Hiring aids for apprenticeship contracts
Verified 01 January 2026 - Entreprendre Public Service / Directorate of Legal and Administrative Information (Prime Minister)
Change in hiring support for apprenticeship contracts signed in 2026
Conditions for access to apprenticeship assistance change for contracts signed on or after 1er January 2026.
The one-off aid in the amount of €5,000 maximum applies for contracts concluded from 1er January 2026. This aid concerns only the companies of less than 250 employees for the recruitment of an apprentice preparing a degree or diploma until bachelor level (bac +2 in Overseas France). It is paid for the 1re year of contract performance only.
The amount of aid shall be maintained at €6,000 for the hiring of apprentices with disabilities and remains cumulative with specific aid which are intended for them.
One ministry of labor press release of 29 December 2025 provides for the forthcoming publication of a decree which would lay down the new rules on aid.
The conditions for receiving support for the hiring of an apprentice are different depending on the date of signature of the contract.
Please note
The Ministry of Labor proposes a guide to simplifying procedures for the employer.
From 24 February to 31 December 2025
Conditions differ depending on the size of the company.
Less than 250 employees
The following conditions must be met by all:
- The contract must be a apprenticeship contract.
- The contract must be concluded between February 24, 2025 and the December 31, 2025.
- The apprentice must prepare a diploma or equivalent professional qualification, any level going up to the level master (Bin +5) maximum, i.e. the level 7 (Master, DEA, DESS, engineering degree) of the national framework of professional certifications.
- The employer must not have previously received assistance in hiring an apprentice for the same apprentice and for the same certification professional.
250 employees and more
The following conditions must be met by all:
- The contract must be a apprenticeship contract.
- The contract must be concluded between February 24, 2025 and the December 31, 2025.
- The apprentice must prepare a diploma or equivalent professional qualification, any level going up to the master level (Bac +5) maximum, i.e. the level 7 (Master, DEA, DESS, engineering degree) of the national framework of professional certifications.
- The employer must not have previously received assistance in hiring an apprentice for the same apprentice and for the same certification professional.
Companies with more than 250 employees must also respect one of the two the following conditions:
- Reach at least 5% contracts promoting professional integration (apprenticeship contract, professionalization contract, etc.) in the total annual number of employees, on 31 December of the year following that in which the contract was concluded (i.e. 31 December 2026). This rate of 5% shall be equal to the ratio between the number of employees under employment-promotion contracts and the total annual number of employees of the company.
- Reach at least 3% work-study programs (apprenticeship or professionalization contract) and have experienced a progression of 10% on 31 December of the year following that in which the contract was concluded (i.e. 31 December 2026), compared to the annual number of employees in these categories (apprenticeship contracts and professionalization contracts) on 31 December of the previous year (i.e. 31 December 2025).
FYI
Once the date of December 31, 2026 has passed, the Paying Services Agency (PSA) will send the company a “ sworn certificate ” to be completed, so that it can declare whether or not it has reached its obligations of objectives. The ASP carries out checks, in particular via the DSN: titleContent, to verify the achievement of the objectives.
The amount differs depending on the size of the company:
Less than 250 employees
The amount of aid is €5,000 maximum.
It shall be granted only for the 1re year of the contract.
This amount is prorated according to the actual duration of the apprenticeship.
250 employees and more
The amount of aid is €2,000 maximum.
This amount is prorated according to the actual duration of the apprenticeship.
Please note
Regardless of the size of the company, if it is an apprentice disability, the amount of aid shall be €6,000 (maximum). For more details, you can consult the content on the help athiring a person with a disability.
The employer has no specific request to make as such.
Just declare the hiring of an apprentice.
The employer must forward the apprenticeship contract to his Skills Operator (OPCO) at the latest 6 months after the conclusion of the contract.
According to OPCO, the deposit is made either online via their website or by post.
The OPCO then forwards the apprenticeship contract to the relevant departments of the Ministry responsible for vocational training, which in turn forwards it to the Payment Services Agency (PSA). The employer is then informed of this transmission, which constitutes acceptance.
FYI
We'll call you back everything you need to know to declare your employees.
The payment of the aid depends on the size of the company:
Less than 250 employees
The payment of the aid is automatic, monthly, before payment of salary.
Thus, the employer receives the aid each month from the date of signature of the apprenticeship contract, depending on the duration of the contract of learning, in the 12-month limit maximum.
The amount of aid due for the first and last month of the contract shall be prorated according to the number of days worked in two situations:
- If the duration of the contract is less than one year
- If the contract is terminated before the anniversary date of the contract.
For the contracts in progress at 1er November 2025, pro-ratization shall not apply in the first month of the contract.
For the contracts that expired before 1 november 2025, pro-rata does not apply (all aid has been paid to the employer).
Contracts entered into before 1er November 2025 and still ongoing at that date | Contracts concluded from 1er November 2025 | ||
|---|---|---|---|
The aid is paid on a continuous and non-prorated basis until mid-February 2026 Application of the proratization on the last month of the contract when it is not complete (the Paying Services Agency (PSA) will send a refund request to the employer) Automatic Application of the proratization on the last month of the contract when it is not complete, without impact on payment deadlines. |
| ||
250 employees and more
The payment of the aid is automatic, monthly, before payment of salary.
Thus, the employer receives the aid each month from the date of signature of the apprenticeship contract, depending on the duration of the contract of learning, in the 12-month limit maximum.
The amount of aid due for the first and last month of the contract shall be prorated according to the number of days worked in two situations:
- If the duration of the contract is less than one year
- If the contract is terminated before the anniversary date of the contract.
For the contracts in progress at 1er November 2025, pro-ratization shall not apply in the first month of the contract.
For the contracts that expired before 1 november 2025, pro-rata does not apply (all aid has been paid to the employer).
Contracts entered into before 1er November 2025 and still ongoing at that date | Contracts concluded from 1er November 2025 | ||
|---|---|---|---|
The aid is paid on a continuous and non-prorated basis until mid-February 2026 Application of the proratization on the last month of the contract when it is not complete (the Paying Services Agency (PSA) will send a refund request to the employer) Automatic Application of the proratization on the last month of the contract when it is not complete, without impact on payment deadlines. |
| ||
FYI
For companies of 250 employees or more, once the date of December 31, 2026 has passed, the SPA will transmit to the company a “ sworn certificate to be completed so that it can declare whether or not it has met its objective obligations. The ASP carries out checks, in particular via the DSN: titleContent, to verify the achievement of the objectives.
The control compliance of apprenticeship contracts is reinforced by the OPCO. In addition, the Payment and Services Agency (ASP) may ask the employer to send the payslips concerned.
Between January 1 and February 23, 2025
The following conditions must be met by all:
- The contract must be a apprenticeship contract
- The contract must have been concluded between 1er January and the February 23, 2025
- The apprentice must prepare a diploma or a professional title less than or equal at level 4 (Maximum Baccalaureate level) of the national framework for professional qualifications (or baccalaureate + 2 years in the French Overseas Territories)
- The company must count less than 250 employees.
The amount of aid is €6,000 maximum.
The amount is prorated according to the number of months actually worked in the year.
The aid shall be granted only for the 1re year of the contract.
Please note
If it is an apprentice in a situation of disabilityHowever, the amount of aid is different. For more details, you can consult the content on the help athiring a person with a disability.
The employer has no specific request to make as such.
Just declare the hiring of an apprentice.
The employer must forward the apprenticeship contract to his Skills Operator (OPCO) at the latest 6 months after the conclusion of the contract.
According to OPCO, the deposit is made either online via their website or by post.
FYI
We'll call you back everything you need to know to declare your employees.
The payment of the aid is automatic, monthly. He intervenes before the payment of the salary.
Thus, the employer receives the aid each month from the date of signature of the apprenticeship contract, depending on the duration of the contract of learning, in the 12-month limit maximum.
For companies of 250 employees or more, once the date of December 31, 2026 has passed, the SPA will transmit to the company a “ sworn certificate to be completed so that it can declare whether or not it has met its objective obligations. The ASP carries out checks, in particular via the DSN, to verify the achievement of the objectives.
Warning
The control of compliance of apprenticeship contracts is reinforced by the OPCO. In addition, the Payment and Services Agency (ASP) may ask the employer to send the payslips concerned.
Before 2025
It's the apprenticeship assistance paid for employment contractslearning concluded between 1er January 2023 and the December 31, 2024, and for professionalization contracts concluded between 1er January 2023 and April 30, 2024.
Three conditions must be met:
- The contract must be a apprenticeship contract or a professionalization contract.
- The apprenticeship contract must have been concluded between 1er January 2023 and the December 31, 2024. The professionalization contract must have been concluded between 1er January 2023 and April 30, 2024.
- The apprentice must prepare a diploma or a professional title less than or equal at level 7 (Tray+5) of the national framework for professional qualifications (master's degree, engineering diploma, etc.).
Warning
Companies with 250 or more employees must meet the following additional requirements:
Companies with 250 or more employees can benefit from the aid if they comply one of the two the following conditions:
- Reach at least 5% contracts promoting professional integration (apprenticeship contract, professionalization contract, etc.) in the total annual number of employees, as of 31 December 2025 (if the contract was concluded in 2024). This rate of 5% shall be equal to the ratio between the number of employees under employment-promotion contracts and the total annual number of employees of the company.
- Reach at least 3% work-study programs (apprenticeship or professionalization contract) and have experienced a progression of 10% work-study placements at December 31, 2025 (if the contract was concluded in 2024), compared to the annual number of employees in these categories (apprenticeship contracts and professionalization contracts) at December 31, 2024.
Please note
Once the date of December 31, 2025 has passed, the ASP will transmit to the company a “ sworn certificate to be completed, so that it can declare whether or not it has achieved its objective obligations. The ASP carries out checks, in particular via the DSN: titleContent, to verify the achievement of the objectives.
The amount of aid is €6,000 maximum.
The amount is prorated according to the number of months actually worked.
The aid shall be granted only for the 1re year of the contract.
The employer has no specific request to make as such.
Just declare the hiring of an apprentice.
The employer must have sent the apprenticeship contract to his Skills Operator (OPCO) by June 30, 2025.
According to OPCO, the deposit is made either online via their website or by post.
FYI
We'll call you back everything you need to know to declare your employees.
The payment of the aid is automatic, monthly. He intervenes before the payment of the salary.
Thus, the employer receives the aid each month from the date of signature of the apprenticeship contract, depending on the duration of the contract of learning, in the 12-month limit maximum.
For companies of 250 employees or more, once the date of December 31, 2025 has passed, the ASP will transmit to the company a “ sworn certificate to be completed so that it can declare whether or not it has met its objective obligations. The ASP carries out checks, in particular via the DSN: titleContent, to verify the achievement of the objectives.
Warning
The control compliance of apprenticeship contracts is reinforced by the OPCO. In addition, the Payment and Services Agency (ASP) may ask the employer to send the payslips concerned.
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Aid for contracts signed from 1 January 2025
Pro-rata calculation of the number of days worked under the apprenticeship contract
Aid for contracts signed between 1 January 2023 and 31 December 2024
Ministry of Labor
Ministry of Labor
Association for the Management of the Fund for the Professional Integration of Persons with Disabilities (Agefiph)
Ministry of Labor