Imprimer

Three-quarters of the 3 million potential beneficiaries (i.e. 2.2 million people) are already registered with the Caisses d’allocations familiales (family allowance fund - CAF) or the Caisses de mutualité sociale agricole (rural family allowance fund - MSA). The majority of the other potential beneficiaries are single people (63%), but there are also couples and families.

Recipients of the RMI, API or pilot rSa will be registered automatically for the rSa as from June 1^st, 2009, without having to apply. They will be receive notice of the type of support they are entitled to by the end of February 2010 (the time required to process all the files).

Three additional conditions for recipients

• The opportunity to combine part-time work and benefits available to RMI and API beneficiaries will be maintained if it is more advantageous.
• The pilot rSa will be maintained for current recipients until May 31^st, 2010 if it is higher than the general rSa, unless the departmental council decides otherwise.
• The prime de retour à l’emploi and the prime forfai¬taire d’intéressement, return-to-work bonuses paid by France’s employment agency, Pôle Emploi, will be maintained for recipients of the allocation de solidarité spécifique (extended benefit for some unemployed - ASS).

New applicants must contact their departmental council to find out about how to apply for the rSa, family allowance fund (www.caf.fr), rural family allowance fund (www.msa.fr) or the rSa website www.rsa.gouv.fr.

NOTE - Self-employed workers and farmers can qualify for the rSa under certain conditions.

Eligibility criteria

To qualify for the rSa, there are age, immigration status, and housing conditions.

• Age
  Recipients must be over 25 years old. Applicants under 25 are eligible if they have or are expecting a child (declaration of pregnancy required).

• Immigration status
  French nationals are automatically eligible. Nationals of Switzerland or the European Economic Area (EEA) must be eligible to live in France and, if they have never worked, have lived in France for at least three months prior to applying. Nationals from outside the EEA and Switzerland must have a valid residency document and must have lived in France continuously for at least the past five years.

That document may be:

• a long-term carte de résident;
• a certificate of residency for Algerian nationals;
• a temporary carte de séjour for employment or family reasons;
• a receipt for an application for one of the above residency documents;
• a Monaco passport.

rSa eligibility test

An eligibility test is available on www.rsa.gouv.fr, www.caf.fr and www.msa.fr: prospective applicants can test whether they are eligible for the rSa and how much they would receive. Please note that the test is only an estimate. For a definite response, applicants will have to wait until their applications are processed by the CAF or the MSA.