"I was told that if I went to Ireland for two months, my apprenticeship contract would be terminated and I'd lose my qualification." This message, received last June, is false — but it circulates so widely that it discourages hundreds of apprentices every year.
In short: an apprentice, or a trainee on a professionalisation contract, can complete part of their training abroad, in Europe or outside it, for a period of up to one year, of which a maximum of six months with the contract "on hold" (mise en veille) (articles L. 6222-42 and L. 6222-44 of the French Labour Code, introduced by the Act of 5 September 2018 on the freedom to choose one's professional future). Two regimes coexist: for a mobility period of less than four weeks, the French contract continues to apply as normal — the employer remains responsible and the salary is maintained. Beyond that, the contract can be put on hold: the host company abroad becomes responsible for working conditions, the French employer suspends salary payments (unless it chooses to maintain them), and the apprentice keeps their occupational accident cover through their CFA (apprentice training centre). A mobility agreement signed by five parties is mandatory in all cases. On the funding side, Erasmus+, the regional councils and some OPCOs cover travel and part of the stay, with typical grants of €500 to €800 per month.
Does an apprentice really have the right to go abroad?
Yes, and it has been written in black and white in the Labour Code since 2018.
Before that date, apprentice mobility was a legal patch-up job: since the French contract has no legal force outside national territory, CFAs improvised fragile arrangements, and many companies simply refused to let their apprentice go. The Avenir professionnel Act created a dedicated framework, supplemented by Decree no. 2019-1086 of 24 October 2019 and by a model agreement set out in a ministerial order.
The principle is twofold:
- Short mobility (up to 4 weeks): the apprenticeship contract continues to apply. The French employer remains the employer, pays the salary, and the apprentice stays covered by the French system. This is the simplest regime, and by far the most widely used.
- Long mobility (beyond 4 weeks, up to 1 year): the contract is put on hold. The clauses relating to pay, working hours, health and safety are suspended and replaced by those of the host country. The period still counts towards seniority and towards the total duration of the contract.
A crucial point that many people are unaware of: the total mobility period cannot exceed one year, and the period spent in France must represent at least six months of the contract as a whole. In other words, a one-year contract allows a maximum of six months abroad.
"Putting the contract on hold is neither a termination nor a suspension in the traditional sense: the contract still exists, it is simply placed in parentheses as regards its heaviest effects." — Summary of the provisions of articles L. 6222-42 et seq. of the Labour Code.
What steps need to be taken, and in what order?
This is where projects fall apart: not on the law, but on the timetable. A mobility period needs to be prepared six to nine months in advance.
1. Talk to your CFA before your employer
Counter-intuitive, but effective. Your CFA knows whether your qualification includes an optional mobility unit (this is the case for many BTS programmes, for the vocational baccalaureate via the optional "mobility" unit, and for most RNCP level 6 qualifications), whether the institution holds an Erasmus+ charter, and whether it has partners in your target country. A CFA with Erasmus+ accreditation can fund you without you having to put together an individual application — a considerable time-saver.
2. Present the project to your employer with concrete arguments
The employer can refuse: mobility is not an enforceable right. So you have to sell the project. The arguments that work:
- during the on-hold period, the employer no longer pays a salary (a direct saving of several thousand euros);
- the apprentice comes back with language skills and an adaptability that are useful to the company;
- if the company has subsidiaries, suppliers or clients abroad, the mobility can take place within the group, which is reassuring in terms of supervision.
3. Get the mobility agreement signed
A mandatory document, it commits five signatories: the apprentice (and their legal representative if they are a minor), the French employer, the French training organisation, the host company or institution abroad, and the foreign training organisation where applicable. It specifies the dates, the learning objectives, the targeted skills, the assessment arrangements, the social protection regime and the coverage of costs.
Without an agreement signed before departure, the period is not validated as part of the training. No retroactive regularisation is possible.
4. Inform the OPCO and, for long mobility periods, the authorities
The amendment placing the contract on hold is sent to the OPCO that registered the contract. The CFA usually handles the declaration.
Who pays for what during the mobility period?
The table below summarises the two regimes. This is the point apprentices should look at first, because it determines whether the project is financially viable.
| Mobility ≤ 4 weeks | Mobility > 4 weeks (contract on hold) | |
|---|---|---|
| Applicable contract | French contract maintained | Host country law for work |
| Salary | Paid as normal by the employer | Suspended (may be maintained, but optional) |
| Responsible employer | French employer | Host organisation abroad |
| Occupational accident cover | French system (employer) | French system via the CFA (contribution covered by the State) |
| Health cover in Europe | European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) | EHIC + additional insurance strongly recommended |
| Duration counted in the contract | Yes | Yes |
| Agreement mandatory | Yes | Yes, with an on-hold amendment |
Two clarifications drawn from official texts and from the fact sheets of the French Ministry of Labour and the Agence Erasmus+ France / Éducation Formation:
- The European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) can be requested free of charge through your Ameli account, ideally three weeks before departure. It is valid for two years and covers medically necessary care in the European Economic Area, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. It covers neither repatriation nor costs paid up front in the private sector.
- Outside Europe (Canada, Quebec, Japan, etc.), the EHIC does not apply: you need dedicated health and repatriation insurance, often required by the host institution.
For long mobility periods, one practical point matters as much as the law: banking. Opening an account that allows fee-free payments in foreign currencies, or at least checking your card's commission charges, prevents you from losing several dozen euros a month in exchange fees.
How can you fund a departure on an apprentice's salary?
That's the real question, especially at a time when hiring subsidies have been reduced and apprentices' budgets are stretched.
Erasmus+: the funding backbone
The Erasmus+ 2021-2027 programme explicitly covers vocational education and training (VET), and therefore apprentices. There are two routes:
- Through an accredited CFA or a consortium member: you apply internally and the CFA manages the funds. Indicative monthly grant of €500 to €800 depending on the country (group 1 countries — Denmark, Ireland, Sweden, Norway — receive higher amounts), plus a flat-rate travel allowance calculated by distance.
- Short mobility periods (12 to 30 days): a daily flat rate exists, generally higher per day than for long stays.
For several editions of the programme now, inclusion top-ups have been available for participants with fewer opportunities: disability, means-tested grant holders, family constraints. They are added to the basic grant, and they are largely under-claimed.
The other funding sources not to overlook
- Regional councils: most offer support for apprentices' international mobility, often between €200 and €1,000, which can be combined with Erasmus+. Conditions vary widely from one region to another — this should be your first reflex.
- OFAJ (the Franco-German Youth Office) funds mobility to Germany, including for apprentices, with a dedicated vocational training scheme.
- The Franco-Québec Youth Office (OFQJ) for projects in Quebec.
- Some OPCOs cover ancillary costs (visa, insurance, language preparation) as part of the contract funding.
On budgeting, one often overlooked point: accommodation for the first few weeks. A well-sized hard-shell cabin suitcase avoids baggage surcharges on low-cost airlines, and a universal travel plug adapter saves you an improvised shopping trip on your first evening. These are details, but on an apprentice's budget, they count.
How should you prepare on the language and professional side?
A failed mobility period is almost always one that was poorly prepared in terms of language and job expectations.
On language. Erasmus+ provides the OLS (Online Language Support) platform, free for participants: level test and online courses. It is effective for written work, much less so for professional speaking. As a complement, three or four months before departure:
- work on the vocabulary of your trade rather than general English — an apprentice in industrial maintenance does not have the same needs as one in management;
- a business English coursebook with audio files remains the best value tool for embedding the phrases used in meetings;
- practise speaking for twenty minutes a day, even alone, rather than an hour on Sundays.
On the job. Ask the host company, in writing, for three things before you leave: who you report to, what concrete tasks you will be doing, and what your hours will be. This information has to appear in the agreement anyway. A logbook kept every week (tasks, difficulties, skills acquired) will be useful on your return for the assessment, and often for your final presentation.
On admin. Put together a digital and paper file: signed agreement, EHIC, proof of insurance, emergency contacts, copy of your ID. A portable document scanner — or simply a well-organised archiving app — spares you tedious back-and-forth from abroad.
What happens when you get back?
This is the part nobody plans for, and yet it determines how much the stay is worth on a CV.
At the end of the period, the apprentice automatically returns to their company under the original terms of the contract: same salary, same position or an equivalent one, same apprenticeship supervisor unless the organisation has changed. The on-hold status ends automatically on the date set out in the amendment.
Three documents must be given to you:
- The Europass Mobility document, issued free of charge, which describes the skills acquired and is recognised throughout the European Union. It must be requested before departure, via the CFA.
- A certificate from the host company detailing your duties.
- The educational assessment record if the period validates a unit of the qualification.
On a CV, a well-told mobility experience is worth more than a vague line. Describe the context (country, organisation, duration), the tasks and one measurable result. This is exactly the kind of element that makes the difference in a job interview, as we explain in our guide to acing your apprenticeship interview.
And if you are already planning the next stage of your journey, check the impact of a mobility period on your second- or third-year pay with the salary simulator, and look at the financial support available on your return. For those who haven't signed yet, mobility is an excellent talking point to raise in an interview: browse the apprenticeship offers targeting international groups, often the most open to this kind of project.
The most common mistakes
- Leaving without a signed agreement: the period is not validated, and the apprentice is legally in unauthorised absence.
- Confusing mobility with leave: the period abroad is not taken out of paid holiday, it is part of the training.
- Forgetting to apply for the EHIC: processing can take up to three weeks.
- Neglecting salary continuation: with the contract on hold, pay stops unless otherwise agreed. Negotiate it explicitly, in writing, in the amendment — some employers will accept partial continuation.
- Not combining sources of support: Erasmus+ and regional aid can be combined in virtually every region.
- Waiting until the last minute: CFA calls for applications often close in January-February for a departure the following autumn.
Key takeaways
European mobility during an apprenticeship is no longer an obstacle course: the legal framework exists, so does the funding, and more and more CFAs are Erasmus+ accredited. The real obstacles remain the preparation lead time and the employer's agreement.
In practical terms, if you are aiming to leave in the 2027-2028 academic year, the right window to raise it with your CFA is now. And if your contract ends before then, bear in mind that a mobility period can also be scheduled towards the end of your training, when workloads in the company are often lighter.
Sources: French Labour Code (articles L. 6222-42 to L. 6222-44), Act no. 2018-771 of 5 September 2018, Decree no. 2019-1086 of 24 October 2019, fact sheets from the French Ministry of Labour, Agence Erasmus+ France / Éducation Formation, Ameli (European Health Insurance Card), OFAJ.