Revised hiring aid, first-equipment funding by level, new NPEC rates, the end of the driving licence aid… French apprenticeships changed a lot in 2026, but through a string of small steps rather than one big law. Here is what has actually changed, with the official text behind each measure.
In short: there was no single "big reform" in 2026, but a series of laws and decrees. For employers: new hiring aid that depends on company size and qualification level (from €750 to €5,000, €6,000 for an apprentice with a disability) for contracts signed since 8 March 2026, a €750 contribution for bachelor's-level-and-above programmes, and new NPEC rates from 1 September 2026. For apprentices: a higher SMIC from 1 June 2026, lower net pay for contracts signed since March 2025, the €500 driving licence aid abolished, and first-equipment funding limited to levels 3 to 5 since 30 July 2026. The contract framework itself (duration, age, working hours, number of apprentices per master) has not changed.
Was there a major apprenticeship reform law in 2026?
No. No "apprenticeship reform law" was passed in 2025 or 2026: the last overall overhaul is still the "Avenir professionnel" law of 5 September 2018. Recent changes are mainly budgetary and come through finance acts, the social security financing act and decrees. Here is the timeline of measures that apply in 2026:
| Effective date | What changes | Text |
|---|---|---|
| 1 March 2025 | Apprentice contribution exemption limited to 50% of the SMIC | LFSS (social security financing act) 2025 |
| 1 July 2025 | €750 employer contribution (bachelor's level and above) | Decree no. 2025-585 of 27 June 2025 |
| 21 February 2026 | €500 B driving licence aid abolished | Law no. 2026-103 of 19 February 2026 |
| 8 March 2026 | New hiring aid amounts | Decree no. 2026-168 of 6 March 2026 |
| 28 May 2026 | End of the employer's prior declaration | Law no. 2026-403 of 26 May 2026 |
| 1 June 2026 | SMIC at €12.31/hour, apprentice pay raised | Order of 22 May 2026 |
| 27 June 2026 | Stronger controls on CFAs | Law no. 2026-534 of 25 June 2026 |
| 30 July 2026 | First equipment: €500, €300 or nothing depending on level | Decree no. 2026-679 of 27 July 2026 |
| 1 September 2026 | New funding levels (NPEC) | Decree no. 2026-832 of 29 August 2026 |
What does not change in the apprenticeship contract?
The core contract rules are the same as in previous years:
- Duration: 6 months to 3 years depending on the programme (a rule in force since 2018), up to 4 years for an apprentice with recognised disability status.
- Age: 16 to 29 inclusive (from 15 for a young person who has completed the French "3e", the last year of lower secondary school), with no age limit in particular for people with disabilities.
- Under-18 apprentices: a maximum of 8 hours a day and 35 hours a week, with possible exemptions (up to 10 hours a day and 40 hours a week) for some activities such as construction sites; night work is prohibited except for sector-specific exemptions.
- Apprenticeship master (in-company tutor): an adult, qualified and experienced; they can supervise at most 2 apprentices, plus 1 repeating a year. Their competence requirements are detailed in our article on the apprenticeship master.
How do you sign an apprenticeship contract in 2026?
The procedure is still the one introduced in 2020, when registration by the chambers of commerce and trades was replaced by filing with the OPCO (skills operator):
- The employer makes the DPAE (pre-hiring declaration), as for any employee.
- The employer and the apprentice sign the contract (Cerfa no. 10103), completed with the CFA (apprentice training centre).
- The employer sends the contract to its OPCO no later than 5 working days after it starts.
- The OPCO has 20 days to decide on funding; it then files the contract with the ministry's services.
The only new element: since 28 May 2026, law no. 2026-403 of 26 May 2026 on simplifying economic life has abolished the prior declaration in which the employer certified that it was taking the necessary steps to organise the apprenticeship. Its impact is limited: the substantive obligations (training, supervision, safety, protection of minors) remain in full.
What aid is available to hire an apprentice in 2026?
Decree no. 2026-168 of 6 March 2026 reintroduced aid that varies for contracts signed since 8 March 2026 and starting before 1 January 2027. It is paid for the first year of the contract only:
| Qualification prepared | Fewer than 250 employees | 250 employees or more |
|---|---|---|
| Up to baccalauréat (CAP, bac pro, BP…) | €5,000 | €2,000 |
| Two years of higher education (BTS, DUT…) | €4,500 | €1,500 |
| Bachelor's to master's (licence, BUT, master…) | €2,000 | €750 |
| Apprentice with recognised disability status | €6,000 | €6,000 |
Companies with 250 or more employees must also reach 5% work-study students in their workforce (or show an increase). For contracts signed between 1 January and 7 March 2026, only the single aid (€5,000, fewer than 250 employees, up to baccalauréat level) and the €6,000 aid for an apprentice with a disability applied. This aid concerns the apprenticeship contract, not the professionalisation contract. Full details are in our article on apprentice hiring aid in 2026.
How much does a bachelor's-level apprentice cost the employer?
Since 1 July 2025 (decree no. 2025-585 of 27 June 2025), the employer pays a flat contribution of €750 per apprenticeship contract preparing a level 6 qualification or higher (licence, BUT, master, engineering degree). It drops to €200 when a new contract is signed with another employer after an early termination. Our article on the €750 employer contribution explains how it is calculated and how it affects recruitment.
Does apprentice pay go up in 2026?
The SMIC percentages do not change, but the SMIC (French minimum wage) was raised to €12.31 an hour, or €1,867.02 gross a month, on 1 June 2026. Examples of minimum monthly gross pay in the first year:
| Age | % of the SMIC | Minimum gross salary |
|---|---|---|
| Under 18 | 27% | €504.09 |
| 18 to 20 | 43% | €802.82 |
| 21 to 25 | 53% | €989.52 |
| 26 and over | 100% | €1,867.02 |
Watch the net amount: for contracts signed since 1 March 2025, the exemption from employee contributions is limited to the part of the salary below 50% of the SMIC (€933.51 a month). Above that, the apprentice pays contributions and CSG-CRDS. Older contracts keep the previous scheme. For income tax, apprentice pay remains exempt up to the annual SMIC (€21,622 for 2025 income). To go further, read our articles on the SMIC on 1 June 2026 and on apprentice net pay, or run the numbers with our pay simulator.
What does the NPEC revision of 1 September 2026 change?
The NPEC (niveau de prise en charge, funding level) is the annual amount paid by the OPCO to the CFA to fund each contract. France compétences launched a general revision on 2 April 2026:
- recommended reference values by groups of related qualifications;
- a €4,000 floor for all NPECs and reference values capped at €11,000 for levels 5, 6 and 7;
- possible adjustment by professional sectors of ± 20% planned in April, finally -30% to +30% in the final reference table, subject to financial neutrality.
Decree no. 2026-832 of 29 August 2026 and the single reference table published by France compétences set the amounts for contracts signed from 1 September 2026; earlier contracts keep the previous amounts.
For the same programme, "amounts may go up or down" compared with the previous levels. — DREETS Normandie
The apprentice never pays anything: their training is free. Our feature on the NPEC reform explains what is at stake for CFAs.
Which aid for apprentices disappears or shrinks?
Has the driving licence aid been abolished?
Yes. The €500 flat-rate aid for the B driving licence was abolished by the 2026 Finance Act (law no. 2026-103 of 19 February 2026), effective 21 February 2026. The CPF (personal training account) now funds an employee's B licence only with co-funding from a third party (employer, OPCO, region…), up to €900 (decree no. 2026-127 of 24 February 2026). What remains is the €1-a-day driving licence loan and local authority grants: see our article on the apprentice driving licence aid. To study the highway code, it is best to start early and compare local funding options.
What happens to the first-equipment aid?
Decree no. 2026-679 of 27 July 2026 restricts the funding of first teaching equipment costs (paid by the OPCO, via the CFA) to programmes at level 5 or below:
- up to €500 for levels 3 and 4 (CAP, bac pro, BP);
- up to €300 for level 5 (BTS, DUT…);
- nothing for levels 6 and 7 (licence, master).
These caps apply to contracts signed since 30 July 2026; before that, the aid could reach €500 whatever the level. Details in our article on the first-equipment aid.
Are controls on CFAs being tightened?
Yes. Law no. 2026-534 of 25 June 2026 on combating social and tax fraud, in force since 27 June 2026 for its training provisions, strengthens controls on training organisations and CFAs:
- targeted checks by sampling;
- findings that can be made under an assumed identity to detect fraud;
- new grounds for refusing or cancelling an organisation's activity declaration.
For an apprentice, this is rather protective: a CFA must deliver the training it advertises. Before signing, check that the diploma or title you are preparing is listed in the RNCP (national register of professional qualifications).
What should you do in practice for the 2026 intake?
If you are an apprentice:
- Check your gross pay against the SMIC of 1 June 2026 and your net pay according to the date your contract was signed.
- Do not count on the €500 driving licence aid any more: ask your region, your local mission (mission locale) and your employer.
- Ask your CFA what the first-equipment funding covers in your programme.
If you are an employer:
- Check your eligibility for the aid under decree no. 2026-168 (and the 5% quota above 250 employees).
- Budget for the €750 contribution for a bachelor's-level-and-above apprentice.
- Check the applicable NPEC before signing a contract since 1 September 2026.
- Send the contract to the OPCO within 5 working days.
Find all schemes on our financial aid page and the latest work-study offers on SuperAlternance.