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.
| Apprentice's age |
1st year |
2nd year |
3rd year |
Grade 4 |
| Under 18s |
27% of SMIC (€486.49) |
39% of SMIC (€702.70) |
55% of SMIC (€990.99) |
70% of SMIC (€1,261.26) |
| 18-20 years |
43% of SMIC (€774.77) |
51% of minimum wage (€918.92) |
67% of SMIC (€1,207.21) |
80% of SMIC (€1,441.44) |
| 21-25 years |
53% of SMIC (€954.95) |
61% of SMIC (€1,099.10) |
78% of SMIC (€1,405.40) |
90% of SMIC (€1,621.62) |
| 26-29 years old |
100% of SMIC (€1,801.80) |
100% of SMIC (€1,801.80) |
100% of SMIC (€1,801.80) |
100% of SMIC (€1,801.80) |
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.
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