploi identifier (which is different from the identifier you use to connect to the site).

This is a unique number to keep. You will be asked for certain procedures or actions related to your possible applications and entry into training.

After registering, you have access to your profile and your documents on your online Pôle Emploi space. To connect you :

Go to the Pôle Emploi website
Click on "Connection",
Click on "Candidate",
Enter your user name then your password (defined during your registration). Specify your postal code.
Finally, click "Connect".

Good to know: You can also connect with your FranceConnect identifiers, using an account you already have (that of taxes or health insurance for example).

> To read: the Refugees.info sheet "Connecting to a site with FranceConnect".

You then access your Pôle Emploi space:

In "My job search" , you will find all your applications as well as your training course , if you have one.
In "My job seeker file" and the section "My exchanges with Pôle Emploi" , you will find the contact details of your Pôle Emploi adviser . This is also where you can send a document to Pôle Emploi.

Go to your first Pôle Emploi meeting

During your registration, you chose a date for a first appointment.

You will receive an invitation letter. This appointment is very important and mandatory .

Before going to Pôle emploi, you can gather these documents:

identity card or passport;
receipt or residence permit;
social security number (Vitale card) or PUMA/ CSS certificate;
employer certificate, work certificate or pay slips;
RIB (Bank Identity Statement) to receive financial assistance if you are entitled to it;
CV (Curriculum Vitae), it is strongly advised to prepare one.

Pôle emploi offers advice and tools to make a good CV.

During this appointment, the counselor will ask you questions about your identity, your experiences and your job search. With this information, (s)he will build your "Personalized Employment Access Project (PPAE)", that is to say your professional project and your steps until the next appointment. (S)he will suggest solutions adapted to your situation.

This appointment is not a test or an exam. The counselor only wants to learn more about you and your career plan.

Good to know: If you are not available on the day of your appointment, you can contact Pôle Emploi:
- by telephone by calling 3949 (free service + local call price);
- by mail ;
- or by going to the reception of your agency.

And after?

Update your situation every month

After your registration, you must “update” every month on Pôle Emploi.

Updating means you are still looking for a job OR that you have found a new job.

You must declare all salaried and self-employed activities that you have had during the month (fixed-term work, permanent contract, temporary work, entrepreneur, etc.).

Updating can be done:

online at pole-emploi.fr ,
via the "My space" mobile application,
by phone at 3949,
or in an agency with the help of an advisor

Good to know: The update is compulsory for all beneficiaries of Pôle Emploi and must be done before the 15th of each month, in order to remain registered.

Talk to your advisor regularly

After your first meeting with your advisor, you will be summoned by letter or email for other meetings on a regular basis.

Good to know: all appointments are compulsory.

If you are not available, you must tell Pôle emploi as soon as possible to be able to change the date of your appointment.

You can also request a meeting directly with your advisor if you have questions.

If you've ever been struck off (you didn't go to an appointment)

You will be "struck off" if:

You did not go to an appointment and do not have a valid justification
You did not attend compulsory training
You did not respond to requests from Pôle Emploi

You will receive a letter explaining the reason for your being struck off.

You can reply to justify yourself — by mail or by making an appointment with your advisor.

Good to know: being struck off means you no longer have access to Pôle Emploi services and no longer receiving your financial assistance.

You may be struck off any time between 15 days and 12 months depending on the reason.

Re-registration with Pôle Emploi depends on how long you have been struck off:

If you have been struck off between 15 days and 6 months, the procedure is simplified. It corresponds to a classic re-registration.
If you have been struck off for more than 6 months, you must request an appointment with an advisor.

If you have unsubscribed (i.e you forgot to update your situation)

You are "cancelled" (i.e. excluded) if:

You did not go on a date without valid justification;
You did not go to a mandatory training;
You did not respond to requests from Pôle Emploi.

You receive a letter explaining the reason for your cancellation.

You can answer it to justify yourself, by mail or by making an appointment with your advisor.

Good to know: Deregistration means no longer having access to the services of Pôle Emploi and no longer receiving your financial assistance as long as you are deregistered.

The duration of deregistration varies between 1 month and 12 months depending on the reason.

Re-registration with Pôle Emploi depends on the duration of the deregistration:

If your cancellation is between 1 month and 6 months : you can reconnect to your account and re-register.
If your cancellation dates back more than 6 months : an interview with an adviser is mandatory to re-register.

If you have been unsubscribed (forgot to update)

You are unsubscribed if:

You have forgotten to update before the 15th of the month.
The residence card or receipt you provided has expired and you have not sent the new card or receipt.

You are no longer registered as a "job seeker" and you receive a letter explaining the situation.

You can re-register: