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Apprentice pay in France in 2026: the official grid, in percentages and euros

Apprenticeship and professionalisation contracts: the French minimum pay by age and year, in gross euros since 1 June 2026, and what changes in net.

By the PisteJob team · updated October 31, 2026 · 4 min read

In a French work-study contract (alternance), your pay isn't negotiated from scratch: the law sets a minimum, as a percentage of the national minimum wage (the Smic), based on your age, your contract year and the type of contract. Here's the grid in force, the amounts in euros since the Smic increase of 1 June 2026, and the rules that change your pay along the way.

Key points

• Under an apprenticeship contract (contrat d'apprentissage), the minimum ranges from 27% of the Smic (aged 16-17, 1st year) to 100% (aged 26 and over).
• Since 1 June 2026, the Smic is €12.31 gross per hour, or €1,867.02 gross per month for a 35-hour week (order of 22 May 2026).
• These are minimums: your contract or your collective agreement can provide more.
• For an apprenticeship contract signed since 1 March 2025, the part of the pay up to 50% of the Smic (€933.51 a month) is exempt from employee social contributions. Above that, contributions, CSG and CRDS apply.
• The Smic is raised every 1 January: the amounts will change in 2027.

Apprenticeship contract: the 2026 grid

Minimum gross monthly pay for a 35-hour week, based on the Smic of 1 June 2026 (LégiSocial, article D6222-26 of the French Labour Code):

From age 21, the percentage applies to the higher of two amounts: the Smic, or the minimum wage set by the collective agreement for your job if it's more favourable. At 26 and over, you receive at least the Smic, or the collective-agreement minimum if it's higher (Lefebvre Dalloz).

What changes your pay during the contract

• Your birthday: when you move into a new age band (18, 21 or 26), the new percentage applies from the first day of the following month.
• Your contract year: years are counted from date to date, from the start of the contract.
• Smic increases: as your pay is a percentage of the Smic, it follows every increase.
• A second contract: with the same employer, your pay is at least that of the last year of the previous contract. With another employer, at least what you could have claimed in that last year. This applies if the previous contract led to the diploma or title being obtained (article D6222-29).
• A diploma at the same level already obtained: if the new qualification is directly related to it, your pay is increased by 15 points.

These rules are detailed in the Lefebvre Dalloz fact sheet (updated 15 March 2026). Paying below these minimums exposes the employer to a fine.

Professionalisation contract: a different grid

The professionalisation contract (contrat de professionnalisation) follows other percentages, based on your age and your qualification level at the start (LégiSocial, CIDJ):

Gross monthly amounts for 35 hours, at the Smic of 1 June 2026. If you turn 21 during the contract, your pay rises on the first day of the month after your birthday.

Gross and net: what you actually receive

For an apprenticeship contract signed since 1 March 2025, the part of your pay that doesn't exceed 50% of the Smic is exempt from all statutory and contractual employee contributions. The part above that threshold is subject to contributions, as well as CSG and CRDS, two French social levies (Lefebvre Dalloz, April 2025). At the June 2026 Smic, that threshold is €933.51 gross a month. Contracts signed before 1 March 2025 keep the former threshold of 79%.

Two examples, at the June 2026 Smic:

• Aged 18, 1st year: €802.82 gross, below the threshold. No employee contributions are deducted, except supplementary health insurance and provident cover, which you still pay.
• Aged 22, 3rd year: €1,456.28 gross. Contributions, CSG and CRDS apply to the part above €933.51, that is €522.77.

As for tax, apprentice pay is exempt from French income tax up to the annual amount of the Smic (article 81 bis of the General Tax Code).

Frequently asked questions

Can my employer pay me more than the grid?

Yes. The grid sets a minimum, "subject to more favourable contractual or collective-agreement provisions". Your collective agreement may provide more: ask your employer or your training centre for it.

What happens the month I turn 21?

You change age band: the new percentage applies from the first day of the month after your birthday.

Will my pay go up in January 2027?

The Smic is raised every 1 January. At the end of October 2026, the 2027 amount hadn't been set yet (Selectra). As your minimum pay is a percentage of the Smic, it will follow the increase.

Is overtime paid?

Yes. Overtime, benefits provided by the collective agreement, profit-sharing and incentive schemes also apply to apprentices.

When should I look for an apprenticeship?

Earlier than you think: the full calendar is in our guide Finding a work-study apprenticeship in France for September 2027.