The 2026-2027 school year is approaching and the apprenticeship sector is sounding the alarm. On July 16, 2026, the association 3E (Educational Companies for Employment) asked the government for “a moratorium on apprenticeship funding cuts” and the opening of a multi-year trajectory negotiated with the sector. The National Federation of CFA Directors (Fnadir) had already been calling for a moratorium for 2026 since January. With two months to go before the start of the school year, budget uncertainties are piling up.
In short: savings measures are piling up (State support fund for CFA paid to the regions cut from 134 to 33 million euros, 750 € employer contribution for bac+3 and above degrees, lower hiring incentives, NPEC revision) and are weakening CFA. The 3E association and Fnadir are calling for a moratorium, and six apprenticeship networks are urging that funding be stabilized. Apprentices and candidates are indirectly affected: fewer open CFA can mean fewer available places.
Why is the sector calling for a moratorium now?
Several cost-saving measures have been accumulating since 2025 and are creating a scissor effect for apprenticeship training centers:
- State grant to regions: the CFA support fund, set at 134 million euros by a ministerial order of April 1, 2026, was cut to 33 million euros at the end of May 2026 (11 M€ for operating costs, 22 M€ for investment).
- 750 € co-payment: since July 1, 2025, employers hiring an apprentice at bac+3 or above pay a flat contribution of 750 € per contract (decree n° 2025-585 of June 27, 2025).
- Lower hiring incentives (decree n° 2026-168 of March 6, 2026): the incentive for bac+3 to bac+5 programs drops to 2 000 € in companies with fewer than 250 employees and to 750 € above that size, down from a flat 6 000 € in 2024.
- 20 % reduction of the NPEC for programs delivered at least 80 % remotely, since July 1, 2025 (decree n° 2025-586 of June 27, 2025).
What do the new hiring incentive rates change?
The March 6, 2026 decree scales incentives based on two criteria: company size and degree level. Here are the amounts in effect for contracts signed from March 8, 2026 and starting before January 1, 2027:
| Degree level | SME (< 250 employees) | Large companies (250+) |
|---|---|---|
| Bac or below (levels 3-4) | 5 000 € | 2 000 € |
| Bac+2 (level 5) | 4 500 € | 1 500 € |
| Bac+3 to Bac+5 (levels 6-7) | 2 000 € | 750 € |
| Apprentice with a disability | 6 000 € | 6 000 € |
Payment is automatic and monthly, for up to 12 months: all you need to do is send the contract to the OPCO and declare the apprentice in the DSN. Companies with 250 or more employees must also reach, by December 31 of the year following the signing of the contract, at least 5 % work-study students in their workforce, or 3 % with a 10 % increase in the number of work-study students.
NPEC revision: what changed for the 2026 school year?
The funding levels (NPEC), paid by the OPCO to CFA for each contract, were completely overhauled in 2026:
- on April 2, 2026, France compétences set a reference value per certification, on a constant budget and with a 4 000 € floor (deliberation n° 2026-04-13), then revised its recommendations on June 4, 2026: in the final framework, branches were able to adjust this value from -30 % to +30 % (compared with ±20 % planned in April);
- the deadline given to branches to make their decision was extended on an exceptional basis (decree n° 2026-411 of May 28, 2026);
- decree n° 2026-832 of August 29, 2026 sets the amounts that apply where branches have not issued a compliant decision; the new NPEC apply to contracts signed since September 1, 2026.
CFA networks fear an across-the-board drop in funding, particularly for higher education programs. In addition, since July 1, 2025, the NPEC has been paid pro rata to the days completed and in several installments (40 % advance, 30 % in the 7th month, 20 % in the 10th month, 10 % balance once the service has been delivered), which weighs on training organizations' cash flow.
What impact for work-study candidates?
If you are looking for an apprenticeship contract for the 2026 school year, here is what you need to know:
- Bac and bac+2 level degrees remain the priority: employer incentives are the highest (4 500 € to 5 000 € for SMEs), which keeps these programs attractive. Browse the work-study job listings to identify opportunities in your sector.
- Higher education is not abandoned but companies are more selective. Plan ahead by preparing a strong application with our work-study CV template.
- Check the health of your CFA before signing: make sure it is Qualiopi-certified, check on France Compétences that the diploma is registered in the RNCP and consult the La Bonne Alternance directory. Our article CFA in difficulty: the government mobilizes regional task forces walks through the steps.
- Estimate your net salary with our salary simulator: for contracts signed since March 1, 2025, the exemption from employee contributions only applies to the part of the salary not exceeding 50 % of the SMIC (933.51 € per month since June 1, 2026), which reduces net pay above that amount.
What are sector stakeholders saying?
Mobilization is underway. Heard on June 10, 2026 by the Finance Committee of the National Assembly, Labor Minister Jean-Pierre Farandou made a commitment:
“I will fight to ensure that the 2026 resources are maintained in 2027.” — Jean-Pierre Farandou, Minister of Labor, June 10, 2026
In mid-July, he confirmed to Les Échos that apprenticeship funding would be maintained in 2027. For their part, six apprenticeship networks (Anasup, CGE, 3E, Fnadir, Fnep and Univpro) presented a joint impact study on July 2, 2026, calling for stabilized funding and certified pedagogy. The 3E association is calling for a negotiated multi-year trajectory rather than unpredictable annual cuts.
On the government side, the interministerial instruction of June 19, 2026 mobilizes the regional apprenticeship support task forces throughout the 2026-2027 year: they keep watch over CFA in difficulty, apply the State procedure in the event of a failure and report situations to a national unit, which apprentices and companies can contact at signalapprentissage@emploi.gouv.fr.
Key takeaways
The moratorium demanded by 3E and Fnadir does not call into question your rights as an apprentice: your contract, your pay and your degree remain protected by the French Labor Code. However, the budget context may reduce the range of available training programs for the 2026 school year, particularly in higher education. Plan ahead by multiplying your applications, checking the solidity of your CFA and prioritizing bac and bac+2 level programs that still benefit from attractive employer incentives.