The pace of technological change, the increasing need for multidisciplinary competences and the rising costs of innovation have contributed to the global expansion of technological activities, including the international outsourcing of research and development (R&D). This paper shows that firms involved in international outsourcing of R&D are of a particular kind: they are highly outward oriented, more productive and R&D intensive. Furthermore, firms with patents are more intensely involved in this activity. Our results also suggest that the outsourcing of R&D in global markets by French firms is motivated by technology sourcing rather than cost‐saving interests.