Do I have some kind of surety that I will get part-time work while studying abroad to manage living expenses in France/Italy?
No, there is no guarantee. France allows student visa holders to work up to 964 hours a year, roughly 20 hours a week. Italy allows up to 20 hours a week during term, capped at 1,040 hours a year. Both give a legal right to work, not a promised job.
You do not have any guarantee of finding part-time work in France or Italy, only the legal right to look for it. Immigration authorities in both countries will not let you rely on hoped-for job income when proving funds for your student visa, so you need to budget as if that income will not materialize.
Legal Work Limits for Students
| Country | Work Permission | Annual or Weekly Cap |
|---|---|---|
| France | Automatic with a valid student long stay visa (VLS-TS) or residence permit | Up to 964 hours a year, about 20 hours a week |
| Italy | Requires a student residence permit and a Codice Fiscale tax code | Up to 20 hours a week during term, 1,040 hours a year cap |
Challenges You Should Plan Around
- Language barriers shrink your job options fast unless you target English-speaking niches like tutoring
- Local and other international students compete heavily for the same retail, hospitality, and delivery roles
- Visa officers require proof of funds through blocked accounts, scholarships, or sponsor affidavits, not projected job income
- On-campus roles, like Italy's collaborazione 150 ore programs, are often more accommodating to students than off-campus jobs
My Advice
Budget your first year as if you will earn zero part-time income, and treat any job you land purely as a bonus on top of secured funds. Start learning basic conversational French or Italian now, months before you land, since that single step does more for your job odds than anything else on this list.
How much can you actually earn part-time in France?
See how part-time work fits into your total budget and visa funds.
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