The apprenticeship contract in 2025

The apprenticeship contract is a key form of work-study training, enabling an apprentice to learn while working. This page gives you the essentials: remuneration, grants, legal obligations and procedures for hiring a future professional. Our aim? To help you conclude and manage this employment contract in the best possible way, while benefiting from all the advantages associated with professionalization and integration into the company.

The basics of the apprenticeship contract

Definition

The apprenticeship contract is designed to "provide workers who have fulfilled their compulsory schooling obligation with general, theoretical and practical training, with a view to obtaining a professional qualification sanctioned by a diploma or title" (article L6211-1 of the French Labor Code).

It combines classes at the apprentice training center (CFA) or in a training establishment, with on-the-job training in a trade. The apprentice must be accompanied by an apprentice master, or tutor, who is an employee of the company. Apprentices also have employee status, and receive a minimum wage based on a percentage of the minimum wage.

Who can be an apprentice?

The law sets the minimum age for an apprentice at 16 and the maximum at 29. However, it is possible to sign an apprenticeship contract from the age of 15 by special dispensation if the candidate has completed secondary school.

Anyone aged 35 or over can also become an apprentice if they want to take their diploma to a higher level than the one they have already obtained. But also if their previous contract has been terminated for reasons beyond their control, or for temporary physical unfitness. In these cases, less than one year must elapse between the two apprenticeship contracts.

Finally, there is no maximum age requirement for an apprentice recognized as a disabled worker or high-level athlete. The same is true for a person starting up or taking over a business and needing to obtain a diploma. The same applies to an apprentice who has not obtained a diploma and who signs a new contract with another employer in order to retake the exam.

How long is the apprenticeship contract?

The duration of an apprenticeship contract generally varies from six months to three years (four years for a disabled worker). In most cases, it is aligned with the duration of the training leading to a diploma or vocational qualification.

This duration can be modulated according to the level of diploma already obtained or the skills acquired by the apprentice. A reduction to one year is sometimes possible if the apprentice already has certain validations. Conversely, the contract can be extended to four years if the apprentice is disabled, or if the training requires more time. Each case is defined by the legal framework and by the training organization, which ensures consistency between the targeted qualification and the duration granted.

Note that an apprentice's working hours are identical to those of other employees. The legal working week is set at 35 hours, with training hours in the apprentice training center counted as working time.

Objectives of the sandwich course

The aim of an apprenticeship contract is to enable the apprentice to acquire concrete professional skills. At the apprentice training center, the apprentice receives initial theoretical training, while the company offers professional immersion. This synergy enhances the professionalization and promotion of young people and their access to qualified positions. This is what we call a vocational route, because everything is done to facilitate learning the trade and meet the needs of the job market.

Work-study programs can also lead to a state diploma (CAP, BAC, CTS, Licence, Master, etc.) or a professional qualification listed in the Répertoire national des certifications professionnelles.

Work-study training also smoothes the transition to permanent employment. Employers train their future employees directly, helping them to develop appropriate professional qualifications. At the end of the program, the apprentice can be hired on a permanent basis or choose to continue his or her training. The most important thing is to obtain a professional diploma and acquire the experience needed to meet the challenges of the sector.

Remuneration and financial assistance

How much does an apprentice earn?

The salary for an apprenticeship contract generally follows a pay scale based on a percentage of the French minimum wage (SMIC). This rate can vary according to the apprentice's age and level of progress in the training program. Age brackets are the main reference for setting gross remuneration, which evolves as the contract year progresses.

In % of the gross monthly minimum wage on 01/01/2025, i.e. €1,801.80.

These percentages represent the legal minimum. Depending on the provisions of certain collective or branch agreements, remuneration may be higher. In all cases, the employer must adhere to the fixed salary scale, and ensure regular monitoring of any revaluations of the SMIC during the term of the contract. The conditions governing overtime pay are those applicable to the staff of the company concerned.

Apprentices are entitled to transportation assistance, i.e. payment of the cost of getting from home to work.

Financial assistance for employers

There are a number of financial aids and incentives to help employers set up an apprenticeship contract:

• Aid for apprentice recruitment: the one-off €6,000 aid will change in 2025. From now on, this amount will only apply to the recruitment of disabled apprentices. The aid is capped at €5,000 for companies with fewer than 250 employees, and €2,000 for those with 250 or more. Aid is paid for the first year of the contract only;
• A one-off apprenticeship grant for companies with fewer than 250 employees recruiting an apprentice preparing for a diploma at or below baccalauréat level. It amounts to a maximum of €7,325.
• Exemption from social security contributions: total or partial, depending on the size of the company or the status of the apprentice. This reduces the apprentice's salary costs, while guaranteeing social protection;
• Aid for hiring a disabled worker ;
• Apprenticeship tax deductions.

Exemption from payment of CSG and CDRS and from employee contributions on the portion of salary not exceeding 79% of the Smic. Beyond that, the higher portion of the salary remains subject to employee contributions calculated on the basis of the actual amount of remuneration.

By combining these schemes, employers can significantly reduce recruitment costs and offer apprentices a framework conducive to professionalization. However, it is advisable to contact the administrative services and skills operators (OPCO) to find out about the precise conditions and possible limits of eligibility.

Managing an apprenticeship contract

Drawing up a contract

The apprenticeship contract must be in writing. It must specify the diploma or qualification being prepared by the apprentice, the apprentice's remuneration, and the name and qualifications of the apprentice's supervisor. This information must be included on the form, which is then signed by the employer and the apprentice, who each keep a copy.

The contract must be submitted to the Skills Operator (OPCO) within 5 working days of the start of the contract. The employer must accompany this submission with the training agreement, and the tripartite agreement if the duration of the training is reduced or extended.

The role of the apprentice master

The apprenticeship supervisor must be a voluntary employee of the company who has reached the age of majority. He or she must hold a diploma or professional qualification in the same field as that being prepared by the apprentice, and have one year's professional experience. If the apprentice does not have a diploma or professional title, he or she must provide proof of two years' work experience related to the qualification being prepared by the apprentice. If there are exceptions, a company or establishment can take on a maximum of two apprentices and one repeat student per apprentice master.

He or she acts as a tutor, supporting the apprentice as he or she progresses. He or she provides technical and pedagogical supervision, verifies the learning objectives and ensures compliance with safety regulations. The mentor plays an essential role in ensuring cohesion, by demonstrating best practices and monitoring the validation of skills acquired.

Breaking an apprenticeship contract

There are two types of early contract termination:

• Before the first 45 days of on-the-job training: amicable termination in writing at the initiative of the employer or the apprentice.
• After the first 45 days of on-the-job training, in one of the following cases:

• Joint agreement between employer and apprentice ;
• The apprentice resigns. He must first refer the matter to the mediator, then inform his employer after a minimum period of 5 calendar days. After informing the employer, the contract is terminated after a minimum of 7 calendar days;
• The apprentice obtains his/her diploma before the initial deadline, provided that he/she informs his/her employer in writing 1 month in advance. The contract cannot be terminated before the day after the results are published;
• In the event of serious misconduct, unsuitability, force majeure or permanent exclusion of the apprentice from the CFA. The employer must follow the procedure for dismissal on personal grounds;
• In the event of the death of an employer who is an apprentice master in a one-man business, in accordance with the procedure for dismissal on personal grounds.

In the event of a serious risk to the apprentice's health or physical or moral integrity, the labor inspector or equivalent supervisory official proposes suspension of the apprenticeship contract to the DREETS. During this period, the employer continues to pay the apprentice's salary. Within 15 days, the DREETS decides whether to resume the contract; failing this, the contract is terminated. In this case, the employer pays the apprentice the sums he would have owed if the contract had continued to term.

Note for the employer: you must notify your skills operator (OPCO) without delay of the termination of your contract before the end of its term.

After termination of their contract, apprentices can continue their training for six months under the status of vocational training trainee. The French Labor Code stipulates that the training center in which the apprentice is enrolled "helps to find him a new employer likely to enable him to complete his training cycle".

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By integrating Marvin Recruiter into your recruitment strategy, you can secure your apprenticeship contract needs while saving considerable time. You enhance your employer brand by offering a framework conducive to professionalization and internal promotion. Candidates benefit from precise monitoring and enhanced pedagogical support, helping them to succeed in their professional career. In short, it's a platform that makes work-study programs more effective and more human, so that together we can build tomorrow's world of work.

FAQ - Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between an apprenticeship contract and a professionalization contract?

The apprenticeship contract focuses on preparation for a state-approved diploma or professional qualification. It is mainly aimed at young people aged 16 to 29, with a few exceptions. The professionalisation contract, on the other hand, targets a specific professional qualification, which may be registered with the RNCP or validated by an industry body. It is also open to jobseekers over 26 years of age and certain people undergoing retraining, with flexible remuneration and training duration.

What kind of leave is available to an apprentice?

As an employee, an apprentice is entitled to the same number of paid vacation days as other employees, i.e. 2.5 working days per month of actual work. What's more, if they are preparing for an exam, they are entitled to 5 extra days off in the year leading up to the exams. These days, intended for revision purposes, are paid as working time and do not affect the paid leave quota.

What are the advantages of taking on an apprentice?

In addition to financial aid and exemption from social security contributions, hiring an apprentice enables an employer to train a future employee in the company's methods and culture. It's also a way of ensuring the transmission of skills and anticipating needs in terms of qualified manpower. What's more, the presence of an apprentice often energizes the existing team, which mobilizes to integrate and support a new talent.