What are the conditions of access to the public service?

Verified 30 May 2024 - Directorate for Legal and Administrative Information (Prime Minister)

To be recruited into the public service, you must meet certain conditions of nationality, diploma, etc. We present these conditions. They differ depending on whether you plan to become a public servant or get hired as a contractor.

Official

To be a civil servant in one of the three public functions (state, territorial or hospital), you must be French or European or a national of the Principality of Andorra.

The so-called sovereignty jobs are, however, only accessible to French people.

However, some jobs are open to all candidates without nationality requirements by competition. These include jobs as a university professor and lecturer, a doctor in hospitals.

You must have obtained French nationality at the latest on the date of 1re competition test.

If there is a prior examination of the diplomas, the date taken into account is that of 1re meeting of the selection board responsible for selecting candidates, unless otherwise specified in special status of the body or framework of uses to which you are applying.

Competitions are most often submitted at a diploma level.

This degree level is specified by the special status of each body or framework of uses (patent, HEADING: titleContent, BEP: titleContent, bachelor's degree, master's degree...).

If it is a competition or a specific recruitment for a regulated profession (social worker, doctor, childcare worker, veterinarian...), you must have the corresponding diploma.

If you have a foreigners degree, you can apply for the recognition of your diploma.

If you are a sportsman, referee or high-level judge, you can enter public service competitions without meeting the required diploma requirements (except in the case of a regulated profession).

You can also compete for public service jobs without meeting the required diploma requirements (except in the case of a regulated profession), if you are a mother or father raising or having raised 3 children.

You must meet the following 2 conditions:

  • Enjoy your civil rights, that is to say, have the right to vote and to stand for election in France or in the country of which you are a national
  • Not subject to any conviction entered in bulletin n°2 of the criminal record incompatible with the duties performed or not to have undergone, in the country of which you are a national, any conviction incompatible with the duties performed

The condition varies depending on whether you are French or foreigners.

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You're French

You must provide proof of your participation in the Defense and Citizenship Day (JDC).

You're European

You must have completed national or military service if it is compulsory in your country of origin.

You must be physically fit to perform your future duties.

Your medical condition must be compatible with the job you are considering.

If your duties require special health conditions, you will undergo a medical examination by a doctor approved by the administration upon entering the public service. This is the case for some, for example body of the national police or for the job managers of firefighters.

If you are disabled, you can only be excluded from a competition or employment if your disability is declared incompatible with the job for which you applied following a medical aptitude test.

Contractual

No nationality requirement is required to be recruited into the three public offices (State, territorial or hospital) as a contractor.

If you are a foreigner, you must have a valid residence permit.

The so-called sovereignty jobs however, they are only accessible to the French.

Competitions to become a civil servant are most often submitted at a diploma level.

As a contract applicant, you may be required to hold the degree that would be required of a public servant to hold the same job.

If you are applying for a job under a regulated profession (social worker, doctor, childcare worker, veterinarian, ...), you must have the corresponding diploma.

If you have a foreigners degree, you can apply for the recognition of your diploma.

The condition varies depending on whether you are French or foreigners.

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You're French

You must meet the following 2 conditions:

  • Enjoying your civil rights, that is to say having the right to vote and to stand for election in France
  • Not subject to any conviction entered in bulletin n°2 of the criminal record incompatible with the duties performed and have not been the subject of any conviction incompatible with the duties performed in a country other than France

You're a foreigner

You must meet the following 2 conditions:

  • Enjoying your civil rights, that is, the right to vote and stand for election in the country of which you are a national
  • Have not been convicted in France or in a country other than France of any offense incompatible with the performance of his duties

You may be subject to an investigation by the administration to verify that you meet these 2 conditions.

The condition varies depending on whether you are French or foreigners.

Répondez aux questions successives et les réponses s’afficheront automatiquement

You're French

You must provide proof of your participation in the Defense and Citizenship Day (JDC).

You're a foreigner

You must have completed national or military service if it is compulsory in the country of origin of which you are a national.

If you are stateless person, you are not subject to this condition.

You must be physically fit to perform your future duties.

Your medical condition must be compatible with the job you are considering.

If your duties require special health conditions, you will undergo a medical examination by a doctor approved by the administration upon entering the public service.

This is the case for some, for example body of the national police or for the job managers of firefighters.

If you are disabled, you can only be removed from a job if your disability is declared incompatible with the job for which you applied following a medical aptitude test.