Apprenticeship in Haiti

Haiti uses several forms of vocational education, known locally as formation professionnelle or enseignement technique et professionnel. The formal path usually takes place in an accredited public, subsidized or private Centre de Formation Professionnelle, commonly abbreviated as CFP. Other institutions include Établissements d’Enseignement Technique, Établissements d’Enseignement Professionnel and Centres Ménagers. MENFP provides policy oversight, while INFP regulates vocational training technically. DCO supervises programs and centres, SISA handles inspection, accreditation, certification and equivalence, DPCE supports needs analysis, career guidance and scholarships, and SOPVSP connects training with employment needs. The Direction de la main-d’œuvre has the legal role concerning apprenticeship contracts and supervision. The 2026–2027 INFP repertoire covers five economic sectors, 25 training areas, 696 vocational programs and 3,480 electronic occupational reference documents. Available programs and admission conditions still depend on the centre, department, program capacity and any prior education or guidance requirement. Examples include refrigeration and air conditioning, metal mechanics, civil construction, automotive mechanics, information and communication technology, welding, metalwork, building construction, domestic or industrial electricity, plumbing, motorcycle mechanics and office computing. Young and adult learners can use these pathways. The INFP directory should be checked for the centre’s current status, department, sector and program before payment or enrollment. Traditional apprenticeship, called apprentissage traditionnel, usually takes place with a skilled craft worker known as a boss in a micro- or small business. It is common in clothing and tailoring, automotive mechanics, food service and cosmetology; agricultural learning is often organized within families. This path can provide direct practical experience, but written contracts, supervision, safety standards, payment rules, training quality and certification are often not reliably applied. Direct public oversight is also incomplete. A practical placement with a boss should therefore not be treated as equivalent to an accredited vocational qualification without checking its legal and certification status. Non-formal training provides shorter alternatives for informal workers and disadvantaged or displaced groups. Programs commonly last about 200 to 400 hours, with roughly 75% practical work and 25% theory. Some UNICEF and APADEH courses for displaced young people last at least three months and have covered tiling, screen printing and modern cosmetology. An INFP certificate can support a first qualification and access to work, but this training does not replace general schooling. INFP’s SPS service also offers company advice, occupational health and safety support, assistance for small and medium-sized enterprises and mobile training. There is no evidence of a nationwide dual system meeting modern international quality standards, so a provider should not claim automatic equivalence to a foreign dual-training or CFA system. The Code du travail allows apprenticeship from age 14 within the legal training framework, subject to a medical examination and, where required, a special examination. This rule must be distinguished from the general minimum working age of 15. Fundamental education is compulsory from ages 6 to 15, and people under 18 may not perform hazardous, unhealthy or excessively arduous work. A formal apprenticeship contract must be written in French and submitted to the Direction de la main-d’œuvre; a copy must be provided within 15 days. It should state the occupation, duration, probation period, leave, payment, accommodation or meals where applicable and the signatures of the parties. The probation period may not exceed three months, and the apprenticeship duration may not exceed three years for the occupation concerned. The apprentice should receive at least 40% of the legal minimum daily wage. Payment in kind, such as meals or accommodation, may account for no more than 25% of the remuneration. Apprentices have the right to progressive or complete occupational training, protection from mistreatment, theory instruction without a wage reduction and access to an examination after completion. They must follow lawful instructions, attend punctually, care for tools and materials, protect business secrets and avoid changing or ending the contract before its end without a legitimate reason. A patron must provide training, protect health and safety, provide agreed accommodation or meals and register the apprentice for the examination. For apprentices under 16, work is limited to 25 hours per week; night work and work on legal public holidays are prohibited, and at least 15 days of leave apply for each six-month period. INFP organizes certification and examinations. The Certificat d’Aptitude Professionnelle, or CAP, is the certificate associated with successful completion of apprenticeship under the Code du travail. INFP legalizes or authenticates diplomas and also performs functions related to Validation des Acquis de l’Expérience and equivalence, which can assess existing skills or qualifications. The official INFP examination period for 2026 is 7 to 31 July. A certificate can strengthen proof of skills for employment, self-employment or an income-generating activity, but it does not guarantee a job. Employer demand, equipment, instructor quality, safety and local market conditions still affect the result. There is no reliable national tuition tariff. Private fees vary by centre, while public or subsidized training may cost less but is not automatically free. FNE may finance vocational infrastructure, equipment, scholarships or incentives, but the available evidence does not establish automatic payment of every learner’s individual costs. INFP states that graduation is optional, that a graduation fee must not be imposed as a condition of certification and that a certificate must not be withheld because such a fee was not paid. Security and transport conditions can disrupt attendance, training starts or examinations. Training coverage and quality also vary by area; 2018 data recorded 56.2% of the documented institutions in the West, while older 2012 and 2013 figures should not be treated as the current national total.