Recruitment in the civil service under the Covenant

Verified 01 June 2026 - Public Service / Directorate of Legal and Administrative Information (Prime Minister)

Are you young, uneducated or low-educated, or long-term unemployed and want to become a civil servant? The Public Service Career Path (Pact) allows you to access a Category C job without taking a competition. We present you the information you need to know about this device.

The pathway to the careers of the civil service (Pacte) is a mechanism for access to the civil service reserved for young people without diplomas or with low degrees or to long-term unemployed.

The Pact provides access to a use of category C, i.e. a job usually open to people with a BEP, CAP or college certificate.

The Pact can provide access to employment in the State, territorial or hospital civil service.

The candidate recruited under the Pact shall be recruited without competition in FIXED-TERM: titleContent.

During his fixed-term contract, the candidate benefits from a work-study training with a view to acquiring a qualification in relation to the job in which he is recruited or, where appropriate, the title or diploma necessary for access to the body or framework of employment to which that job belongs.

At the end of the fixed-term contract, the candidate is tenured as an official.

You can be recruited under the Pact if you are in theone of the following 2 situations :

You must fill in the age condition by the deadline for submission job applications.

Recruitment notices specify the number of positions and the nature of the jobs offered, the title of the contract, the conditions to be met and the deadline for submitting applications.

These notices shall be issued at least one month before the deadline for the submission of applications:

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You can apply online or send your application by mail as indicated in the recruitment notice.

The examination of applications shall be carried out by a commission.

It first establishes a list of candidates. Where the number of applications received permits, the list shall contain at least three times as many names as the number of posts to be filled.

The commission then receives in maintenance the candidates on that list.

The interview can take place remotely by videoconference. In this case, the job offer shall indicate whether the use of videoconferencing may be requested:

  • Either, only by candidates residing in a French overseas territory or abroad, in a situation of disability, in a situation of pregnancy or whose state of health requires it
  • Either by any candidate.

The candidate who expresses the wish to use videoconferencing is informed by the administration which recruits of the material conditions for organizing the interview.

The committee shall take a decision, taking into account in particular the motivation and adaptability of the candidates for the post to be filled.

At the end of the discussions, the commission shall draw up the list of proposed candidates recruitment and forwards it to the recruiting administration.

Recruitment shall be carried out by the administration concerned.

Candidates who are not recruited shall remain on the list drawn up by the Commission and may be recruited if a post becomes vacant, within 10 months following the date on which the list was drawn up by the commission.

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The duration of your contract cannot be less than 12 months, or greater than 2 years.

The contract shall include a trial period of 2 months.

You benefit, during the contract, from vocational training alternately, the duration of which may not be less than 20% the total duration of your contract.

You agree to perform the tasks entrusted to you and to follow this training.

An agent from your employer administration is appointed as a tutor to welcome you, guide you, provide you with any useful advice and follow your training path.

The training program, the precise title of the qualification prepared and the name and status of the person designated as the tutor are mentioned in your contract.

Your contract may be renewed for a maximum of one year if you fail the evaluation tests for your training and do not obtain the qualification, title or diploma provided for in your contract.

If you are placed on maternity, adoption, paternity and childcare leave, supplementary birth leave, sick leave, critical illness leave or leave for a child, your contract is extended the length of your leave.

Your remuneration may not be less than an amount that differs according to your age:

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You are under 21 years old

Your monthly gross remuneration cannot be less than 55% minimum salary in the public service (i.e €990.96).

You are also entitled to the residence allowance, at family treatment supplement and, where appropriate, allowances for night work, Sundays and public holidays.

You are 21 years of age and older

Your monthly gross remuneration cannot be less than 70% minimum salary in the public service (i.e €1,261.22).

This minimum amount applies from 1er the day of the month following the month in which you turn 21.

You are also entitled to the residence allowance, at family treatment supplement and, where appropriate, allowances for night work, Sundays and public holidays.

During your contract, you are subject to the working hours of your department. You cannot work overtime.

Time spent in training is considered to be actual working time.

In particular, you are entitled to the following leave:

Your Covenant contract ends when you tenure or your non-tenure at the end of your contract.

It can also end before the scheduled end date in case of termination of the contract during the trial period or resignation after the trial period or in case of dismissal in the course of the contract.

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Tenure or non-tenure at end of contract

At the end of your contract, you are eligible to be appointed to the body or framework of jobs corresponding to the job you hold.

The tenure procedure is as follows:

At least 1 month before the end of your contract, your professional suitability shall be examined by a tenure commission whose members are appointed by your employer administration.

The tenure committee is chaired by the person in charge of your department.

The tenure committee will decide on your file and after an interview with you.

Your file contains in particular the follow-up book kept by your tutor and his opinion on your aptitude.

Your tenure depends on the assessment of your professional ability:

Titularization

If you are declared fit to carry out your duties and have obtained the diploma or title possibly required for access to the body or the framework of jobs corresponding to your job, your employer administration you established as an official.

You remain affected in the job you held during your fixed-term contract.

You are subject to a duty to serve, i.e. you must remain in the administration that recruited you for a minimum period.

This minimum duration is equal to 2 times the duration of your fixed-term contract.

If you leave the administration that recruited you before the end of this minimum period, you must reimburse the training costs. The administration that recruited you may waive all or part of this obligation to repay.

Non-tenure

If the assessment of your ability reveals insufficient professional capacity, your contract is not renewed. You can benefit from unemployment benefits if you are entitled to it.

Renewal or extension of your contract

If the tenure committee considers not be able to comment on your suitability, your employer’s administration shall pronounce the renewal of your contract for a maximum period of one year or the extension of your contract within the limit of the duration of your leave. This may occur due to your failure to pass the training assessment tests or due to a prolonged absence related to maternity or adoption leave, paternity and childcare leave, additional birth leave, or sick or child care leave.

At the end of the renewal or extension periods of your contract, the tenure committee assesses your professional suitability.

If you are declared fit and have obtained the diploma or the title possibly required for access to the body or the framework of jobs corresponding to your job, you are tenured.

If the assessment of your suitability reveals insufficient professional capacity, your contract is not renewed. You can benefit from unemployment benefits if you are entitled to it.

If your contract has been extended due to leave, your tenure will be at the end of the original term of your contract, without taking into account the extension due to the leave.

You are subject to a duty to serve, i.e. you must remain in the administration that recruited you for a minimum period.

This minimum duration is equal to 2 times the duration of your fixed-term contract, plus renewal periods.

Termination of the contract during the trial period

During the probationary period, you or your employer administration may freely terminate the contract without notice.

You are not entitled to no compensation.

You or your employer administration must inform the other party of your intention to terminate the contract by registered letter with acknowledgement of receipt or by hand delivered letter against discharge.

If it is your employer administration that terminates your contract, it must inform you in this letter of the grounds the end of the contract.

Resignation after the trial period

If you wish to resign after the probationary period, you must inform your employer administration by registered letter with acknowledgement of receipt or by hand delivered letter against discharge.

You must respect a advance notice , i.e. a period between the date on which you inform your employer administration of your intention to resign and the date on which you actually leave your employment.

The duration of this notice is 15 days if you have less than 6 months of seniority or 1 month if you have at least 6 months of seniority.

Dismissal during contract

Your employer administration may terminate your contract, after the trial period and after your guardian has given notice, for any of the following reasons:

  • Failure to fulfill your obligations under the contract
  • Refusal to sign training agreement
  • Disciplinary misconduct
  • Professional insufficiency, i.e. inability to perform normally the duties for which you were hired.

In case of professional insufficiency, the decision to terminate the employment of your employer administration can only be made after it has communicated its grievances to you and has invited you to submit your observations.

In case of professional insufficiency, you are entitled to a notice of 15 days if you have less than 6 months of seniority or a notice of 1 month if you have at least 6 months of seniority. You are also entitled to severance pay.

Whatever the reason for dismissal, you are informed by registered letter with acknowledgement of receipt or by hand delivered letter against discharge.

This letter specifies the reason(s) for your dismissal and its effective date, taking into account any annual leave you may have left and, in the event of dismissal for occupational insufficiency, the length of the notice period.