FAQs on au pairing in France

Can I become a summer au pair in France for just a single month?

To comply with French regulations, you will need to stay in France for a minimum of three months if you plan to become an au pair as a stagiaire aide familial étranger.  In this context, it doesn't matter at which time of the year you enter France. 

I already speak French well. Do I still need to take a French course if I want to work as an au pair?

Yes, you do. French law clearly states that the purpose of an au pair stay in France is to improve your knowledge of the French culture and language. Therefore, your participation in a French course forms a prerequisite to have your au pair contract approved/validated, even if you already have a good knowledge of the French language. And with a foreign language the learning process is never really complete.

What should we do if we can't find a suitable language course for our au pair close to our home?

Apart from universities, adult education centres and the language centres with the "FLE" classification, some secondary schools also offer French courses  - including for external participants.

We have come across two options for au pairs to work in France: either as a "stagiaire aide familial étranger" or as an "employé/salarié au pair". Which of these options should we choose when we have an au pair in our family?

At AuPairWorld we recommend the option stagiaire aide familial étranger, as it corresponds far more to the AuPairWorld Basic idea of au paring than the salarié au pair status. The stagiaire aide familial étranger must be a student from a foreign country, who is no more than 30 years old and does not work more than 30 hours per week. This status is aimed at promoting cultural exchange among nations worldwide. In this role, your au pair receives a certain amount of pocket money, rather than a minimum salary (SMIC). 

My husband and I both work full-time. Is is possible that our au pair also works 40 hours per week?

No, with the au pair status "stagiaire aide familial étranger" it is not possible. French law limits working hours for au pairs to 30 hours per week, babysitting included. Please bear in mind that the idea is to treat your au pair like an older sister in the family. Try to be creative and think about some alternatives for the remaining hours. Is there an after-school care option that could be used in conjuction with au pairing? Or could a babysitter also help with providing childcare? The Chèque Domicile CESU, for instance, gives information for how to handle employing a person in your home.

Does an au pair have to be registered in the French public health insurance system?

Yes. Host families in France have to register their au pairs with theURSSAF and with the Sécurité sociale. Often the social insurance number is issued later than expected. In such a case and if no other additional medical insurance exists for the au pair, the family is liable for all of the medical expenses that arise for the au pair.

French public health insurance only covers a portion of the medical expenses. Other expenses that arise that are not covered must be borne by the host family. Therefore, it is advisable to take out an additional private insurance to be sure that all costs will be insured.

AuPairWorld recommends the PROTRIP-WORLD insurance package for this purpose. It is especially designed for au pairs and other young people spending time abroad. Among other benefits, this insurance covers the full costs of inpatient and outpatient medical care (often not covered in full with the EHIC card for EU au pairs), plus return transport to the home country for medical reasons (not covered at all with the EHIC card).

Who is responsible for paying for the au pair's insurance?

The host family is responsible for paying the social insurance premiums (Sécurité sociale) and for the cost of private insurance for the au pair. However, it is also possible that the family and the au pair agree to share these costs.