The “au pair” principle is simple, it’s an exchange for mutual advantage: you get food, accommodation and pocket money and you improve your knowledge of the language. In exchange, you take care of the children of your host family and you do some housework. During your stay you will have specific au pair status, which is similar to that of a student.
Conditions Young people from any country can work as an au pair. You must be between 17 and 30 and have some knowledge of French on arrival. Both boys and girls can be au pair, but families often prefer girls. During your stay as an au pair, you must follow a French language course. Length of stayBetween 3 months and one year.
Duties You work 30 hours a week, with a maximum of 5 hours a day. You carry out general household tasks such as looking after the children and housework. However, you are not required to do heavy tasks like getting up at night because the baby is crying.
Rights You are entitled to one day off a week, which must be on Sunday once a month. You are paid between €290 and 320 a month. This amount remains the same, even if you work less than 30 hours a week. Your host family provides you with your own room. The family also makes sure you have adequate health and social cover while in France. It is common practice for the family to contribute to your local transport costs so that you can attend French language courses.
Au pair positions are often found through agencies or associations. However, you can also try to find a host family by your own. Whatever you choose, always make sure that your tasks are clearly defined in advance and that you have a clear agreement with the family about how much you will be paid and the exact number of hours you will be expected to work or be available. Placement organisationsAgencies and associations usually ask you to fill in a questionnaire, write a letter of introduction to the host family and provide letters of reference which demonstrate that you are able to look after children. These organisations may also ask you to attend an interview. Most organisations ask you to pay an enrolment fee. Other ways to find a host family You can consult the offers at Job Centres (ANPE), which regularly offer au pair places. Major French daily newspapers also offer au pair places as do some Internet job search sites. Regional and local offices of the Centre d'Information et de Documentation Jeunesse - CIDJ (National Information Centre for Youngsters) can help you in your search.
Once you have found a host family, you need to apply for a residence permit and a work permit. To do so you must collect all the necessary documents: - Proof of study in your own country; - A certificate of enrolment in a French language course for the period of your stay in France; - A medical certificate less than 3 months old; - A parental authorisation if you are under 18, as well as details of a guarantor based in France; - 4 copies of an official au pair agreement form. This form is obtained in France from the French employment authorities, the DDTEFP (Direction Départementale du Travail et de la Formation Professionnelle) by the placement organisation or the host family, which send it to you after filling on their own part. You will find the addresses of the DDTEFP in the "Administrative needs" section. Important: If you are from the EU:You do not need a temporary work permit. You just need to get a residence permit with the indication “Etudiant”. So if you are already a student in France and have this permit, you just need to fill in the official au pair agreement form. If you are not from the EU: - if you are already a student resident in France, you already have a temporary student resident permit with the indication ”Etudiant”. Therefore, to work as an “au pair”, you just need to obtain a temporary work permit. To do so you must contact the French employment authorities (DDTEFP). - if you are already in France but with a tourist visa, you must first return to your own country and apply to the French Consulate there for a long stay visa.
If you used an organisation, get in touch with their representative directly. It’s their responsibility to make sure that the contract is respected, by you and by the host family. The organisation can settle a disagreement or put you in contact with a new family. If you found the host family yourself, get in touch with the French labour relations inspector (l’inspection du travail) nearest to the home of your host family.
- La Fée Rêvée ( www.fee-revee.com ) in Suresnes – near Paris - Les Enfants D’Abord ( www.lesenfantsdabord.fr ) in Lyons - Atout France International ( www.atout-fr-international.com ) in Villeurbanne – near Lyons - Butterfly Papillon International ( www.butterfly-papillon.com ) in Annecy – Alps - Accueil Familial des Jeunes Etrangers ( www.afje-paris.org ) in Paris - Europair Services ( www.europairservices.com ) in Paris - Eglise Danoise (www.dankirke.org) in Paris: for Danish people only - Goélangues ( www.goelangues.org ) in Paris - Accueil Service au Pair ( www.accueil-service-au-pair.com ) in Paris - Entraide Allemande ( www.entraide-allemande.org ) in Paris: for German people only - Good morning Europe (www.good-morning-europe.com) in Paris Source: CIDJ
