The salary of a member of the French Foreign Legion (FFL) is determined by their rank and length of service. Like other military units, pay for FFL members may increase if they are deployed on operations abroad. It’s worth noting that many people join the FFL for reasons other than financial gain – the motivations of legionnaires are diverse and do not include the desire for the country, God, or gold. This distinguishes legionnaires from mercenaries. It’s important to note that FFL members are not mercenaries, as is sometimes believed. Instead, they are part of the French Army and are considered lawful combatants in any conflict in which they may participate.
Basic salary in the French Foreign Legion
The average pay for a new member of the French Foreign Legion is between 1300€ ($1575) and 7000€ ($8478), depending on rank and length of service. It’s worth noting that the pay for a member of the FFL is not as high as what some private military companies may offer, such as Blackwater.
A Legionnaire doesn’t make more money than an ordinary soldier in the traditional French Army. The rules are the same for the Legionnaires, nothing more and nothing less. Here is what it takes into account when determining average military pay in the French Army (the same applies to the French Foreign Legion):
The military situation
It covers everything which concerns the person in the Army, like:
- Rank,
- Years of service,
- Years in a class,
- Qualifications etc.
The family situation
It means if a person
- is married,
- having children,
- living in town,
- since when he joined his unit etc.
I wanted to stay simple, but at the same time, I want to let you estimate the best possible salary for a French soldier. For this, I took a single man living in the barrack for each rank.
Allowance, bonus, and special pay
Field Allowance
Field allowance is probably the most crucial factor the legionnaire’s salary depends on. For every absence from the regiment for 36 hours, you are eligible for compensation in the form of a payment to an expatriate for additional costs and difficulties and working in different locations.
| Rank | Single | Married |
| Legionnaire | 33,53€ ($40,60) | 41,91€ ($50,75) |
| Caporal | 33,53€ ($40,60) | 41,91€ ($50,75) |
| Caporal-chef | 40,90€ ($49,50) | 51,13€ ($61,93) |
| Sergent | 40,90€ ($49,50) | 51,13€ ($61,93) |
| Sergent-chef | 40,90€ ($49,50) | 51,13€ ($61,93) |
| Adjudant | 49,46€ ($59,90) | 61,84€ ($74,90) |
| Adjudant-chef | 49,46€ ($59,90) | 61,84€ ($74,90) |
| Major | 49,46€ ($59,90) | 61,84€ ($74,90) |
NOTE: The paratroopers don’t earn the field service prime!
IAC (Indemnité d’Absence Cumulée) – Cumulative absence indemnity
This bonus has been effective since January 2016. Soldiers absent for professional reasons related to its operational activities for a period exceeding 150 days (accumulated over a year), giving rise to compensation or premium for:
- Service
- Field services
- OPEX*
- MCD (Mission Courte Durée – Guyana, Mayotte, Réunion, etc…)
* OPEX (OPération EXtérieure) is the term used to designate overseas missions, places generally considered conflict zones, etc. Otherwise, it’s also known as RTE (Renfort Temporaire Étranger), but no one ever seems to use that term.
| Cumulative absence: | Amount per night of absence |
| Beyond 150 and up to 175 days | 10€ ($12,10) |
| Beyond 175 and up to 200 days | 25€ ($30,28) |
| Beyond 200 and up to 250 days | 50€ ($60,56) |
| Beyond 250 and up to 365 days | 85€ ($102,95) |
EXAMPLE: If you did 203 days on OPEX, field missions, and service. It means that this year, you will have the following bonus as IAC.
IAC= (25×10)+(25×25)+(3×50)= 650€ ($787,25) you will get added to your pay.
High mountain premium
A high mountain premium bonus has been introduced since April 2019 for qualified soldiers of mountain troops, which concerns the 2°REG in the French Foreign Legion. (This premium cannot be combined with the paratrooper’s bonus).
| High mountain team leader | Leader of high mountain detachment | Military mountain guide instructor |
| +115€ ($139,28) / month | +230€ ($278,50) / month | +350€ ($423,90) / month |
Pay in French Foreign Legion
Basic salary of a legionnaire living in the barracks
| Rank | Minimum Salary | Maximum Salary |
| Legionnaire | 1348€ ($1632) | – |
| Caporal | 1355€ ($1641) | 1370€ ($1659) |
| Caporal-chef | 1366€ ($1654) | 1770€ ($2143) |
| Sergent | 1442€ ($1746) | 1827€ ($2212) |
| Sergent-chef | 1484€ ($1797) | 1944€ ($2345) |
| Adjudant | 1846€ ($2235) | 2046€ ($2478) |
| Adjudant-chef | 1997€ ($2418) | 2175€ ($2634) |
| Major | 2111€ ($2556) | 2345€ ($2840) |
Basic salary of a legionnaire during a deployment
| Rank | Minimum Salary | Maximum Salary |
| Legionnaire | 3423€ ($4145) | – |
| Caporal | 3464€ ($4195) | – |
| Caporal-chef | 3514€ ($4256) | 3829€ ($4637) |
| Sergent | 3598€ ($4357,75) | 3800€ ($4602) |
| Sergent-chef | 3760€ ($4554) | 4946€ ($5990) |
| Adjudant | 3922€ ($4750) | 5189€ ($6284) |
| Adjudant-chef | 4838€ ($5859) | 5534€ ($6702) |
| Major | 5037€ ($6100) | 5990€ ($7254) |
Basic salary of a legionnaire parachutist
| Rank | Minimum Salary | Maximum Salary |
| Legionnaire | 2067€ ($2503) | – |
| Caporal | 2074€ ($2512) | 2089€ ($2530) |
| Caporal-chef | 2078€ ($2517) | 2485€ ($3010) |
| Sergent | 2084€ ($2524) | 2178€ ($2638) |
| Sergent-chef | 2144€ ($2597) | 2599€ ($3147) |
| Adjudant | 2200€ ($2664) | 2714€ ($3287) |
| Adjudant-chef | 2586€ ($3132) | 2843€ ($3443) |
| Major | 2660€ ($3232) | 3011€ ($3647) |
Basic salary of a parachutist during a deployment
| Rank | Minimum Salary | Maximum Salary |
| Legionnaire | 4149€ ($5025) | – |
| Caporal | 4170€ ($5050) | 4241€ ($5136) |
| Caporal-chef | 4180€ ($5063) | 4285€ ($5190) |
| Sergent | 4212€ ($5101) | 4465€ ($5408) |
| Sergent-chef | 4374€ ($5297) | 5611€ ($6796) |
| Adjudant | 4468€ ($5411) | 5864€ ($7102) |
| Adjudant-chef | 5514€ ($6678) | 6214€ ($7526) |
| Major | 5717€ ($6924) | 6670€ ($8078) |
Conclusion
As a member of a combat regiment in the French Foreign Legion, you can expect to spend at least four months per year on field service, two months on the Vigipirate counter-terrorism mission in France, four months in training or with the regiment, and two months on holiday. During the time that you are deployed on missions or assignments outside of the regiment, you will receive additional pay. This can help to increase your overall earnings and provide additional financial security.
As a member of the French Foreign Legion, you can save at least 30% of your pay and still maintain a comfortable lifestyle. While you may not become wealthy, you will have enough to cover expenses such as travel, dining out, and purchasing consumer goods. Additionally, as a legionnaire, you will not have to pay for housing or meals during the week, as the regiment provides these. This can help to stretch your income further and allow for more financial flexibility.
SOURCES:
If I want to join the French Foreign Legion should I just show up at the door? I tried to email, but nobody answered.
AARON LACY JR – (Google) “…Go to mainland France (in EUROPE) and knock on the door of one of the Foreign Legion recruiting centers…”
I want to join now but there is block down in france
Am in spain
How will I make it there
I assume you need to improvise then…
From Nigeria want to join but don’t know if they are still recruiting and if I need green card or what and can I apply anytime I get to France
Good evening 🙏🌹
I want to join but i don’t no how to apply. I’m from Fiji islands in the Pacific.
The Foreign Legion is a good venue to explore the world and acquire useful skills provide you are fit…adventurous..fearless…daring…and mentally hard…and last but not least…YOUNG…not necessarily in this sequence…If I had a second life…I would join before I am 30 years old. Viva Le Legion.
Viva Le France….
Some of these comments read like they’re written by schoolboys with dreams of glory.
If you can’t figure out how to join, you don’t belong in the FFL. Improvise. Adapt. Overcome.