Alternance abroad in 2026: Erasmus+, the Maillard Law, Europass Mobility — the guide to going abroad in apprenticeship

You are an apprentice (apprenti) or on a professionalisation contract (contrat de professionnalisation), and a stubborn urge to go abroad is buzzing in your head: discover another way of working, improve your English or Spanish, boost your CV before graduation. In July 2026, the good news has just dropped: the law of 27 December 2023 (known as the "loi Maillard") now authorises mobility abroad for up to one year, without exceeding half of the total duration of your contract. Combined with the Erasmus+ 2021-2027 programme and the Europass Mobility document, alternance (work-study) abroad has never been so accessible. Here is the full method to turn this project into reality, with SuperAlternant.

What you need to know about going abroad in alternance in 2026

• What is it? A period of international mobility built into your alternance contract, that allows you to work and/or train in another country (European Union, Iceland, Norway, Liechtenstein, North Macedonia, Serbia, Turkey or non-European countries) while remaining covered by your French employment contract.
• Who is it for? All apprentices and alternants on a professionalisation contract (CAP/Bac pro/BTS/But/Licence/Master/Engineer level) whose CFA or training organisation has signed an agreement with a foreign partner.
• Why 2026 is the right moment: the Maillard Law of 27 December 2023 removed the 4-week limit for "mise à disposition" (temporary assignment), which was a major brake; Erasmus+ 2021-2027 remains well-funded until 2027; the French Erasmus+ Agency published new 2026 grant scales that are more favourable to apprentices from modest backgrounds.
• Maximum duration: up to 1 year, without exceeding half of the total duration of the alternance contract. For a 24-month contract, you can therefore go abroad for up to 12 months.
• 2026 Erasmus+ grant: individual support (€/month depending on the destination country), flat-rate travel contribution, online linguistic support (OLS), and an inclusion top-up for apprentices with disabilities or from priority neighbourhoods.
• Two legal regimes: temporary assignment (mise à disposition) (your French employer stays responsible) or contract suspension (mise en veille) (the host company takes over). The choice is made with your employer and your CFA.
• Which levels? CAP, Bac pro, BTS, BUT, Licence pro, Master, engineering degree, but also the professional titles (titres professionnels) of the Ministry of Labour. Higher-education alternants are the most likely to go abroad (53% of Erasmus+ apprenticeship mobilities in 2024, according to the French Erasmus+ Agency).

In concrete terms: an apprentice in a BTS in International Trade in Lyon, on a 24-month contract, can go for 6 months to Barcelona in her second year, hosted by a partner of her CFA, and receive an Erasmus+ grant of about €550 to €700/month (indicative 2026 Spain rate), topped up by her apprentice salary maintained by her French employer.

Why alternance abroad is booming in 2026

The trend is clear: the French Erasmus+ Agency recorded +18% apprentice mobilities in 2025 compared with 2024. Three reasons explain this momentum.

1. The Maillard Law unlocked mobility

Before 27 December 2023, the assignment of an apprentice abroad was capped at 4 weeks — nonsensical for 2- or 3-year training courses. Law no. 2023-1196 of 27 December 2023, known as the "loi Maillard", lifted this cap and created a real right to international mobility for all alternants. This is the most structural change since modern apprenticeship was created.

2. Erasmus+ 2021-2027 enters its maturity phase

The Erasmus+ 2021-2027 programme, with a European budget of €26.2 billion (of which €1.7 bn for France over the period), reaches in 2026 its peak of execution. The 2026 call for projects, published in November 2025, raised the grant ceilings for apprentices (group 1 "individual support" rate raised to €650/month for Nordic countries, €600/month for Western Europe, €530/month for Southern Europe). CFAs are encouraged to set up mobility consortia to share costs.

3. French companies recruit internationally

The 2026 edition of the SuperAlternant barometer on alternance confirms that 29% of surveyed companies have already hosted a foreign alternant or sent an alternant abroad (see our overview of sectors recruiting in alternance in 2026). Cleaning, hotel-catering, construction and digital are the most active branches, followed by the public hospital sector and environmental services.

Bottom line: international mobility in alternance is no longer an exception. It is a right opened by law, funded by Europe and expected by employers who see it as a strong signal of autonomy and adaptability.

The two legal regimes to know in 2026

Before filling in a single form, you need to understand the legal framework under which you will travel. The 2023 Maillard Law clarified two distinct regimes.

Temporary assignment (default regime)

• Principle: you remain an employee of your French employer for the entire duration of the mobility. The host company "welcomes" you but does not hire you.
• Responsibility: your French employer remains responsible for your pay, social contributions and compliance with labour law.
• Advantage: you receive your usual apprentice salary (according to your age and your year of contract, as detailed in our 2026 remuneration guide), topped up by the Erasmus+ grant.
• Best for: short to medium mobilities (1 to 6 months) and alternants who want to keep their French social security cover.

Contract suspension (derogation regime)

• Principle: your alternance contract is put on hold for the duration of the mobility. You are an employee of the host company, under the labour law of the host country.
• Responsibility: the host company becomes your employer. The employment contract automatically resumes on your return.
• Advantage: you can discover another labour law, another corporate culture, and come back with a dual experience.
• Best for: long mobilities (6 to 12 months) and alternants targeting a double degree or a position in an international group.

In both cases, a tripartite mobility agreement must be signed between you, your French employer, your CFA, and the host organisation. The document is sent to the OPCO at the latest 15 days before departure.

The 2026 Erasmus+ grant: how much will you receive?

The 2026 Erasmus+ Programme Guide (published by the European Commission in November 2025) sets the country-by-country scales for the long-term mobility grant (VET learner mobility). Here are the orders of magnitude to size up your budget.

Individual support (living costs, €/month)

Country group	Indicative 2026 rate (€/month)	Examples
Group 1 (high cost of living)	€600 to €700	Denmark, Ireland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Liechtenstein
Group 2 (medium cost of living)	€520 to €600	Germany, Austria, Belgium, Spain, Italy, Netherlands, Luxembourg
Group 3 (lower cost of living)	€450 to €520	Greece, Portugal, Czech Republic, Poland, Hungary, Slovenia, Turkey

These amounts are increased if you are a higher-education scholarship holder, an apprentice with a disability, or come from a priority neighbourhood of the city (QPV) or a rural revitalisation area (ZRR).

Travel contribution (flat rate by distance)

• 10 to 99 km: €28
• 100 to 499 km: €211
• 500 to 1,999 km: €309
• 2,000 to 2,999 km: €395
• 3,000 to 3,999 km: €580
• 4,000 to 7,999 km: €1,188
• 8,000 km or more: €1,735

A "green transport" bonus (train, carpool, bus) of €50 to €350 depending on the distance is paid if you use a low-emission transport for the outward journey.

Organisational support

Paid to the CFA or sending organisation, it covers the costs of managing the mobility project (inter-institutional agreement, learning agreement, educational follow-up). You don't have to ask for it: it is built into your CFA's funding.

Linguistic support (OLS)

Free online platform for language assessment and training in the language of the host country. Essential to start your mobility with a minimum A2 level in the local language.

Bottom line: an alternant going to Germany for 6 months can expect €3,600 to €4,200 of Erasmus+ 2026 grant (individual support €550/month × 6 + travel flat rate + possible green bonus), cumulative with apprentice pay and certain regional aids.

The 8 steps to go abroad in 2026

Here is the proven method used by CFAs that have already sent apprentices on Erasmus+:

1. Check your CFA's eligibility: not all CFAs are yet Erasmus+ accredited. Ask your mobility officer: he or she builds the consortium with a European partner (high school, CFA, host company).
2. Choose your destination and duration at the start of your contract, in line with your diploma. A 2-year BTS lends itself well to a 2- to 3-month mobility in year 2; a 2-year Master opens the door to a full semester.
3. Build your application file: Europass CV, motivation letter in English (or in the language of the host country), latest report cards, attestation from your CFA, and a substantiated professional project. Allow 2 to 3 months between the start of the process and the departure.
4. Sign your "Learning Agreement": this document precisely describes the skills you will acquire abroad and how they will be validated in your French diploma. It is co-signed by your CFA, the host organisation, and you.
5. Get written agreement from your employer: a simple email is enough in most cases, but some branches require an amendment to the employment contract. Plan ahead: this step can take 4 to 6 weeks.
6. Mobilise complementary aids: in addition to the Erasmus+ grant, think about the regional mobility grant (e.g.: Région Sud = €125/week, capped at €2,500), the international mobility aid (AMI) if you are a scholarship holder, and the possible top-up from your OPCO (some BTP, cleaning, hotel-catering branches add up to €1,000).
7. Prepare your departure: European health insurance card (EHIC), civil liability insurance abroad, optional complementary insurance, accommodation on site (your CFA often has agreements with student residences), and a simulation of your overall budget over the 6 months (see our alternance remuneration simulator for the French part, to be completed with the Erasmus+ scale for the mobility part).
8. Enhance your return with Europass Mobility: when you come back, ask the French Erasmus+ Agency (National Europass Centre) to issue your Europass Mobility, an official EU document that describes the skills acquired during your stay. It is recognised throughout Europe and often makes the difference on a CV.

The destinations most popular with apprentices in 2026

The French Erasmus+ Agency publishes each year the top 5 destinations for apprentice mobility. In 2025, the ranking was as follows:

1. Germany: 22% of mobilities. Placements in mechanics, hotel-catering, construction, industrial IT.
2. Spain: 18%. Very popular for international trade, tourism, catering.
3. Belgium / Luxembourg: 14%. Linguistic proximity, a breeding ground for commerce and finance.
4. Italy: 11%. Fashion, design, luxury hospitality, agronomy.
5. Netherlands: 9%. Logistics, high-tech agriculture, international business.

More distant destinations (Canada, Australia, Japan) are also accessible through the Erasmus+ international programme or bilateral agreements, but grants are often lower and administrative procedures heavier.

Should you go even if you don't "have the level" in the language?

That is the first objection from apprentices. The answer is clear: yes, go. Three reasons:

• The Erasmus+ linguistic support (OLS) offers you free online training in the language of the host country, before and during the mobility.
• An A2 level in English (or in the local language) is generally enough to start. Most CFAs accept a B1 level for mobilities of more than 3 months.
• Immersion is the best school: according to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR), a 3-month immersion stay allows you to gain half a level, and a 6-month stay a full level.

For those targeting alternance in Germany or Spain, a few basics are enough: a MOOC on Fun-MOOC, Duolingo, or the free courses at your CFA. You can also test your level on europass.europa.eu.

What about after mobility: what impact on your diploma and career?

The return is the most underestimated step. Three tips to turn your mobility into a lasting advantage:

• Have the skills acquired validated: the teaching units (UE) or skills blocks followed abroad must be integrated into your diploma through the ECTS credit transfer system (higher education) or the validation of professional achievements (VAP) (secondary). The Learning Agreement you signed before departure sets the rules.
• Request your Europass Mobility: this is the official document certifying your experience. It is free, requested in 2 to 4 weeks from the French Erasmus+ Agency, and automatically added to your Europass CV.
• Capitalise on the experience in interviews: recruiters of alternants upon graduation value international mobility highly. Our guide to acing your alternance interview devotes a full chapter to showcasing international experience.

Bottom line: an alternant who did 6 months of mobility in alternance in 2026 comes out with a validated French diploma, a European Europass Mobility, and an average salary advantage of +8 to 12% on their first permanent contract (source: Cereq Generation 2024 survey, to be published in 2026).

To go further

• Find an alternance compatible with going abroad: browse the SuperAlternant alternance jobs and identify companies in internationally active sectors (BTP, hotel-catering, digital, logistics, commerce). Discuss your mobility project right at the interview: it is a positive signal for 71% of recruiters.
• Choose a CFA that already has an active Erasmus+ partnership: our article on how to choose your CFA well in 2026 lists the 6 key indicators, including the number of outgoing mobilities per year.
• Understand how alternance fits with the delayed intake: some CFAs combine a delayed BUT intake and international mobility, as explained in our article on the delayed BUT intake in IUTs 2026.
• Simulate your pay: use the SuperAlternant alternance remuneration simulator to project your salary during the French part of your contract, and add the Erasmus+ grant for the mobility part.
• Finance the remaining out-of-pocket cost: if the Erasmus+ grant does not cover everything, you can top up with a zero-interest student loan or use your CPF (see our 2026 CPF guide).

In summary

In 2026, alternance abroad is no longer a privilege: it is a right opened by the Maillard Law, funded by Erasmus+, and valued by recruiters. Two legal regimes coexist (assignment or suspension), a European grant covers a significant share of the stay, and Europass Mobility caps the experience on your CV. The key to success: plan 6 to 12 months in advance, choose an Erasmus+ accredited CFA, and look after the Learning Agreement to ensure validation of your achievements on return.

Sources: loi n° 2023-1196 of 27 December 2023 (known as the "loi Maillard"); 2026 Erasmus+ Programme Guide (European Commission, November 2025); French Erasmus+ Agency / Education Formation; Ministry of Labour, page "European and international mobility of alternants"; Europass Mobility, National Europass Centre; Cereq, Generation 2024 survey (to be published 2026). Data current as of the date of publication.