French Government Reduces Apprentice Hiring Subsidies for 2025

The aid will drop from €6,000 to €5,000 for small businesses and €2,000 for larger companies, aiming to cut public spending by €1.2 billion.

The French government has confirmed a reduction in hiring subsidies for apprentices in 2025, affecting both small and large enterprises.
Small businesses with fewer than 250 employees will receive €5,000 per apprentice, while larger companies will see their aid cut to €2,000, down from €6,000 previously.
This decision is part of a broader effort to reduce public spending on employment programs by €1.2 billion, as the cost of apprenticeship subsidies has more than doubled since 2018.
Despite the reduction, the government chose to maintain aid for all levels of diploma preparation, avoiding a return to pre-pandemic restrictions that limited eligibility.
The delayed publication of the implementing decree, expected later in January, has created uncertainty for employers, potentially impacting the number of apprenticeship contracts signed in early 2025.