How to fund the professional retraining of an employee

Updated 29 September 2026

CompaniesFunding

CPFreconversionretraining period

Two schemes fund an employee's career change. The retraining period (période de reconversion), created by the law of 24 October 2025 and in force since 1 January 2026, replaces Pro-A: it supports an internal or external move, funded by the OPCO. The career transition project (PTP) remains the route for a change initiated by the employee, through their CPF.

The retraining period, which replaces Pro-A

Any employee who wants a career move, inside or outside the company, can benefit from a retraining period. It leads to a qualification or one or more skill blocks, and can also cover the core knowledge and skills base (CléA). The employee can receive career development advice during working hours.

Training lasts between 150 and 450 hours, over twelve months at most, except for the core knowledge and skills base. A company or sector agreement can set other durations, the eligible certifications and priority employees.

Internal or external: two regimes

Internal retraining. A written agreement sets the terms, including duration. The employment contract continues and the employee keeps the same pay.
External retraining. The employment contract is suspended and a written agreement sets the terms, including an early return if the trial period in the host company ends. If the employee and the host company continue after the trial period, the original contract ends under the rules of a mutually agreed termination (rupture conventionnelle).

Who pays for what

The OPCO covers the teaching costs of retraining periods. It can also cover related costs and the employee's pay, under the conditions set by law. The employee's CPF can co-fund the training, with their consent: up to half of their rights for internal retraining, with no limit for external retraining. The training provider cannot ask the employee for any other financial contribution.

The career transition project

The PTP lets an employee use their personal training account for a certifying course aimed at changing job or profession. They receive a prior assessment that adapts the course length to what they already know, and specific leave during the training. It is the right route when the project belongs to the employee, independently of a company need.

Choosing according to the project

The retraining period fits when the company and the employee build the move together: towards a hard-to-fill job internally, or to another company under an agreement. The PTP fits when the career change is first and foremost the employee's personal project. The sector OPCO, for the retraining period, and the regional Transitions Pro, for the PTP, are the funding contacts.

Key takeaways

The retraining period has replaced Pro-A since 1 January 2026.
It can be internal (contract and pay maintained) or external (contract suspended).
Training lasts 150 to 450 hours over twelve months at most, unless an agreement says otherwise.
The OPCO covers teaching costs; the CPF can co-fund, up to half of the rights for internal retraining.
The PTP remains the route for a change initiated by the employee.

Sources

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