The Covid-19 pandemic has impacted the Legion's recruiting and retention, some interesting data becoming apparent:
©GRLE La crise sanitaire perturbe le recrutement de la Légion. Si les mesures contraignantes de circulation empêchent les étrangers de se...
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The constraints of the pandemic have restricted travel to France and thus overall numbers turning up at the recruiting centres. There is a marked shortfall of candidates arriving from abroad notably from South America. But despite the difficulties, the Nepalese have continued to arrive in similar numbers to before the pandemic.
In addition, due to the increased uncertainties of the outside world there has been an increase in retention and thus any shortfall in recruiting for 2020 was adequately covered and 1200 posts were filled. But In 2021 there is a need to fill 1400 posts and this cannot be done by increased retention alone, so a major localised effort is being undertaken.
This is leading to a "Europeanisation" of recruiting patterns including an increase in French candidates which has not been seen for many years (My Comment: probably since the early eighties). The proportion of French being recruited has reached 14% and it is something that the Legion has consciously aimed for. The recently set up infromation post in French Polynesia has yielded eight successful candidates and there are sixty more in the pipeline. A similar information post is currently being set up in La Reunion. (My Comment: This is now in direct competition for recruits with the "Troupes de Marine" which may lead to some rivalry)