Vocational Training Leave in the State Civil Service (FPE)
Verified 01 August 2026 - Public Service / (Prime Minister)
Are you a public official and want to deepen your training to embark on a personal or professional project? For this, you can benefit, under certain conditions, from a vocational training leave (CFPS). In principle, the duration of this leave is a maximum of 3 years for the entire career. Time spent in CFPS is considered as service time. We explain the rules to know.
In the State civil service, vocational training leave is open to all public servants:
- Civil servant (public official)
- Contractual (non-incumbent public official).
Public servant
You can benefit from vocational training leave if you have completed at least the equivalent of 3 years of full-time effective service in the public service.
You benefit from a priority access to vocational training leave in any of the following situations:
- You belong to a body category C and you do not have the bachelor's degree
- You are a disabled person benefiting from theemployment obligation
- It is noted, after consulting the occupational physician, that you are particularly exposed, given your individual professional situation, to a risk of professional wear and tear.
FYI
If you have taken a preparation for the public service examinations and competitions on your working time, you can not obtain vocational training leave within 12 months (one year) of completion of this preparation.
You must apply for vocational training leave at least 120 days (4 months) before the start date of the training.
Your request should include the following:
- Training Start Date
- Nature of training
- Duration of training
- Name of the training organization.
Within 30 days following receipt of your request, your administration will inform you of:
- His agreement
- Or the reasons for his refusal. Refusal for service requirements shall be subject to the opinion of the CAP: titleContent. If your request for vocational training leave has already been refused 2 times, your administration cannot refuse it 3e after the CAP has given its opinion.
- Or the reasons for postponement.
The administration may postpone your departure on training leave, after notice of the CAP, in the following cases
- 5% you already have staff in your department who are away on vocational training leave
- Or your department has fewer than 10 staff and one staff member is already absent for vocational training leave.
In other cases of postponement, your application for vocational training leave shall be accepted within one year from the date on which the CAP was lodged.
The duration of the vocational training leave shall be 3 years maximum for the entire career.
This maximum duration is 5 years if you are in one of the following situations :
- You belong to a body category C and you do not have the bachelor's degree
- You are a disabled beneficiary of the obligation of employment
- It is noted, after consulting the occupational physician, that you are particularly exposed, given your individual professional situation, to a risk of professional wear and tear.
FYI
Leave can be used in one go or distributed throughout the career in internships that can be divided into weeks, days or half days.
The pay rules differ depending on whether or not you are a priority for vocational training leave:
General scenario
You receive a lump sum monthly allowance from your employer administration during the 1re year of leave.
The years of subsequent leave are not remunerated.
The monthly allowance is equal to 85% your gross index salary and the residence allowance received at the time of your leave.
However, this monthly allowance may not exceed €2,778.62 gross per month.
Priority
You receive a monthly lump sum allowance during the First 2 years of leave.
The years of leave following are not remunerated.
During the 1re In the year of leave, the monthly allowance is equal to the gross index salary and the residence allowance received at the time of your leave.
The 2e in the year of leave, the monthly allowance is equal to 85% your gross index salary and the residence allowance received at the time of your leave.
At the end of each month and when you return to work, you must give your administration an employer attestation of attendance in training issued by the training organization.
Warning
In the event of an absence without good reason, your leave is terminated and you must reimburse the allowances received.
The effects of VET leave on your career occur during and after VET leave.
During the vocational training leave
Time spent on vocational training leave shall be considered as service time.
During your vocational training leave, you keep your annual leave entitlements : you can take them during your vocational training leave (e.g. school holidays).
In this case, your vocational training leave is suspended during the annual leave periods.
In case of illness or maternity, training leave is also suspended and you are paid according to the usual rules applicable during such leave.
Time spent on vocational training leave is taken into account for retirement.
After the vocational training leave
At the end of your training leave, you must work in the public service for a period of time equal to 3 times the period during which you received compensation.
You can be exempted from this obligation to remain in the public service by your employer administration.
If you are not exempt from this duty to serve and you leave the public service before the end of your engagement, you must reimburse the allowances received pro rata to the time of service not performed.
If you are in one of the following situations, you must work in the public service for up to 36 months (3 years) :
- You belong to a category C body and you do not have the baccalaureate
- You are a disabled person benefiting from theemployment obligation
- It is noted, after consulting the occupational physician, that you are particularly exposed, given your individual professional situation, to a risk of professional wear and tear.
You automatically resume your service at the end of your vocational training leave (or during it if you ask to end it before the scheduled date).
If you are posted to a job in a municipality other than the one where you worked before your leave of absence, you will receive a allowance for change of residence expenses, unless this change of municipality occurs at your request.
Contractual
You must have completed at least the equivalent of 3 years of actual full-time service under contract in the public service of which at least 1 year in the jurisdiction from which you request your leave.
You benefit from a priority access to vocational training leave if you have any of the following:
- You belong to a body category C and you do not have the bachelor's degree
- You are a disabled person benefiting from theemployment obligation
- It is noted, after consulting the occupational physician, that you are particularly exposed, given your individual professional situation, to a risk of professional wear and tear.
FYI
If you have taken a preparation for the public service examinations and competitions on your working time, you can't get vocational training leave within 12 months of completion of such preparation.
You must apply for at least one vocational training leave 120 days (4 months) before the start date of the training.
Your request should include the following:
- Training Start Date
- Nature of training
- Duration of training
- Name of the training organization.
Within 30 days following receipt of your request, your administration will inform you of:
- His agreement
- Or The reasons for his refusal. Refusal for service requirements shall be subject to the opinion of the CAP: titleContent. If your request for vocational training leave has already been refused 2 times, your administration cannot refuse it 3e after the CAP has given its opinion.
- Or the reasons for postponement.
The administration may postpone your departure on training leave, after consulting the CAP, in the following cases :
- 5% you already have staff in your department who are away on vocational training leave
- Or your department has fewer than 10 staff and one staff member is already absent for vocational training leave.
In other cases of postponement, your request for vocational training leave is accepted in the one year from the date on which the CAP was entered.
The duration of the vocational training leave shall be 3 years maximum for the entire career.
This maximum duration is 5 years if you are in one of the following situations :
- You belong to a body category C and you do not have the bachelor's degree
- You are a disabled beneficiary of the obligation of employment
- It is noted, after consulting the occupational physician, that you are particularly exposed, given your individual professional situation, to a risk of professional wear and tear.
FYI
Leave can be used in one go or distributed throughout the career in internships that can be divided into weeks, days or half days.
The pay rules differ depending on whether or not you are a priority for vocational training leave:
General scenario
You receive a lump sum monthly allowance from your employer administration during the 1re year of leave.
The years of subsequent leave are not remunerated.
The monthly allowance is equal to 85% your gross index salary and the residence allowance received at the time of your leave.
However, this monthly allowance may not exceed €2,778.62 gross per month.
Priority
You receive a monthly lump sum allowance during the First 2 years of leave.
The years of leave following are not remunerated.
During the 1re In the year of leave, the monthly allowance is equal to the gross index salary and the residence allowance received at the time of your leave.
The 2e in the year of leave, the monthly allowance is equal to 85% your gross index salary and the residence allowance received at the time of your leave.
At the end of each month and when you return to work, you must give your administration an employer attestation of attendance in training issued by the training organization.
Warning
In the event of an absence without good reason, your leave is terminated and you must reimburse the allowances received.
The effects of vocational training leave occur both during and after that leave.
During training
Periods spent on training leave are:
- Included in the service time that is recognized to you
- And taken into account when calculating your pension rights.
After training
At the end of your training leave, you must work in the public service (state, territorial or hospital) for a period equal to 3 times the period during which you received compensation.
You can be exempted from this obligation to remain in the public service by your employer administration.
If you are not exempt from this obligation to serve and you leave the public service before the end of your employment, you must reimburse the allowances received pro rata to the time of service not completed.
At the end of your training leave, if you meet the required conditions, you are re-employed on your previous job or occupation to the extent permitted by the service.
Otherwise, you have priority to be re-employed on a similar job or occupation with equivalent remuneration.
Vocational Training Leave
Commitment to serve as a CFP officer
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