Temporary Employment: A Highly Specialised Sector Where Foreign Multinationals Weigh Heavily

In 2017, the temporary work sector generated a turnover of €31.4 billion. Companies belonging to foreign multinationals account for almost half of this figure. The sector is highly specialised. In value terms, activity increased moderately between 2007 and 2017 (+2.0% on average per year for legal units within the sector), having been more dynamic in the early 2000s and particularly at the end of the 1990s. Excluding price effects, the increase compared to 2007 was small (+0.5% on average per year). Industry and the tertiary sector are the main users of temporary employment, with the weight of the former gradually decreasing compared to the latter between 2007 and 2017. The margin rate remains low. At the end of 2016, the sector employed 42,900 permanent employees and 645,000 temporary workers. Among permanent employees, the proportion of managers and intermediate professions is high. The average gross hourly wage of permanent employees is 18 euros, i.e. significantly higher than among temporary workers (13 euros).