Private payroll employment in France fell by 0.1% quarter-on-quarter, or 13,900 jobs, to 21.0 million in the first quarter of 2026, matching preliminary estimates and remaining unchanged from the previous quarter. Permanent contracts edged down 0.1% from the prior quarter but remained well above their end-2019 level, while apprenticeship contracts declined by 0.4%. In contrast, fixed-term contracts excluding apprenticeships rose by 0.4% over the quarter. By age group, private sector employment continued to decline among workers aged 15–29 (-0.2%), mainly due to weaker apprenticeship hiring. Employment also fell for those aged 30–54, down 0.2% quarter-on-quarter. Meanwhile, employment among older workers aged 55 and above continued to rise strongly, increasing by 0.7%. On a yearly basis, private payroll employment decreased by 0.3%, or 60,700 jobs, marking the fifth consecutive period of annual contraction, although employment levels remained 5.1% above their pre-pandemic level.