"I'm an apprentice, so I can't go abroad." It's one of the most stubborn myths about work-study programmes — and it has been false since 2018. An apprentice can complete part of their contract outside France, from two weeks to a full year, with European funding available and without jeopardising their qualification.
In short: The law of 5 September 2018 on the freedom to choose one's professional future created a dedicated legal framework for the international mobility of apprentices, spelled out in decree no. 2019-1086. Two schemes exist: secondment (up to 4 weeks; the French contract continues to apply in full and the French employer keeps paying the salary) and contract suspension ("mise en veille", beyond 4 weeks and up to 1 year; the host organisation becomes solely responsible and the French salary may be suspended). Funding mainly comes from Erasmus+, managed in France by the Agence Erasmus+ France / Éducation Formation, topped up by regional grants and, for some CFAs (apprentice training centres), by European funds channelled through France compétences and the OPCOs. The real sticking point is almost never legal: it is the employer's approval and the CFA's ability to put the application together. You need to start 4 to 6 months ahead.
Do apprentices really have the right to go abroad?
Yes, and that right is written into the French Labour Code. Articles L. 6222-42 et seq. set out the possibility for an apprentice to complete part of their practical and/or classroom training in another country, whether in the European Union or beyond.
Before 2018, the situation was shaky: because an apprenticeship contract is an employment contract under French law, leaving the country raised issues of liability, insurance and workplace-accident cover. Many CFAs therefore gave up on sending their apprentices abroad for lack of legal certainty. Decree no. 2019-1086 of 24 October 2019 settled the matter by formalising two distinct schemes and publishing model agreements that CFAs can use as they stand.
In practice, three parties have to agree:
- the apprentice, who drives the project;
- the French employer, whose approval is essential (there is no legal obligation to say yes);
- the CFA or training provider, which guarantees that the period abroad genuinely fits the qualification's framework.
The host organisation abroad — a company, association or training centre — signs the agreement but does not need to be an "employer" in the French sense.
Mobility is not a break from the contract: it is part of the training pathway and must be validated academically by the CFA, otherwise the contract may be needlessly extended.
Secondment or contract suspension: which scheme should you choose?
This is the central distinction, and it changes everything when it comes to pay and social protection.
| Criterion | Secondment (≤ 4 weeks) | Contract suspension (> 4 weeks, ≤ 1 year) |
|---|---|---|
| French contract | Continues to apply | Suspended ("put on hold") |
| Salary | Maintained by the French employer | May be suspended; the host organisation may pay an allowance |
| Liability | French employer | Host organisation, under local law |
| Workplace-accident cover | French scheme maintained (CPAM declaration) | Insurance must be taken out, to be checked case by case |
| Paid leave | Accrued as normal | Accrued as normal (period treated as equivalent) |
| Agreement | Simplified model agreement | Full model agreement, in French and in the local language |
In practice, the vast majority of French apprentice mobility periods last 2 to 4 weeks: that format is the easiest to organise, the least risky, and it matches the minimum durations for Erasmus+ grants in vocational education and training. Long stays (3 to 12 months) remain rare and mostly concern bachelor's-level qualifications and above, or already internationalised programmes (international trade, hospitality, aeronautics, logistics).
One point that is often overlooked: during a contract suspension, the apprentice remains enrolled at their CFA and keeps their apprentice status. They do not become an intern or a local employee. Time spent abroad counts towards the total duration of the contract, which avoids pushing back the end date.
How do you fund your mobility in 2026?
Erasmus+, the funding backbone
Contrary to another common myth, Erasmus+ is not just for university students. The programme's "vocational education and training" (VET) strand is designed precisely for apprentices, vocational secondary-school students and recent graduates. The Agence Erasmus+ France / Éducation Formation, based in Bordeaux, assesses French applications.
Funding almost always flows through a project run by the CFA or by a consortium — rarely through an individual application. Hence a simple rule: the first question to ask your CFA is not "can I go?" but "do you hold an accreditation or have an Erasmus+ project running?". If the answer is yes, the process becomes infinitely simpler.
The grant generally covers:
- a travel contribution, calculated by distance band;
- a daily subsistence allowance, adjusted for the cost of living in the host country;
- online language support (the OLS platform);
- top-ups for participants with specific needs, notably apprentices with disabilities.
Exact amounts are published each year in the European Commission's Erasmus+ programme guide: always check the current year's version, as they are revised regularly.
Other sources
- The Regions: most offer international mobility grants for apprentices (mobility vouchers, grants for placements abroad). Amounts and conditions vary widely from one region to another — check with your regional council.
- Your sector's OPCO: some skills operators co-fund mobility periods, particularly in industry and the hospitality sector.
- Your employer: where it has subsidiaries or partners abroad, it may cover all or part of the costs.
- Bilateral programmes: the OFAJ (Franco-German Youth Office) and the Franco-German Secretariat for vocational training exchanges specifically fund exchanges with Germany, and are very active in the crafts and trades.
One practical budgeting tip: the grant is often paid in two instalments, with the balance released after you return. Plan for some personal cash for the first few days (rental deposit, local transport, groceries). A bank card with no foreign transaction fees and a universal travel plug adapter will save you from absurd expenses in week one.
What steps, and in what order?
6 months ahead: agree the principle
Speak first to your mobility officer at the CFA — since the 2018 law, every CFA must appoint someone to handle this role. They will know whether a project exists, which countries are partners, and which times of year fit around your exam schedule.
Then raise the subject with your employer, backed by a concrete case: the skills you're targeting, exact dates, the impact on the team's workload, the benefit to the business (language skills, market intelligence, working methods). A three-week stay scheduled during a quiet period lands far better than a vague request.
4 months ahead: put the file together
- Signing the mobility agreement (the CFA provides the official template).
- Checking your residence permit / passport for non-EU destinations, and a visa if required.
- Applying for the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) via your Ameli account — free, and to be requested at least two weeks in advance; essential in the EU, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and the EEA.
- Taking out third-party liability and repatriation insurance covering the host country.
- Defining the learning outcomes with the CFA: what should you be able to do on your return, and how will that be assessed?
1 month ahead: the logistics
Accommodation (student residence, flatshare, host family arranged through the host organisation), travel, opening a local bank account if the stay exceeds three months. To hit the ground running, a lightweight cabin suitcase and a phrasebook in the local language will do you more good than lengthy theoretical preparation.
Sort out the paperwork too: a digitised file (agreement, insurance certificate, EHIC, apprenticeship contract) stored in the cloud and on a USB stick will spare you plenty of cold sweats.
What does mobility actually add to an apprentice's CV?
Work-study programmes already boast an excellent employment rate — that's their main selling point. Mobility adds three things recruiters value, provided you know how to tell the story.
- Certified language skills. The Europass Mobility document, issued free of charge at the end of a recognised mobility period, sets out precisely the tasks you carried out. It carries far more weight than an unsupported "fluent English" on a CV. To lay the groundwork, many apprentices sit a language test beforehand; a TOEIC preparation book or a business English course is often enough to bridge the gap between classroom-level English and English you can actually use in a meeting.
- Proof of independence. Managing accommodation, a foreign bureaucracy and a job in another language at 20 makes for a far better interview story than a list of software you know.
- A point of difference. According to figures published by the French Ministry of Labour and the Agence Erasmus+ France, the share of French apprentices going abroad remains small relative to the total number of contracts signed each year. So you are, by definition, part of a visible minority.
The right instinct in an interview: don't present the experience abroad as personally enriching, but as a professional project with objectives, obstacles and results.
It's also an excellent angle for reviving an application or negotiating further study. If you're planning your next move, our article on succeeding in your apprenticeship interview sets out how to make the most of this kind of experience.
The five mistakes that sink a mobility project
1. Asking too late. A departure requested six weeks before the desired date has very little chance of going ahead: agreements, insurance and the Erasmus+ grant each have their own processing times.
2. Forgetting the exam calendar. A stay that overlaps with an assessment period or your professional dissertation defence will be — quite rightly — turned down by the CFA. Check the year's schedule before choosing your dates.
3. Underestimating the real budget. The Erasmus+ grant is a contribution, not a replacement salary. In northern European capitals, the allowance rarely covers accommodation in full. Do the maths beforehand, not while you're there.
4. Overlooking workplace-accident cover. Under contract suspension, the French scheme no longer applies automatically. This is the point that most legitimately worries employers: turn up with a written answer rather than a hunch.
5. Leaving without written learning objectives. Without defined learning outcomes, the period risks being treated as "lost" time for the qualification, which can extend the length of the contract.
Special cases worth knowing about
- Apprentices under 18: mobility is still possible, but local rules on the employment of minors apply, and authorisation from legal guardians is required. Some countries are in practice more complicated.
- Apprentices with disabilities: Erasmus+ provides specific additional funding to cover extra costs (support staff, adapted transport, accommodation). Agefiph can also be approached. This is one of the least known and best funded schemes.
- Professionalisation contracts: the framework in Articles L. 6222-42 et seq. applies to apprenticeship contracts. For a professionalisation contract, mobility depends on an agreement negotiated with the employer and the OPCO, with no dedicated legal regime. It's possible, but more improvised.
- Destinations outside the EU: Canada, Quebec, Switzerland or the United Kingdom involve visas and private health cover. Processing times double — allow 8 to 9 months of preparation.
How do you convince your employer?
This is the real bottleneck. An employer who hired you for a specific job first sees a cost: your absence. Three arguments work well.
The timing. Suggest a period when activity is low and your absence disrupts the team least. Turn up with dates, not with an idea.
The trade-off. Commit to a deliverable on your return: a briefing note on the practices you observed, a supplier comparison, a process improvement. Many companies will agree to a mobility period that brings them information they don't already have.
Zero cost. Point out that under a short secondment the company keeps paying the salary but bears no other expense (travel and living costs are covered by the grant). Under contract suspension, it can even suspend pay.
If your employer remains reluctant, be aware that refusal is lawful: there is no enforceable right to mobility. In that case, aim for a shorter stay — better to come back with a two-week proposal than to give up altogether.
To prepare your case, put together a plain written file: objectives, dates, funding, insurance, deliverable. A rigid document case and a clean presentation folder beat three crumpled sheets — substance is what counts, but presentation reassures.
And after you get back?
Mobility doesn't end when the plane lands. Three useful reflexes:
- Collect your Europass Mobility from the CFA; it's free and requested through the organisation running the project.
- Formalise the debrief with your workplace mentor: what you learned, and how to apply it in the job.
- Update your CV and professional profile as soon as you're back, while the details are fresh.
If you're then thinking of continuing your work-study path at a higher level, check the impact on your pay with our salary calculator, and look at the financial support you could tap into for the following year. And if you haven't signed a contract yet, current openings are listed on our job search page.
The bottom line: going abroad during your apprenticeship is neither exotic nor reserved for an elite. It's a right that has been regulated, funded and documented since 2019. The only genuine requirement is planning ahead: a project put on the table six months in advance, with dates, a budget and a clear objective, gets a "yes" in the vast majority of cases.