"My training centre told me it was impossible because I have an employment contract." Thousands of apprentices still hear this answer — even though the French Labour Code has laid out the rules for going abroad in great detail since 2018.
In short: an apprentice can undertake a mobility period abroad lasting up to one year, of which no more than four weeks outside the European Union, under the framework set by Law no. 2018-771 of 5 September 2018 on the freedom to choose one's professional future and articles L. 6222-42 et seq. of the Labour Code. Two regimes coexist: for a mobility period of four weeks or less, the apprenticeship contract continues to apply — the French employer remains responsible and the pay is maintained; beyond 4 weeks, the contract is placed "on standby": the host company or organisation abroad becomes solely responsible for working conditions, and the French salary may be suspended. In both cases, the period abroad counts as validated training time and does not extend the contract's duration. Funding comes mainly from Erasmus+ (grants managed by the Erasmus+ France / Éducation Formation agency), regional support schemes, and the dedicated fund managed by France compétences. A standard agreement, published by ministerial order, must be signed by the apprentice, the employer, the training centre (CFA) and the host organisation: without it, nothing happens.
Does an apprentice really have the right to go abroad?
Yes — and it isn't merely tolerated: it is a right written into law.
Before 2018, the issue was a headache. An apprentice is an employee: having them work for several months in a foreign company raised intractable questions of liability, insurance and workplace accident cover. Many training centres gave up out of caution. The "Avenir professionnel" law settled the matter by creating an entire section of the Labour Code (articles L. 6222-42 to L. 6222-44) devoted to international mobility for apprentices, supplemented by decree no. 2019-1086 of 24 October 2019 and a standard agreement annexed to an order issued the same month.
The principle is simple: time spent abroad, whether in a company or a training centre, is treated as training time or effective working time. It counts towards obtaining the qualification, it does not extend the contract, and it cannot be reclassified as an interruption.
Three groups are covered:
- apprentices on an apprenticeship contract, whatever the level of the qualification (from CAP to master's degree);
- work-study students on a professionalisation contract, under a similar regime (article L. 6325-25);
- vocational training trainees enrolled at a CFA without a contract, through regional schemes.
"European mobility for apprentices is no longer an exception reserved for a few pioneering institutions: it is a normal component of the training pathway." — Euro App Mobility, a public-interest association that supports training centres with these departures.
In practice, in 2026, France remains far behind its neighbours: according to figures published by the Ministry of Labour and the Erasmus+ France / Éducation Formation agency, fewer than 3% of apprentices go abroad during their training, compared with more than 10% in Germany. Which means one thing for you: competition for grants is low. Erasmus+ funds earmarked for vocational education and training are regularly under-used.
What is the difference between a four-week mobility and a long-term one?
This is the most important dividing line in the scheme, and the one that determines your salary, your social protection and your paperwork.
Short-term mobility (up to 4 weeks): the contract continues
For a period of four weeks or less, the French apprenticeship contract applies in full. The apprentice remains an employee of their French employer, who:
- continues to pay the usual salary;
- remains responsible for workplace accident and occupational illness cover;
- retains managerial authority, exercised remotely.
The foreign host company plays a purely educational hosting role. This is by far the simplest formula: an agreement, a European Health Insurance Card, and off you go. It is also the option to favour if you are on a CAP or BTS with a tight schedule and cannot be away for long.
Long-term mobility (beyond 4 weeks): the contract on standby
Beyond four weeks, you move into the contract "standby" regime. The term is the legislator's own, and it describes exactly what happens: the contract is neither terminated nor suspended in the classic sense — it is partially neutralised.
During this period:
- only certain clauses continue to apply: those relating to the contract's duration, the qualification being prepared, and the mutual obligations to resume the contract at the end of the mobility;
- the foreign host organisation becomes solely responsible for working conditions (hours, hygiene, safety, occupational health, leave);
- the French employer may stop paying the salary — this is the most widely misunderstood point, and it must be set out in black and white in the agreement;
- the apprentice keeps their French social protection under article L. 6222-44, through specific cover funded by the State for workplace accidents occurring abroad.
| Mobility ≤ 4 weeks | Mobility > 4 weeks | |
|---|---|---|
| Contract status | Fully applicable | Placed on standby |
| Responsible for working conditions | French employer | Foreign host organisation |
| Pay | Maintained by the employer | May be suspended (to be negotiated) |
| Maximum duration | 4 weeks | 1 year (max. 4 weeks outside the EU) |
| Agreement required | Yes | Yes, specific template |
| Counts towards the qualification | Yes | Yes |
A piece of practical advice: negotiate to keep your salary even for long-term mobility. Nothing forbids it, and many companies — particularly large industrial groups or exporting mid-sized firms — agree, because it is in their interest to get back a work-study student who can operate professionally in English, Spanish or German. Put it in writing in the agreement.
How do you actually fund your trip?
This is the question that blocks the most projects, and it has several answers that can be combined.
Erasmus+, the foundation
The Erasmus+ programme fully covers vocational education and training (VET). Grants are paid through your CFA or training organisation, provided it is accredited or a member of a consortium. The amounts, revised each year in the official programme guide published by the European Commission, consist of a flat-rate individual support payment (varying by destination country, generally between €30 and €90 per day for short mobilities, tapering off beyond that) and a travel allowance calculated by distance.
Crucial point: you do not apply to Erasmus+ directly. It is your institution that submits the application. Hence the first question to ask your mobility officer: "Is our CFA Erasmus+ accredited or part of a consortium?" If the answer is no, turn to regional schemes.
Regional support schemes
Every region funds mobility: Dispositif Mobilité internationale in Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, Jeun'Est Mobilité in Grand Est, Ouest Mobilité in Brittany… Amounts range from €300 to €2,000 depending on duration. In most cases these grants can be combined with Erasmus+. The training department of your regional council is the contact point.
The mobility fund and the OPCOs
Since the funding reform, part of the funds managed by France compétences can top up incidental costs (visa, insurance, accommodation). Your OPCO — the one your company belongs to — often has a dedicated, little-used budget. Ask for it explicitly.
What you still have to pay for
Budget for accommodation beyond the flat-rate allowance, meals and equipment. On that note, a modest upfront investment avoids nasty surprises: a hard-shell cabin suitcase that meets low-cost airline dimensions saves you baggage supplements that sometimes exceed the price of the ticket, and a universal travel adapter is essential as soon as you leave the France-Belgium zone. For mobilities lasting several months, an international bank card with no fees — offered by neobanks — avoids a 2–3% commission on every payment.
What steps should you take, and in what order?
Mobility is prepared six to nine months in advance. A departure planned for spring 2027 is put together starting this September 2026.
- Talk to your CFA's mobility officer. Since the 2018 law, every CFA must appoint a mobility officer (article L. 6231-2 of the Labour Code). This is your mandatory entry point. If there isn't one at your institution, that in itself is telling: report it to management.
- Get your employer's agreement in principle. Without it, the project stops there. Present it as an investment: language skills, exposure to foreign suppliers or clients, greater independence. A one-page document is enough.
- Identify the host organisation. Your CFA's network, Erasmus+ partners, group subsidiaries if you work for a large employer, Franco-foreign chambers of commerce, or the Erasmus+ agency's platforms.
- Sign the standard agreement. Four signatories: the apprentice (and legal guardian if a minor), the employer, the CFA and the host organisation. It sets the dates, the tasks, the pay arrangements and the insurance.
- Sort out social protection. European Health Insurance Card (free, requested via your Ameli account, to be ordered at least 3 weeks in advance), third-party liability insurance abroad, and, for non-EU destinations, repatriation insurance.
- Notify the OPCO and submit grant applications. Erasmus+ timetables are annual: missing the window costs you a year.
The language file: the real success factor
What separates a successful mobility from an ordeal rarely comes down to paperwork. It comes down to language. The EU Academy platform (successor to OLS) offers free online tests and courses to all Erasmus+ beneficiaries. On top of that, working on the technical vocabulary of your trade matters more than general grammar: a job-focused business English handbook, or, for those heading to Germany — the top destination for French apprentices — a German course for beginners with audio support, will help you arrive ready to work. Six months of twenty minutes a day change the whole nature of the stay.
Which destinations and sectors are worth targeting?
Not all mobilities are equal. A few pointers drawn from the reports published by the Erasmus+ France agency:
- Germany: the absolute benchmark for industrial, mechanical and logistics apprenticeships. The dual system is prestigious there and companies are happy to take on apprentices.
- Spain and Portugal: moderate cost of living, strong demand in hospitality, catering, tourism and retail.
- Ireland and Malta: English-speaking and much in demand for digital and service-sector roles, but housing is expensive — plan ahead.
- Nordic countries: excellent for energy, sustainable construction and healthcare, with higher grant rates.
- Outside the EU: limited to 4 weeks, so best reserved for short, intensive assignments (trade fairs, audits, site work).
One last practical point, often overlooked: making the most of it on your return. Your mobility should appear on your Europass Mobility document, the official and free European record certifying the skills you acquired. You request it from your CFA before departure, not afterwards. On a CV, a line reading "3 months in an industrial maintenance workshop in Stuttgart, as part of my apprenticeship contract" carries more weight than any other mention. Get into the habit, from day one, of recording your assignments in a hardback notebook: on your return, it is these concrete details that will feed your final presentation and your job interviews.
And what if the employer says no?
This is the most common scenario, and there is no legal remedy: mobility requires the employer's agreement, and they do not have to justify a refusal.
Three levers to change their mind:
- Propose a short mobility (2 to 4 weeks) during a quieter period, when the contract continues as normal — the perceived risk drops to almost zero.
- Bring in the CFA. A mobility officer who calls the company and explains the legal framework, the standard agreement and the workplace accident cover clears 80% of blockages, which are really information blockages.
- Document the return on investment. An apprentice in international trade who comes back with a list of Spanish supplier contacts no longer needs to justify their absence.
If the refusal stands, be aware that it has no bearing on obtaining your qualification: mobility remains optional in almost every training standard.
To go further on the financial terms of your contract, see our pay calculator and the financial support page. If your mobility plans are part of a search for a company that is still ongoing, the article Finding a work-study employer: the method that works sets out the arguments to make right from the interview, and Your first days in work-study: making your integration a success explains how to build a trusting relationship with your apprenticeship supervisor from the outset — the kind that makes a "yes" possible six months later.
Official sources to consult: the French Labour Code (articles L. 6222-42 to L. 6222-44 and L. 6325-25), law no. 2018-771 of 5 September 2018, decree no. 2019-1086 of 24 October 2019, the European Commission's Erasmus+ programme guide, the Erasmus+ France / Éducation Formation agency, the Ministry of Labour (page on "European and international mobility for apprentices"), Euro App Mobility, service-public.fr and Ameli for the European Health Insurance Card.