Hiring and Managing Japanese Chefs in France: Visa, Salary and Retention (2026)

This guide answers the questions restaurant owners in France ask us most often before hiring a Japanese chef from Japan. Salary ranges reflect the positions Washoku Agent has handled; visa facts come from official government pages, checked on 2026-10-14.

How much do Japanese chefs earn in France?

Based on the positions Washoku Agent has handled in France, advertised annual packages for Japanese chefs typically fall between JPY 6 and 10 million when converted, with the highest advertised packages reaching around JPY 10 million. In local terms, recent offers have been in the order of EUR 2,300 to 3,000 per month or EUR 4,500 to 6,000 per month. These are offers at the time of advertising; the final package depends on city, concept and seniority.

Which roles and restaurant types hire Japanese chefs in France?

The demand we see in France is concentrated in a few role types and concepts. The most common roles are head chef positions, and the most common concepts are pizza, sushi and Italian-Japanese fusion.

Do Japanese chefs need to speak English, and is housing provided?

Nearly all of our listings accepted beginner-level English. Employers in France generally prioritise cooking technique and experience; kitchen English develops on the job. A minority of our listings included housing or a housing allowance.

Which visa lets a restaurant in France sponsor a Japanese chef?

A long-stay visa that counts as a residence permit (VLS-TS), with the mention ‘salarié’ for an open-ended contract or ‘travailleur temporaire’ for a fixed-term one. The employer must first obtain a work authorisation (autorisation de travail) online through the ANEF portal; the chef then applies for the visa in Japan with that authorisation.

• The authorisation is granted if the occupation is on the regional shortage list (métiers en tension) or the job was advertised for 3 consecutive weeks without a suitable candidate. Under the arrêté of 21 May 2025, cooks (cuisiniers, S1Z40) are on the list in all 13 metropolitan regions; head chefs (chefs cuisiniers, S1Z80) in six regions.
• Pay must be at least the SMIC or the collective-agreement rate, whichever is higher. There is no degree requirement in the general case.
• The visa costs EUR 99 and runs for up to 12 months. The chef validates it online within 3 months of arrival (tax EUR 300) and may work from the day of arrival.
• Two months before the VLS-TS expires, the chef applies to the prefecture for a residence permit: the first card is valid 1 year, and holders of an open-ended contract can receive a multi-year card of up to 4 years on renewal.
• No standard processing time is published. Two months without an answer counts as a refusal for the work authorisation and for the visa; four months for the residence permit.

1. The employer applies for the work authorisation on ANEF: shortage-list occupation or a 3-week advert, pay at or above the SMIC or the agreement rate, social contributions up to date.
2. The authorisation is e-mailed to the employer and the chef.
3. The chef applies on France-Visas and at the French embassy in Japan, attaching the authorisation (EUR 99).
4. Arrival, validation of the VLS-TS within 3 months (EUR 300); work starts at once.
5. Application for the residence permit 2 months before the visa expires.

Which visa lets a French restaurant sponsor a Japanese chef?

A long-stay visa equivalent to a residence permit (VLS-TS). The ‘salarié’ type is for contracts of 12 months or more and ‘travailleur temporaire’ for shorter contracts. The employer must first obtain a work authorisation (autorisation de travail) through the ANEF online platform.

What does the employer have to do before applying?

Normally the position must be advertised through the public employment service for three consecutive weeks within the previous six months. This labour market test is waived for occupations on the regional shortage lists. Cooks (cuisiniers, code S1Z40) are on the list in all 13 metropolitan regions including Île-de-France; head chefs (chefs cuisiniers, S1Z80) are listed in six regions: Grand Est, Hauts-de-France, Normandie, Nouvelle-Aquitaine, Occitanie and Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur.

What is the minimum salary and what does the employer pay?

The salary must be at least the SMIC or the collective agreement rate, whichever is higher. The SMIC from 1 January 2026 is EUR 12.31 per hour, or EUR 1,867.02 gross per month for 35 hours. For contracts of 12 months or more the employer pays a one-off tax of 55% of one month’s gross salary (capped at EUR 2,567.15). The chef pays EUR 300 to validate the VLS-TS; a residence card costs EUR 350 and renewals EUR 250. The consular visa fee could not be verified on an official page at the time of writing.

How long does it take and how long can the chef stay?

The prefecture must answer a work authorisation request within two months; no reply counts as a refusal. The VLS-TS is valid for one year, then a ‘salarié’ residence permit for one year, followed by a four-year multi-year card (which requires French at A2 level and a civic test). After five years of lawful residence the chef can apply for a ten-year long-term residence card.

Rules change. We confirm the current requirements with the employer before an offer.

Where do restaurants in France find Japanese chefs?

France has a Japanese-community classifieds site in Paris, a strong public employment service and a trade job board for hospitality, but no agency that specialises in Japanese chefs. Owners in Paris typically run OVNI and France Travail in parallel and lean on word of mouth inside the Japanese restaurant community.

Washoku Agent sits alongside these channels as the specialist route: we hold a registered pool of Japanese chefs, screen for technique and willingness to relocate, interpret interviews and manage the paperwork. You can run local channels in parallel and use us for the chef you cannot find locally.

Hire from Japan or from the local market in France?

France has a working-holiday agreement with Japan: Japanese nationals aged 18 to 30 can spend one year in France and work during it, with no employer sponsorship. For chefs outside that band, the employer applies for work authorisation; the job must have been advertised for three consecutive weeks unless the occupation is on the regional shortage list, and cooks have been on that list across all regions since the May 2025 order.

Common hiring challenges in France, and how to keep the chef

What owners and chefs say in public, in their own words:

Not ready to hire full-time? Start with a project: a Japanese chef can develop a menu or train your team for a few weeks. See how a project works.

How do restaurants in France hire a Japanese chef through Washoku Agent?

Frequently asked questions