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Important information

Target audience

AudienceFrench citizens, Statutory refugees, Beneficiaries of subsidiary protection, Stateless people, Beneficiaries of temporary protection

Price

Free of charge

Requirements

Be in possession of a residence permit or a receipt
Have a bank account

Where is it?

Apply for the activity bonus (prime d'activité)

Updated on 6 months ago

What is it?

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

You can receive the activity bonus:

  • if you have a professional activity (employee or self-employed) or if you receive unemployment benefits (partial or technical),
  • and if you have limited financial means.

The activity bonus is sent once a month to your bank account.

The calculation of the activity bonus is based on a quarterly income declaration (every 3 months, you must declare what you earn).

The amount of the bonus is calculated based on all of your resources (salaries, unemployment benefits, other CAF assistance, etc.) and those of the other people who live with you.

The activity bonus is not taxable, which means that it does not have to be declared to the tax authorities.

Under certain conditions and depending on your resources, you can also receive the RSA (active solidarity income) as a supplement.
Also read: the Réfugiés.info sheet “Apply for RSA”.

How to do it?

To be eligible for the activity bonus, you must:

  • Be over 18 years old
  • Have a professional activity (employee or self-employed) or be unemployed and have a low income
  • Live in France on a stable basis (at least 9 months per year)
If you spend more than 3 months abroad, you can apply for the activity bonus only for the months you are in France.
You can apply for the activity bonus even if you are homeless or if you are accommodated, but you must have a postal address .
  • Have refugee, stateless person, beneficiary of subsidiary protection status
    OR a residence permit with authorization to work for at least 5 years
If you are a student or apprentice, you can receive the activity bonus under certain conditions.

The main questions about the activity bonus are here , with general answers.

Before making the request, you can make an initial calculation of the amount you can receive, using the CAF simulator.

Please fill in all the requested information carefully.

You must put the number 0 in the boxes related to your resources, if you do not receive anything. But the calculation is for the household, so if your spouse earns a salary higher than the minimum wage, you must also enter it.
Please note that the final result is "indicative", to give you an idea. It may be different from what you will actually receive (lower or higher).

To apply for the activity bonus, go to the CAF website.

  1. First write your department if requested, go to "Help and procedures" at the top
  2. “My procedures” section, go to “Access my procedures”
  3. Go to “Professional life” then to “Activity bonus”
  4. Finally, “Make the request.”
  • If you are already registered with the CAF (you are a beneficiary), click on "Log in" and follow the instructions (it will be quicker).
  • If you are not registered with the CAF (you are not a beneficiary), click on "Create" to create an account or on "Identify yourself with FranceConnect" if you have a FranceConnect account.

Also read: the Réfugiés.info factsheets “ Connect to a site with FranceConnect ” and “Register with the CAF”

To apply for the activity bonus, you need:

  • An identity document (residence permit)
  • A social security number
  • A bank identity statement (RIB), if you are not yet registered with the CAF. In fact, the activity bonus is sent by transfer to a bank account or a savings account.
  • A tax notice for year N - 2 (for example for the year 2022 if it is 2024) for self-employed workers (auto-entrepreneurs)
    Also read: the Réfugiés.info sheet “ Becoming a self-employed entrepreneur
  • All household resources (all the money you received) in the 3 months before your application for the activity bonus (for example January, February, March if it is April). Salaries, assistance received (unemployment benefits, health insurance benefits if you are on sick leave, etc.).
Since January 2024, you can see the net social amount at the bottom of your pay slips. This is what must be declared to social organizations (CAF, France Travail, Health Insurance, etc.).

When you have completed your request, you will receive an acknowledgement of receipt by email.

You can also find your request in the “My Account” area, “My procedures” section.

If you need help to apply, you can go directly to the CAF nearest to you. An advisor will be able to assist you in checking your rights and applying.

If you want to make an appointment directly to apply for the activity bonus with an advisor at a CAF agency, the first thing to do is go to the website (click here ) and write your postal code at the top right in "My CAF".

You can then make an appointment:

  • on the Internet: click on "Contact us" at the bottom of the page > "Request an appointment", then follow the steps to make an appointment
  • by phone: call 32 30 (cost of a local call)
  • directly on site, at the CAF agency near you, which you can find by clicking on “Find a reception point”.

If your file is accepted, the CAF will send you a message by email and on your personnal account.

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

3 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 thing every time.

If you receive a decision of " refusal of allocation " (a negative response from the CAF), or if you think there is an error in the amount, you can contest the decision (say that you do not agree). The appeal procedures are explained in your letter from the CAF and in the My Account section, "Appeal procedures".
You can also ask for help from the administrative mediator .
If your appeal is rejected (i.e. refused), you can then make a contentious appeal to the administrative court .

What happens next?

You must declare your resources from the previous quarter (i.e. the 3 months before) every 3 months in the "My Account" space of the CAF website or on the "Caf-Mon Compte" mobile application on your cell phone.

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

Your CAF contacts you every 3 months to remind you to do this.

Also read: the Réfugiés.info sheet “Make the quarterly declaration to the CAF”

The activity bonus continues to be sent to your account each month if you still meet the eligibility conditions.

If you do not declare all your resources and you receive the activity bonus by mistake, the CAF can recalculate for 2 years and ask you to reimburse the money you received (this is called an overpayment).

If your situation changes , inform the CAF quickly in your personal space in “Declare a change”, as this may increase or decrease your activity bonus.

This applies to the following situations:

  • Moving
  • Departure abroad
  • Change in family situation (birth, your child leaves home, marriage or civil partnership, divorce, etc.)
  • Change in professional situation (unemployment, return to work, etc.).
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