Trainee in France

Non-EU students in France

If you study in France, you can conclude a training agreement concluded between yourself, the training establishment and the host company in France. You need to prove a valid residence permit as student. The traineeship cannot exceed 6 months.

Non-EU students in a third-country

If you study in a third country, you must apply for a short-stay (for less than 3 months, if applicable) or a long-stay visa equivalent to a residence permit with the mention “trainee” at the French Embassy or Consulate in your country of origin.

You need to provide the training agreement concluded between yourself, the training establishment and the host company in France to the competent labour authority so that they can approve it before applying for the visa. They need to give their decision within a 30 day period.

Non-EU employee in a company established in a third-country

If you intend to do a traineeship in France as employee of a company established out of France, there are two different procedures:

i) if you want to do a traineeship in a company belonging to the same group as your employer, through an intra company transfer (ICT): you have to prove your seniority within the group of 6 months at least, sufficient financial resources and a diploma of higher education.

ii) If you want to do a traineeship within a training agency or within a client or partner of your employer, you need to prove your employment relationship, the link between the hosting company and your employer, sufficient resources at least equivalent to the minimum full time monthly gross wage of 1,521.22 euros and a training agreement duly signed by all parties.

You must:

• provide the training agreement concluded between yourself, the training establishment and the host company in France;
• for students, prove your financial resources conditions: equivalent of the basic monthly maintenance allowance paid to the French government scholarship holders, i.e. 615 euros if you are a student in your country of residence;
• for employees of a company established out of France, prove financial resources equivalent to the full time monthly gross minimum wage, i.e. 1,521.22 euros;
• for ICT traineeship, prove your seniority within the group;
• for employees, establish the link between your employer and the host structure.

For students, the period of validity is 6 months, non-renewable.

For employees of a company established out of France, the period is 12 months, renewable for a maximum of 6 months

N/A for students. To extend you traineeship, your hosting institution or company will have to amend your traineeship agreement to extend your period of training. This amendment will be submitted to the prefect of the region your hosting institution or company is located in. If you were not notified of any decision in 15 days, the decision is approved. You will then have to apply to a new temporary trainee visa, at the prefecture of your place of residence, following the usual procedure.

For employees of a company established out of France, you have to apply for the renewable of your residence permit two months before its expiry date. Your hosting institution has amend your traineeship agreement to extend your period of training or establish a new traineeship convention, and then submit it to the prefecture of their region. The competent regional labour authority (DIRECCTE – la direction régionale des entreprises, de la concurrence, de la consommation, du travail et de l'emploi) verifies that the labour regulation applicable to trainees has been respected. If you were not notified of any decision by the labour authority in 15 days, the decision is approved. You will then be issued a new visa by the prefecture of your place of residence, valid for a period up to 6 months (the overall period of your traineeship cannot extend 18 months).

More on renewing your traineeship

You can appeal a refusal of a French entry visa to Consulate in your country of origin. Within two months after being notified of the refusal to be issued a visa, you can send a letter to the Consulate detailing your motivations for applying for a visa, with the required documents and any documents that might support your application attached. You must also attach a copy of the refusal letter.

If the informal appeal is rejected, you can appeal to the Commission for Appeals Against Visa Application Refusals within two months of the date of notification of the decision.

If the Commission rejects the appeal, or if, despite the favourable opinion of the Commission, ministers confirm the visa refusal, you may, within two months, submit a request for annulment before the Administrative Court of Nantes, which is responsible in the first instance for litigation on visa refusal.

More on appeals against visa refusal decisions

A hierarchical appeal may also be submitted to the Minister for Foreign Affairs.

More on administrative and hierarchical appeals

There is no possibility to apply for family reunification 

For the family members of ICT trainees, they can apply for a residence permit “ICT trainee – family”. This permit will be valid for the same period as the permits of ICT trainees, and allows its holders to work.

Your children under 18 are admitted onto the territory without a residence permit.

More on visa application to France

More on settling in France