A continuous process for the purification of caprolactam characterized in that raw caprolactam is subjected to a solvent distillation followed by a distillation under reduced pressure in the presence of sodium hydroxide and then to a melt crystallization, in which: A. The residue from the alkaline distillation is taken up in water, the aqueous solution extracted with benzene or toluene and the lactam solution fed to the main product stream through the solvent distillation; B. The residue from the melt crystallization is extracted in the crystalline state with an aliphatic or cycloaliphatic hydrocarbon with 5-10 carbon atoms and the purified residue is fed back into the alkaline distillation of the main produce stream; and C. The aliphatic or cycloaliphatic hydrocarbon is regenerated and used again for the extraction of the residue from the meltcrystallization.