Blog topic

Contract and rights

A work-study student is a full employee, with an employment contract and the same rights as other staff, plus a few specific rules. This topic covers them: choosing between the apprenticeship and the professionalisation contract, age conditions, paid leave, overtime and rules for minors, remote work, medical check-ups, health insurance, sick leave and workplace accidents, and termination of the contract. Start with the full guide to the apprenticeship contract.

Key pages

All articles in this topic (21)

Young female engineer in workwear with a hard hat in an industrial workshop, illustrating a successful apprenticeship path after 30

Apprenticeship after 30: the exemptions that open the contract in 2026

RQTH, high-level athlete, business creation, new contract up to 35: the exemptions that allow you to sign an apprenticeship contract after 30. Conditions and steps.

Updated on

Signing a work-study contract at a desk

Apprenticeship or professionalisation contract: which to choose in 2026?

Full comparison of the two work-study contracts: eligibility, objective, duration, pay, qualification and support. Summary table to help you choose the right contract for your situation.

Updated on

Students in class at the start of their work-study programme before signing a contract

Starting your apprenticeship without a company: the 3-month rule

No employer yet at the start of term? You can enrol in a CFA and have up to 3 months to sign your apprenticeship contract. Rules, status and tips.

Updated on

Apprentice reviewing their apprenticeship contract before ending it, pen in hand

Ending an apprenticeship contract: rights and process 2026

Trial period, resignation, mediator, staying at the training centre: the full process to end an apprenticeship contract in 2026 and bounce back fast.

Updated on

KLM aircraft from the Air France-KLM group being towed by a pushback tractor on an airport apron

Workplace Accidents in Apprenticeships: Your Rights and Procedures in 2026

A fall in the workshop, a commuting accident, feeling unwell at the training centre: what France's AT/MP occupational injury scheme covers for apprentices in 2026, reporting deadlines and your benefits.

Updated on

Young man in a black polo shirt wearing red safety goggles and blue overalls

Apprenticeships and RQTH Disability Status in 2026: Support, Age Limits, Workplace Adjustments

Work-study and RQTH status in 2026: no age limit, contracts of up to 4 years, a €6,000 hiring grant, Agefiph and FIPHFP funding, workstation and exam adjustments.

Updated on

Silhouette of a construction worker hydrating on a worksite in full sun, illustrating summer working conditions for outdoor apprentices

Heatwave and work-study in 2026: your rights when the CFA closes

Orange or red alert, closed CFA, employer asking for make-up hours: what the law says for apprentices during a heatwave and how to react.

Updated on

Hand of a person in a suit signing a contract with a pen on a white sheet of paper on a wooden desk

International Students and Apprenticeships in France 2026: Residence Permits and Procedures

Residence permit, work authorisation, permitted hours, CFA: the 2026 guide to the steps required to sign a work-study contract in France as an international student.

Updated on

A “Sorry we're closed” sign hanging on a company door handle, illustrating the annual summer closure of a business employing an apprentice

Annual company closure in summer: what rights for apprentices?

Your employer closes for the August holidays: are you paid? Can you be forced to take leave? Everything the law provides for apprentices in 2026.

Updated on

Showers of sparks as a metal frame is welded in a dark workshop, welding mask lying beside it

Sick Leave on a Work-Study Contract in 2026: Pay, Procedures and Your Training Centre

Off sick while on a work-study contract? Here are your rights in 2026: continued pay, daily sickness benefits, waiting period, obligations to your employer and your CFA.

Updated on

Young man in a red jumper cutting metal with an angle grinder in a workshop, shower of sparks

Vocational Student Card 2026: Your Rights and Discounts

France's vocational student card in 2026: who is eligible, when the CFA must issue it, the €1 Crous meal, real discounts, contract termination and mistakes to avoid.

Updated on

Young woman filling in a monthly calendar to book her leave

Paid leave on a work-study contract in 2026: how many days and what rights?

Apprentice leave in 2026: 5 weeks a year, 5 days to revise for exams, rights for under-21s, CFA holidays and payout of unused leave at the end of the contract.

Updated on

Technical training workshop with electrical engineering test benches and instructional panels

Work-Related Expenses in Apprenticeships 2026: What Your Employer Must Reimburse

Travel, meals, remote work, business trips: which expenses must your company reimburse when you're an apprentice in 2026? Rates, obligations and how to claim.

Updated on

A young man with glasses, in a blue T-shirt, working on a laptop in front of a wall covered with photos.

Work-Study Conflicts: How to Manage Tensions with Your Mentor?

Difficult mentor, tasks unrelated to your degree, harassment: the steps to resolve a work-study conflict, from dialogue to mediator, and your rights in 2026.

Updated on

Young man in a high-visibility yellow vest holding a white hard hat on a construction site, excavator in the background

Overtime in Work-Study Contracts: 2026 Rules and Calculation

Adult apprentice or professionalisation contract: maximum hours, 25% and 50% premiums, pay based on the June 2026 SMIC, rest, tax and what to do if unpaid.

Updated on

Young man in an apron and red safety glasses using a screwdriver on a machine in a workshop

Apprentices Under 18: Working Hours, Overtime and Night Work 2026

Apprentice under 18 in France: 8 hours a day, 35 a week, 40-hour waiver on building sites, exceptional overtime, night, Sunday and rest rules for 2026.

Updated on

Smiling young woman in a job interview facing a recruiter reviewing a CV, laptop on the table

Company Health Insurance for Apprentices in 2026: Requirements, Waivers and Real Cost

Company health insurance for work-study students in 2026: must your employer enrol you? Waivers (parents, 10%, fixed-term), real cost on your pay and the steps.

Updated on

Person signing an apprenticeship contract in a formal professional setting

Apprenticeships in France 2026: what really changes

Hiring aid, pay, employer contribution, NPEC, first equipment, driving licence: the real changes to French apprenticeships in 2026, backed by official texts.

Updated on

A senior woman explaining a sketch to a young woman in front of fabrics and drawings laid out on a table

Remote work on a work-study contract in 2026: your rights and how to organise it

Can an apprentice work from home? Legal framework, number of days, equipment, 2026 URSSAF allowance, accidents and remote mentoring: the complete guide.

Updated on

Doctor taking a patient's blood pressure during an occupational health consultation

Apprentice medical visit at the 2026 back-to-school: deadlines, rights and new rules

Information and prevention visit (VIP), fitness-for-work exam, minor apprentices, decree 2026-503: everything an apprentice needs to know before the 2026 back-to-school.

Updated on

Wooden letters spelling the words “New Job”, a symbol of a career change

Career transition period 2026: train through work-study without resigning

The new scheme that replaces Pro-A from 2026: retrain through work-study while remaining an employee. Conditions, duration, pay and OPCO funding.

← Back to the blog