The French unemployment rate has not fallen below 7 percent since the 1970s. In the second quarter of 2026, it stood at 8.3 percent as the economy contended with low labor productivity growth, an aging population and a low workforce participation rate. Many young professionals, including engineers, are leaving the country for jobs abroad, creating significant brain drain and imposing a fiscal burden: The state spends roughly 1 billion euros a year on their education. [....]