You're starting an apprenticeship at the 2026 back-to-school? One mandatory step awaits you before (or just after) your first day at the company: the hiring medical visit. The good news is that you are not an employee like the others: the law protects you more. Here is the step-by-step guide.
In short: every apprentice, whether adult or minor, must take a medical visit before or shortly after being hired. For an adult on a position without specific risks, it is a VIP (Visite d'Information et de Prévention) to be completed within 2 months. For a minor, a night worker or a position with specific risks, it is a fitness-for-work exam with the occupational physician, before starting work. The employer covers everything: paid working time, reimbursed travel, visit paid through the SPST contribution. Since decree no. 2026-503 of 12 June 2026, the return-to-work visit after a sick leave is simplified: it is no longer required if a pre-return visit took place within the previous 30 days without any accommodation proposal.
Who is concerned by the hiring medical visit?
Every apprentice, without exception, takes at least one visit before the end of their second month of contract execution. The Labour Code distinguishes two regimes:
- The standard rule: the VIP (Visite d'Information et de Prévention), to be completed within 2 months of being hired. It is conducted by an occupational health professional (physician, nurse, intern).
- The reinforced regime: the fitness-for-work medical exam (SIR), to be
taken before starting the position. It is mandatory if:
- you are a minor apprentice assigned to hazardous work (under exemption), or a night worker;
- you hold a position with specific risks (asbestos, lead, carcinogenic agents, ionising radiation, erecting and dismantling scaffolding, etc.);
- your state of health requires it.
The fitness-for-work exam must be carried out by the occupational physician — not by a nurse. To learn more, the Ministry of Labour website details each situation.
What deadlines must be met for the 2026 back-to-school?
| Apprentice situation | Legal deadline | Type of visit |
|---|---|---|
| Adult, position without specific risk | Within 2 months of being hired | VIP |
| Minor, or night worker, or position with specific risks | Before starting the position | Fitness-for-work exam (SIR) |
| Regular employee (reminder) | 3 months | VIP |
The shortened 2-month deadline for adult apprentices is a stronger protection compared to the standard rule (3 months for a regular employee). It is a specific apprenticeship rule, often overlooked.
For contracts starting in September 2026, this means concretely that the VIP must take place no later than the end of October 2026. Many employers prefer to schedule it in the first weeks, alongside the onboarding, so they don't forget about it.
Who pays for and organises the visit?
The employer is responsible for organising it. In practice:
- On the hiring date, the employer contacts your SPST (Service de Prévention et de Santé au Travail), formerly called the "occupational medicine service".
- The SPST has 8 days to organise the visit within the legal deadline.
- If the SPST is unavailable, the VIP can be delegated to a local physician who has signed an agreement with the SPST.
- If you are in a situation of disability, a specific visit is provided — feel free to consult our article on apprenticeship and disability (RQTH) to learn about your additional rights.
On the cost side, nothing is charged to you: the SPST contribution is fully paid by the employer, the visit time is paid as working time, and travel costs to get there are reimbursed. As a reminder, you can also find all the financial aid you are entitled to as an apprentice on financial aid.
What is checked during the visit?
The VIP is not an old-fashioned "hiring exam". The goal is to inform you about the risks of your position, spot any potential health issues and guide you if needed. In practice, the health professional:
- reviews your medical history and vaccinations;
- assesses your state of health in relation to the job;
- informs you about occupational risks (noise, chemicals, postures, screens, RPS, etc.);
- raises your awareness about good practices (movements and postures, PPE, hydration, right of withdrawal);
- can refer you to the occupational physician if more in-depth follow-up is needed.
The fitness-for-work exam, more thorough, additionally includes complementary examinations (audiometry, spirometry, vision, etc.) based on the risks of the position. For apprentices in CAP cuisine, BTP (construction), industry or healthcare, for example, some of these exams are systematic.
💡 Tip: prepare for your visit by listing your up-to-date vaccinations (notably DTP, hepatitis B for healthcare jobs, BCG depending on the case), your current treatments and your medical history. This speeds up the consultation.
What decree no. 2026-503 of 12 June 2026 changes
Decree no. 2026-503 of 12 June 2026 went relatively unnoticed, but it directly concerns apprentices in case of sick leave. It simplifies the return-to-work visit:
- Before: the return-to-work visit was mandatory after any absence of 30 days (work accident) or 60 days (illness).
- Now: if a pre-return visit took place within the previous 30 days and the occupational physician made no accommodation proposal, the return-to-work visit is no longer required.
This measure aims to ease the burden on SPSTs, whose workload has exploded since the shortage of occupational physicians. In practice, for an apprentice returning after a long sick leave, it means less paperwork and a smoother return to work. The periodic follow-up (renewal every 5 years maximum, 3 years for people with disabilities, 2 years for minors) is unchanged.
What to do if the visit is not scheduled?
If you notice, after being hired, that the medical visit is not planned within the deadline:
- Follow up with your employer (by email, to keep a record). The employer is the one who must contact the SPST.
- Contact the SPST directly, with your apprenticeship contract.
- Refer yourself to the occupational physician on your own initiative: the law allows you to request a visit at any time, without having to justify your request.
- As a last resort, alert the labour inspectorate or your CFA: an employer who fails to meet the visit obligation is liable to a sanction, and the CFA has every interest in seeing the formal requirement fulfilled.
⚠️ The absence of a medical visit does not prevent you from working, but it puts your employer in breach. Keep a record of it.
In short: your rights at a glance
- The VIP is mandatory within 2 months for an adult apprentice on a position without specific risk.
- The fitness-for-work exam is mandatory before starting the position for minors, night workers and positions with specific risks.
- Everything is covered by the employer: paid working time, reimbursed travel, free visit.
- You can request one yourself at any time with the occupational physician.
- Since 12 June 2026 (decree no. 2026-503), the return-to-work visit is simplified if a pre-return visit took place recently.
To go further, also prepare your company search and your salary simulator in parallel: the medical visit is only one step among others in the 2026 back-to-school.