Is a self-employed person entitled to unemployment insurance?
Verified 01 January 2026 - Entreprendre Public Service / Directorate of Legal and Administrative Information (Prime Minister)
Are you self-employed and want to know if you are entitled to unemployment insurance? We present you the conditions under which you can benefit.
Who are the self-employed persons eligible for unemployment insurance?
If you belong to one of the following categories and meet certain conditions, you will be eligible for unemployment insurance:
- Self-employed person
- Certain insurance agents and business managers (examples: SARL: titleContent, President of SAS: titleContent)
- Artist-author (for example, author of literary, dramatic, musical works)
The activities concerned are listed by France Travail (formerly Pôle emploi).
As a self-employed person, when you cease your activity due to bankruptcy, you can benefit from unemployment insurance if you meet all of the following conditions:
- You must have been continuously self-employed for at least 2 years in a single company
- You must be registered with France Travail (formerly Pôle emploi) and make the necessary efforts to find a job. This registration must be made within 12 months from the date of the bankruptcy that led to the end of the activity.
- You must have an income greater than €10,000 in one of the last 2 years of self-employment
- You must prove personal resources of less than €646.52 per month for one person
FYI
If you do not qualify for unemployment insurance, you can take out a private insurance.
You can deduct contributions from your taxable income, up to the most favorable limit between:
- 1.875% of taxable profit, within the limit of €384,480 per year
- 2.5% of the annual social security ceiling, fixed at €48,060 in 2026 (or €1,201.5).
Examples:
For an income of €45,000 in 2026, contributions made in 2026 will be deductible up to €1,201.5 (most favorable amount between 1.875% from €45,000 and 2.50% from €48,060)
For an income of €80,000 in 2026, contributions made in 2026 will be deductible up to €1,500 (most favorable amount between €1.875 from €80,000 and 2.50% from €48,060).
What is the amount of the allowance?
You can benefit from a allocation the amount of which varies according to your last activity income:
- She's one lump sum equal to €26.30 per day for 182 days (about 6 months) from the date of registration to France Travail (formerly Pôle emploi).
- If the average amount of your last income from work is less than the amount of the flat-rate unemployment benefit, this amount is reduced. The minimum amount of unemployment benefit shall be €19.73 per day for 182 days (about 6 months) from the date of your registration at France Travail (formerly Pôle emploi)
If the self-employed person exercises as micro-entrepreneur, the business income is equal to its turnover minus the tax allowance. The amount of this abatement tax differs according to the nature of the activity: commercial (71%), artisanal (50%) or liberal (34%).
FYI
In Mayotte, the lump sum is equal to €19.73 and the minimum amount is equal to €13.15.
How do I apply for the allowance?
When applying for unemployment benefit, you must contact
- one copy of your declaration of cessation of activity
- and a certificate confirming that your business is economically unviable.
This request should be made to France Travail (formerly Pôle emploi) on your personal space :
Who are the self-employed persons eligible for unemployment insurance?
If you belong to one of the following categories and meet certain conditions, you will be eligible for unemployment insurance:
- Self-employed person
- Certain insurance agents and business managers (examples: SARL: titleContent, President of SAS: titleContent)
- Artist-author (for example, author of literary, dramatic, musical works)
The activities concerned are listed by France Travail (formerly Pôle emploi).
As a self-employed worker, when you cease your activity because of a judicial recovery, you can benefit from unemployment insurance if you meet the following conditions:
- You must have been continuously self-employed for at least 2 years in a single company.
- You must be registered with France Travail (formerly Pôle emploi) and make the necessary efforts to find a job. This registration must be made within 12 months from the date of the judicial reorganization that led to the end of the activity.
- You must have an income greater than €10,000 in one of the 2 years of self-employment.
- You must prove personal resources of less than €646.52 per month for one person.
FYI
If you do not qualify for unemployment insurance, you can take out a private insurance.
You can deduct from your taxable income the contributions made, in the most favorable limit between :
- 1.875% of the benefit taxable, up to €384,480 per year
- 2.5% of the annual social security ceiling, fixed at €48,060 in 2026 (or €1,201.5).
Examples:
For an income of €45,000 in 2026, contributions made in 2026 will be deductible up to €1,201.5 (most favorable amount between 1.875% from €45,000 and 2.50% from €48,060)
For an income of €80,000 in 2026, contributions made in 2026 will be deductible up to €1,500 (most favorable amount between 1.875% from €80,000 and 2.50% from €48,060).
What is the amount of the allowance?
You can benefit from a allocation the amount of which varies according to your last activity income:
- She's one lump sum equal to €26.30 per day for 182 days (about 6 months) from the date of registration to France Travail (formerly Pôle emploi).
- If the average amount of your last income from work is less than the amount of the flat-rate unemployment benefit, this amount is reduced. The minimum amount of unemployment benefit shall be €19.73 per day for 182 days (about 6 months) from the date of your registration at France Travail (formerly Pôle emploi)
If the self-employed person exercises as micro-entrepreneur, the business income is equal to its turnover minus the tax allowance. The amount of this abatement tax differs according to the nature of the activity: commercial (71%), artisanal (50%) or liberal (34%).
FYI
In Mayotte, the lump sum is equal to €19.73 and the minimum amount is equal to €13.15.
How do I apply for the allowance?
When applying for unemployment benefit, you must contact
- one copy of your declaration of cessation of activity
- and a certificate confirming that your business is economically unviable.
This request should be made to France Travail (formerly Pôle emploi) on your personal space :
How can we determine that the activity is not economically viable?
Répondez aux questions successives et les réponses s’afficheront automatiquement
You are subject to income tax
Your business is considered economically unviable if you have experienced a decline of at least 30% of your income for your independent activity.
A trusted third party must provide you with a certificate confirming that your business is economically unviable. It shall include the following elements:
- Your first and last name
- Siret number of your company
- Your affiliation to social security as a self-employed person
- Total duration of your self-employment
- Amount of your self-employment income per year
- Decrease in income from activities in terms of amount and percentage
You are subject to business tax
Your business is considered economically unviable if you have experienced a decline of at least 30% of your income for your independent activity.
A trusted third party must provide you with a certificate confirming that your business is economically unviable. It shall include the following elements:
- Your first and last name
- Siret number of your company
- Your affiliation to social security as a self-employed person
- Total duration of your self-employment
- Amount of your self-employment income per year
- Decrease in income from activities in terms of amount and percentage
- Business’s fiscal result over the last two fiscal years used to determine the non-viability of economic activity
Who are the self-employed persons eligible for unemployment insurance?
If you belong to one of the following categories and meet certain conditions, you will be eligible for unemployment insurance:
- Self-employed person
- Certain insurance agents and business managers (examples: SARL: titleContent, President of SAS: titleContent)
- Artist-author (for example, author of literary, dramatic, musical works)
The activities concerned are listed by France Travail (formerly Pôle emploi).
As a self-employed person, when you stop your activity because it was not economically viable, you can benefit from unemployment insurance if you meet all the following conditions:
- You must have been continuously self-employed for at least 2 years in a single company
- You must be enrolled in France Travail (formerly Pôle emploi) and make the necessary efforts to find a job
- You must have an income greater than €10,000 in one of the 2 years of self-employment
- You must prove personal resources of less than €646.52 per month for one person
FYI
If you do not qualify for unemployment insurance, you can take out private insurance.
How do I apply for the allowance?
When applying for unemployment benefit, you must contact
- one copy of your declaration of cessation of activity
- and a certificate confirming that your business is economically unviable.
This request should be made to France Travail (formerly Pôle emploi) on your personal space :
Allowance for the self-employed (ATI)
Allowance for the self-employed (ATI): conditions, amount and duration of payment