Are you on a work-study programme and dreaming of an experience abroad? It is possible without giving up your contract, and the framework has been greatly simplified by the law « pour un Erasmus de l'apprentissage » (for an Erasmus of apprenticeships). Here is what the law says, how to fund your trip and in what order to handle the paperwork.
In short: since the loi n° 2023-1267 of 27 December 2023, any apprentice — and any work-study student on a professionalisation contract — can carry out part of their contract abroad, inside or outside the European Union, for one year at most and never more than half of the length of the contract. The mobility agreement chooses between secondment (mise à disposition: the French contract continues and the employer pays the salary) and suspension (mise en veille: the host organisation becomes solely responsible, under local law), whatever the length of the stay. Funding comes mainly from Erasmus+ through your CFA (10 to 89 days for a short mobility, 90 days to one year for ErasmusPro), topped up by the region or the OPCO. Allow 4 to 6 months of preparation, starting with your CFA's mobility officer.
Who can go abroad during their work-study programme?
The principle is written into the French Labour Code: article L6222-42 for the apprenticeship contract and article L6325-25 for the professionalisation contract, both rewritten by the law of 27 December 2023 and clarified by décret n° 2024-1148 of 4 December 2024. They apply at every qualification level, from the CAP to the master's degree.
The rules to remember:
- Duration: the period abroad cannot exceed one year, nor half of the total length of the contract. On a 12-month contract, you can therefore go for 6 months at most; on a 24-month contract, for up to 12 months.
- Destination: a European Union country or a non-EU country.
- Host: a company, a training centre, or both one after the other.
- Employer's agreement: essential. There is no enforceable right to mobility.
- Apprentices who are minors: going abroad is still possible, with the permission of their legal guardians and in compliance with local rules on young people's work.
Mobility is no longer reserved for students at top schools: an apprentice doing a CAP, a BTS or a vocational bachelor's degree can also add an international experience to their journey.
Secondment or suspension: which arrangement should you choose?
This is the key point. Until the December 2023 law, secondment was limited to stays of 4 weeks at most, and suspension was compulsory beyond that. This threshold has gone: the agreement can freely choose either arrangement, whatever the length of the stay.
| Criterion | Secondment (mise à disposition) | Suspension (mise en veille) |
|---|---|---|
| French contract | Continues to run | Put on hold, without being terminated |
| Salary | Paid by the French employer | The host organisation's responsibility, under local law |
| Working conditions | Supervised by the host organisation; the employer remains responsible | Host organisation solely responsible (working hours, safety, rest, public holidays) |
| Social protection | French, maintained by the employer | Host country's social security; without employee status there, the French system (voluntary insurance outside the EU) |
| Typical use | Short stays, intra-group mobility | Long stays in a company that pays the apprentice |
In both cases, the contract is neither terminated nor extended, and the CFA remains responsible for academic supervision. Everything is set out in a mobility agreement signed by the apprentice (and their legal guardians if they are a minor), the employer, the CFA and the host organisation. It sets the dates, the locations, the tasks assigned, the working pattern and leave and, outside the European Union, the commitments regarding risk prevention. Two simplified versions exist: without the foreign company's signature if it guarantees equivalent hosting conditions in writing, and without the foreign training provider's signature if it is a partner of your CFA.
How can you fund your mobility in 2026?
Erasmus+, the cornerstone of funding
Erasmus+ is not just for university students: its vocational education and training strand is aimed precisely at apprentices. In France, it is managed by the Agence Erasmus+ France / Éducation Formation. One essential point: you don't apply on your own. It is your CFA, accredited for Erasmus+ or a member of a consortium (often run by a region or a chamber of commerce or trade), that obtains the funds and selects the participants.
| Erasmus+ format | Time on site |
|---|---|
| Short individual mobility | 10 to 89 days |
| Long-term mobility (ErasmusPro) | 90 days to 1 year |
| Group mobility | 2 to 30 days |
The grant is a contribution, not a replacement salary. It includes:
- a daily subsistence allowance, adjusted to the cost of living in the country (the programme guide sets ranges, from €48 to €127 a day for the most expensive countries; the national agency sets the exact rate);
- travel support calculated on distance, increased for green travel;
- free online language support (OLS);
- inclusion support for participants with disabilities or with fewer opportunities.
Erasmus+ primarily funds the countries taking part in the programme (the 27 EU countries, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, North Macedonia, Serbia and Turkey). For the United Kingdom or Canada, the options are more limited: other funders then take over.
Other sources you can combine
- The region: most regional councils offer support for apprentices' international mobility (amounts and conditions vary).
- The OPCO (skills operator funding apprenticeships): the Labour Code (art. L6332-14) allows it to cover loss of income, expenses and, where applicable, pay linked to mobility outside France. Each OPCO sets its own flat rates: ask for them before you leave, never retroactively.
- Bilateral programmes: ProTandem and the OFAJ for Germany, the OFQJ for Quebec.
- The employer, especially for a mobility in a group subsidiary.
Plan for some personal savings: the grant is often paid in two instalments, with the balance on your return, while the deposit and the first month's rent are due as soon as you arrive. Review the financial aid you can claim and estimate your budget with our pay calculator.
What steps should you take, and in what order?
Every CFA must appoint dedicated mobility staff (article L6231-2 of the Labour Code), often called the mobility officer: they are your first point of contact. The recommended countdown:
| Deadline | Action |
|---|---|
| 6 months before | Meet the mobility officer, check the Erasmus+ accreditation and the exam calendar |
| 5 months before | Pick the country and the host organisation, talk to your apprenticeship supervisor |
| 4 months before | Get your employer's written agreement, choose the arrangement, submit grant applications (CFA, region, OPCO) |
| 3 months before | Sign the mobility agreement with the learning objectives and assessment methods |
| 2 months before | Housing, third-party liability and repatriation insurance, visa outside the EU |
| 1 month before | European Health Insurance Card (CEAM), language preparation, digital copies of your documents |
| On your return | Review with your supervisor, Europass Mobility, CV update |
A few useful details:
- the CEAM (European Health Insurance Card) can be requested free of charge from your Ameli account, at least two weeks before departure; it covers medically necessary care in the EU, the European Economic Area, Switzerland and the United Kingdom;
- under secondment to another European country, the employer normally requests a posting certificate (form A1) to keep you covered by French social security;
- outside Europe, private health and repatriation insurance is essential, and visa processing times add several months to your preparation.
How do you convince your employer?
This is often the real sticking point: your employer first sees your absence. Three arguments work.
- A targeted skill: don't say “I want to discover Spain”, say “I want to observe how our Barcelona partner manages its stock so I can apply it here”.
- Smart timing: suggest a quiet period, never the peak season, and avoid exam weeks.
- A deliverable on your return: a report, a benchmark, an improved process. That is what turns your absence into an investment.
Come with a written proposal (objectives, dates, funding, insurance) and prepare the conversation like an interview: our tips for acing your work-study interview apply. If the answer is no, suggest a short mobility of two or three weeks: it often serves as a trial run before a longer stay in your second year.
What mistakes should you avoid?
- Leaving without a signed agreement: if there is an accident, the situation becomes a nightmare to untangle.
- Overlapping with an exam session or your final presentation: the CFA will refuse, and rightly so.
- Forgetting the learning objectives: without defined and assessed outcomes, the period may not be recognised as part of your course.
- Underestimating the budget: in northern European capitals, the grant rarely covers all of your housing.
- Neglecting social security cover: have the agreement state in writing who covers illness and workplace accidents.
Your CFA is not accredited for Erasmus+? That is not a deal-breaker: it can join a regional consortium, and support from the region, the OPCO or the bilateral offices remains available.
What does a mobility bring you, and what should you do when you return?
When you get back, ask for your Europass Mobility, a free European document describing the skills you acquired abroad, and review the experience with your apprenticeship supervisor. A language practised in a professional setting and real proof of independence carry a lot of weight when it comes to landing a contract or choosing the right apprenticeship for what comes next.
Would you rather sign directly with a Swiss, Luxembourg or German company? That is a different set-up, explained in our guide to applying to a company across the border. And if you are still unsure about your direction, explore the work-study careers before aiming abroad.
International mobility is no longer a luxury reserved for a few: it is a regulated, funded right open to all work-study students. The only real prerequisite is planning ahead.