Units identified as "foreign" were dissolved at the end of the Empire, due to distrust, lack of recruits, and necessity to transfer weapons and french cadres to french regiments. Some foreign unit were turned into pioneer batallion, wielding pick and shovel instead of guns - not very different from forced labour.

The units raised in french departments, even with dutch, german, or italian population, were kept until first abdication (according to Martinien). As they were blending native french and newly annexed, all considered french citizen, they were perhaps reliable enough, even if crippled by desertion - and from 1812 on, Napoleon needed all available arms.