Apply for the activity bonus (prime d'activité) - Réfugiés.info

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Apply for the activity bonus (prime d'activité)

Proposed by Réfugiés.info Updated on 3 дні тому

The activity bonus is a financial aid from the CAF (Family Allowance Fund) which supplements professional income.

You may be eligible to receive the activity bonus:

  • if you are employed (as a salaried worker or self-employed) or if you receive unemployment benefits (partial or technical),
  • and if your household (people who live with you) has limited financial resources.

The activity bonus is sent once a month on your bank account or savings account.

Every 3 months, you must declare what you earn.
The amount of the activity bonus is calculated based on the resources of the people who live with you (wages, unemployment benefits, other CAF benefits…).

Please note, the activity bonus is not taxable, which means that it does not need to be declared to the tax authorities.

Depending on certain conditions and your resources, you may also receive the RSA (active solidarity income) as a supplement.

> Read the Refugees.info fact sheet: " Applying for RSA "

How to do it?

To apply for the activity bonus, you must:

  • be over 18 years old
  • have a professional activity (employee or self-employed ) or to be in a period of unemployment (partial or technical)
  • have low income
  • live in France on a stable basis (at least 9 months of the year)
  • have international protection (refugee status, stateless person, or beneficiary of subsidiary protection), or have a 10-year residence permit , or a residence permit with authorization to work for a minimum of 5 years.

If you spend more than 3 months abroad, you can only claim the activity bonus for the months you are in France.
You can apply for the activity bonus even if you are homeless or if you are being hosted, you must have a postal address .

If you are a student or apprentice , you may be eligible to receive the activity bonus under certain conditions .

The main questions about the activity bonus are on the Caf website , with general answers.

Before applying, to check if you are entitled to the activity bonus, you must first do a simulation on the CAF website.

The calculation is for the household, so if your spouse receives a salary or unemployment benefits, you must write it down.

If the simulator says you are not entitled to receive this aid, it will explain why.

If you made a mistake in answering the questions, you can start again.

The result of the simulation may be different from what you will actually receive (more or less money).

To be sure of receiving it and to know exactly how much, next, you need to register with the CAF and officially apply for the activity bonus (steps 3 and 4).

To apply for the activity bonus , you will need:

  • an identity document: residence permit , identity card, passport or receipt for application for renewal of resident card, temporary residence permit…
  • a social security number
  • proof of household income (all the money you received) before your application for the activity bonus (for example February, March, April, if it is May): payslips, France Travail unemployment benefits, Health Insurance benefits if you are on sick leave…
  • if you are not yet registered with the CAF: a bank account statement (RIB)
  • if you are self-employed ( self-employed , business owner): a tax assessment notice from year N-2 (for example for the year 2025 if it is 2027).

These documents must be in digital format.

> Read the Refugees.info fact sheet: " Scanning a document "

If you are already registered with the CAF, log in to your personal account.

If you are not registered, you must apply for benefits online, and then create your account .

> Read the Refugees.info fact sheet: " Register and apply for assistance from the CAF "

You also have the option to connect with your FranceConnect account .

To apply for the activity bonus, log in to your "My Account" area on caf.fr , then follow these steps:

  • Click on "My steps"
  • Select "Apply for benefits"
  • Choose "Professional life"
  • Click on "Activity Bonus" and "Apply".

Answer the questions, the same as for the simulation (step 2) and send your documents.

The CAF will respond to you directly in your "My Account" area or on the "Caf - My Account" mobile application.

Use your credentials to log in.

You will then receive the activity bonus in your bank account for 3 months with a fixed amount based on the resources you have declared.

Three months later, you will make a new quarterly declaration of resources, and the CAF will recalculate your activity bonus.
The amount may change depending on your situation, so it's normal not to receive the same amount every time.

What happens next?

If you do not declare your resources, you will no longer receive the activity bonus.

Every 3 months, you must declare your income to the CAF (Family Allowance Fund). This process is called the "quarterly income declaration". For example, for a declaration made in May, the CAF needs to know your income for February, March, and April.

Everything is explained on the Refugees.info page: " Making the quarterly declaration to the CAF "

Don't forget to report any changes in your situation to the CAF.

For example:

  • Moving
  • Departure abroad
  • Change in family circumstances (birth, your child leaving home, marriage or civil partnership, divorce…)
  • Change in professional situation (unemployment, new job for you or your spouse, start of your business activity…).

To do this, go to " Report a change " from your personal space on the Caf website or in the "My Account - Caf" mobile application on the internet.

If you move, it is possible that benefits may stop during the transfer of your file to your new CAF.
You must declare a move, even if the rent hasn't changed or if your landlord is the same. If you were receiving housing assistance, you must submit a new application for assistance for your new accommodation.
Everything is explained on the Caf website.

Each change in circumstances results in a recalculation of your financial assistance: if your salary or rent decreases or increases, the CAF sends you more or less money.
Don't forget to send your new bank details if you change bank accounts.

You can also go to the nearest CAF agency to your home (see next step) to fill out the change of circumstances declaration form on site.

The CAF (Family Allowance Fund) receives information from other public services, such as the tax office and France Travail (the French employment agency). If you declare different information or have made a mistake, you must also report it to the CAF. If the CAF sends you too much money relative to your situation (an overpayment), it may ask you to reimburse it.
But be careful, if you don't report an error and receive money, it's "fraud". You could be penalized.

  1. You can contact the CAF (by mail, telephone, or email) to request an explanation.
  2. If the answer does not suit you, send a registered letter with acknowledgment of receipt to the CAF's Amicable Appeal Commission (CRA) no later than 2 months after the decision.
  3. If the CAF's Amicable Appeal Commission (CRA) refuses or does not respond within 1 month, you have 2 months to appeal to the Administrative Court .

You can request assistance from a CAF mediator at any time, but be careful not to exceed the appeal deadlines.

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