Extension of the exceptional state aid for apprentices in France
During the Covid crisis in 2020, the French government introduced an exceptional state aid for apprentices. It aimed to tackle unemployment among young people who were one of the groups most impacted by the health crisis.
Exceptional state aid for apprentices in France
Under the hashtag #1jeune1solution, translating to ‘one young – one solution’, the exceptional state aid was granted for apprenticeship contracts signed from 1st of July 2020 on. This state aid was supposed to end on 30 Juin 2022.
In May 2022, the labor minister announced its extension until 31 December 2022.
What is the maximum amount of the exceptional state aid for apprentices in France?
The exceptional state aid is granted for the first year of the apprenticeship contract, for a degree up to the French Bac+5, niveau 7. The amount varies based on the apprentice’s age.
If the apprentice is a minors, the state aid is €5000. For an adult, the state aid is €8000.
Example : Apprentice of 17 years of age
The total amount is €5,000, the company will receive for each month for 1 year: €416.67.
Additional conditions apply, notably to companies with a headcount of 250 or more employees.
How to apply for the state aid?
The aid is granted and paid automatically; there is no specific application process. However, the employer has to send the signed apprenticeship contract to his training organization ‘Opco’ in a timely manner. The company’s French payroll provider will make sure that the apprentice’s data is declared electronically via the data transmission DSN each month.
Payments are made by the French body ‘ASP’ to the bank account communicated by the employer via the tool Sylae.
Previous state aid for apprentices in France
A so called ‘single state aid for apprentices’ already existed before the health crisis for contracts signed between 1st of January 2019 until 30 June 2020. The conditions are different from the exceptional state aid for apprentices. The amount varies based on the year of the apprenticeship.
1st year of the contract: the maximum amount of aid is €4,125
2nd year of the contract: the maximum amount of aid is €2,000
3rd year of the contract: the maximum amount of aid is €1,200
From 1st of July 2022, this state aid is reinstated. It may apply to certain employers if conditions are met. Meaning employers who benefited from the exceptional state aid for the 1st year of the apprenticeship may obtain further aid for the 2nd and 3rd year.
There is a new state aid for apprentices and trainees available in 2023 of up to € 6000.