Career development interview: reform effective October 1, 2026

The reform introduced by Law No. 2025-989 of October 24, 2025 fundamentally transforms the former professional interview, now called the “career development interview” (CDI). This scheme, applicable to all employees as of October 1, 2026, constitutes a genuine lever for skills management and support of professional career paths.

A meeting dedicated to the employee’s career path

In substance, the CDI is neither a performance appraisal nor a simple “training” review. It is a dedicated discussion focused on the employee’s career path, centered on anticipating and developing skills.

Mandatory topics addressed during the CDI

The French Labor Code, in the new wording of Article L.6315-1, requires that the following be addressed at a minimum:

• the skills used in the current position and those expected to evolve;
• the employee’s situation and career path in light of the company’s transformations;
• training needs (whether related to the current position, a career move, or retraining);
• career development aspirations, including transition projects;
• the use of the Personal Training Account (CPF) and potential additional funding;
• as well as information on career guidance counseling services.

Revised frequency

The frequency of this interview is also modified:

• first interview: within one year following hiring;
• subsequent interviews: at least every four (4) years;
• comprehensive review: every eight (8) years;
• after certain long absences: only if no CDI has been held in the previous 12 months.

Specific provisions for experienced employees

For experienced employees:

• a CDI within two months following the mid-career medical examination;
• a CDI within the two years preceding the employee’s 60th birthday, to address end-of-career arrangements and phased retirement schemes.

Practical arrangements for the interview

Each CDI must take place during working hours, be conducted by a manager or an employer’s representative, and result in a written report provided to the employee.

Penalty in case of non-compliance in companies with 50 or more employees

In companies with 50 or more employees, the absence of a CDI and at least one non-mandatory training course over an eight (8) year period results in a corrective payment of €3,000 to the employee’s Personal Training Account (CPF).

Collective agreements and additional obligations

Collective agreements may provide for a shorter interval, but never longer than four years;
Companies already covered must renegotiate their agreements before October 1, 2026;
In companies with more than 300 employees, the Social, Environmental and Economic Database (BDESE) must now include a consolidated overview of training, mobility, and retraining actions resulting from CDIs, thereby strengthening employee representatives’ oversight of the effective implementation of commitments made during the interview.

When properly managed, the career development interview becomes a structured tool for skills management, a lever for preventing occupational wear and tear, and a concrete means of ensuring the employer’s compliance with its obligations.

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