Since 1 January 2022, Qualiopi certification has become unavoidable for any French training provider that wants access to public and pooled vocational training funds. The Qualiopi–OPCO relationship is now regulatory: OPCO (Opérateurs de Compétences, the skills operators that manage training funds by industry) can only fund training delivered by Qualiopi-certified providers. This guide explains the link between Qualiopi and the OPCO, the process for obtaining Qualiopi, and how companies can benefit from funding for their training.
OPCO and Vocational Training Funding: Role and How They Work
An OPCO (Opérateur de Compétences, or skills operator) is a state-approved body responsible for collecting companies’ training contributions and funding their employees’ training. Before the 2018 reform, these bodies were called OPCA (organismes paritaires collecteurs agréés, joint approved collecting bodies); they were turned into OPCO with broader missions.
OPCO fund training in their member companies, particularly very small businesses and SMEs. The training funds collected are redistributed according to available budgets and industry priorities. OPCO funding of vocational training mainly covers the Skills Development Plan (PDC), work-study programmes and certifying training.
OPCO only fund training activities delivered by Qualiopi-certified providers, or training eligible through the CPF (Compte Personnel de Formation, the personal training account). Public or pooled funds flow exclusively to qualified providers.
Qualiopi and OPCO: Certification as the Key to OPCO Funding
Qualiopi certification gives training providers access to public and pooled training funds. In particular, Qualiopi certification makes it possible to:
- Access OPCO funding and the OPCO funds available
- Invoice OPCO-funded training
- Access the Skills Development Plan and, where the training prepares for an active certification registered with the RNCP (France’s national register of professional certifications) or the Répertoire Spécifique (RS), and the offer is listed on Mon Compte Formation, access the CPF
- Appear on the lists of providers referenced by the 11 OPCO
Qualiopi certification thus allows client companies to benefit from pooled vocational training funding. Without Qualiopi, no training agreement can lead to OPCO coverage.
A provider without certification cannot be funded by the OPCO, even if its teaching content is excellent. This has been the rule, without exception, since 2022.
OPCO Without Qualiopi and Providers Without Qualiopi: Why Qualiopi Has Become Unavoidable
Why is Qualiopi so important for training providers?
Without Qualiopi, a provider cannot have its training funded by the OPCO. An OPCO with no Qualiopi-certified providers cannot mobilise its training funds for companies. An OPCO can only bear the funding if the provider is certified.
Qualiopi certification has become unavoidable for three structural reasons:
- Access to public funds: no OPCO, CPF or public funding without Qualiopi
- Commercial credibility: companies look for Qualiopi-certified providers to secure their funding request
- Access to public or pooled funds: every pooled vocational training funding scheme is conditional on this standard
OPCO only fund training delivered by certified providers. Since 2022, providers that have obtained certification have seen an immediate improvement in their access to funding and in their commercial appeal.
Obtaining OPCO Funding: The Funding Request and the Role of the Certification Body
Obtaining OPCO funding involves several steps, once the provider is Qualiopi-certified.
1. Obtain Qualiopi Through an Accredited Certification Body
To obtain Qualiopi, the provider undergoes an audit by a COFRAC-accredited certification body. The certification body checks the provider’s compliance with the National Quality Framework (7 criteria, 32 indicators). Certification is valid for 3 years, with a surveillance audit at 18 months.
2. Identify the Client Company’s OPCO
Each company is attached to an OPCO according to its collective agreement. The funding request must be filed with the competent OPCO, not a generic one.
3. File the Funding Request Before the Training Starts
OPCO funding is only possible if the funding request is filed before the training begins. The request includes the programme, the quote and the signed training agreement.
4. Meet the Documentation Requirements
After the training: certificate of completion, attendance sheets, teaching report. Training funding that is not backed by these documents cannot be paid out.
OPCO funding can cover all or part of the cost, depending on the available budget. The funding request is the central document: without it, no reimbursement is possible.
The 11 OPCO in France: Access to Funding by Industry
There are 11 OPCO in France, covering all sectors of activity. Each of the 11 sets its own rules and levels of coverage.
| OPCO | Sectors covered |
| OPCO EP | Education, training, sport, community activities |
| Constructys | Building and construction |
| OCAPIAT | Agriculture, cooperatives, fishing |
| Atlas | Financial services, consulting, digital |
| Akto | Local services, temporary work |
| Uniformation | Social economy, integration |
| Opcommerce | Retail and trade |
| Mobilités | Transport, logistics |
| L’Opco2i | Chemical and pharmaceutical industry |
| Afdas | Culture, communication, media |
| Opco Santé | Healthcare and social care |
Access to OPCO funding depends on the client company’s sector. OPCO fund according to their sector budgets: some cover 100% of the teaching cost, others apply caps per hour or per activity.
CPF and OPCO Funding: Personal Training Account vs. Pooled Funding
CPF and OPCO funding are two separate schemes. Qualiopi is a necessary condition for tapping public or pooled funds, but actual coverage through the OPCO depends on the rules, priorities, caps and budgets of the operator concerned. For the CPF, Qualiopi is necessary but not sufficient: the training must prepare for an active certification registered with the RNCP or the RS, the provider must be authorised by the certifying body where required, and the offer must be listed on Mon Compte Formation.
CPF (Compte Personnel de Formation, the personal training account): built up by the employee and managed through Mon Compte Formation. The training account is used at the employee’s initiative to fund certifying training. Some training can be funded by OPCO under the CPF Co-construit (co-funded CPF) arrangement.
OPCO funding through the PDC: paid for by the company under the Skills Development Plan. The PDC lets the employer fund their employees’ training, with OPCO coverage depending on the available budget.
For in-company team training (professional English, AI, management), OPCO funding through the PDC is the most suitable scheme. The CPF remains the preferred route for individual requests made at the employee’s initiative.
OPCO EP and Training Providers: A Priority Partnership
OPCO EP is the OPCO for the professional branches of education, training, sport and community activities. For Qualiopi-certified providers operating in these sectors, OPCO EP is the natural contact for accessing funding.
Some OPCO, including OPCO EP, set their own criteria on top of Qualiopi when listing providers. Being Qualiopi-certified lets training providers apply to be included on these lists, but sector-specific criteria may be added.
Marmignon Brothers: A Qualiopi-Certified Provider for Your OPCO-Funded Training
Marmignon Brothers is a Qualiopi-certified organisation that delivers the e-dutainment method, an immersive, film-based approach to learning professional English and artificial intelligence skills in the workplace.
Qualiopi certification allows Marmignon Brothers to give its clients access to OPCO funding. Our training can be funded by OPCO through the Skills Development Plan, depending on your available budget and your industry’s OPCO.
Our teams support companies through the whole process: funding request, training agreement, certificate of completion.
→ Request a tailored quote — English or AI training, fundable through your OPCO and PDC
