# French employment and economic trends > Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/french-employment-and-economic-trends > Updated: 2026-09-29T08:29:21.000Z. Sources: 4. Developments: 2. Reports regarding the French labor market and economic structure highlight distinct sectoral and regional trends. Data from Urssaf indicates that the construction and public works sector (BTP) employed nearly 2 million people in 2025. This workforce is characterized by a high concentration of small businesses, a male-dominated demographic, and wage disparities, with the average gross salary of €2,530 falling below the private sector average. Complementary findings from INSEE detail broader shifts in employment and infrastructure. In mainland France, growth is primarily driven by “metropolitan” jobs, such as research, development, and management, which outpaced traditional services between 2016 and 2022. Meanwhile, French overseas territories show significant economic variation, with unemployment rates ranging from 13.4% in Martinique to 24.9% in Mayotte, and a noted reliance on infrastructure to drive regional attractiveness. ## Timeline ### 2026-09-29: INSEE report highlights shifting employment and infrastructure trends in France An INSEE report shows “metropolitan” jobs are driving French employment growth, while infrastructure remains a vital but uneven factor for economic development in overseas territories. 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/insee-report-highlights-shifting-employment-and-infrastructure-trends-in-france ### 2026-09-21: France construction sector employs 2 million people in 2025 Urssaf reports that France's construction sector employed 2 million people in 2025, characterized by a high concentration of small firms, a predominantly male workforce, and significant wage disparities. 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/france-construction-sector-employs-2-million-people-in-2025 --- Cite as: French employment and economic trends. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/french-employment-and-economic-trends