HOSTING AN AU-PAIR

What is an au-pair?
An au-pair is a young foreigner who lives with a family to care for their children and learn a new language.

An au-pair assumes the following responsabilities:
- Supervising and interacting with the children according to their ages and carrying out minor household tasks, for up to 30 hours per week.

In return the au-pair receives:
- A private room in the host family’s house
- Free meals and housing
- The opportunity to attend language courses (obligatory for all au-pairs in France)
- 65 euros pocket money per week + 25 euros to help cover the cost of language courses = 90 euros per week
The family also has the choice of paying for the courses directly and retaining the extra 25 euros per week.
- A monthly bus pass or the possibility to use the family’s car while caring for the children and attending language classes.
Attention: it is imperative that au-pairs take language courses during their time in the host country. If your schedule does not lend itself to fulfilling this requirement or you live in an isolated area far away from course centres, we advise you to discontinue your search for an au-pair.

Contract details:
- An au-pair may not work more than 30 hours per week, this includes doing light housework and babysitting in the evenings. She/he must be given one day off per week, preferably the weekend, and must receive 2 weeks paid vacation for every 6-month working period. The au-pair must be given supplementary time off for any work exceeding 30 hours per week. The au-pair cannot in any case receive less than 60euros per week even if she/he works less than 30 hours per week.

Welcoming the au-pair:
Upon the au-pair’s arrival we request that the you set aside adequate time to fully explain the functionning of your home and family and to help with any administrative tasks.
Families must carry out all administrative formalities necessary for the au-pair’s arrival and stay in the host country. This includes:
- Obtaining insurance for the au-pair covering the duration of her/his stay in the host country 100% (Butterfly et Papillon International proposes au-pair insurance with the company ISIS)
- Helping the au-pair obtain a carte de séjour
Failure to fulfill any of these requirements will result in the au-pair being sent back to her/his country due to illegal status. There will be no consideration given to placement in a new family.
- Butterfly et Papillon can advise you concerning all administrative tasks however we cannot provide you with the necessary documents and paperwork.

The au-pair and the host family:
- There is a trial period of 1 month within which the family can decide to terminate the contract and search for another au-pair at no extra cost
- Paid holidays: minimum of 1 day off per week, 1 week for every 6-month period.
- Butterfly et Papillon International can help the au-pair and family resolve any problems arising from cultural and linguistic complications however we are not held responsable for any accidents or damage incurred during the au-pair’s stay.
- It is recommended that host families help cover the cost of the trip home for au-pairs who have worked for them for 9-18 months.

Terminating the au-pair contract:
- In case of premature termination on the part of either the family or the au-pair after the one-month trial period, we ask that you notify Butterfly et Papillon International two weeks before the au-pair’s departure. In this case Butterfly et Papillon can propose a new au-pair to the familly .
Attention: You will not be reimbursed if you do not wish to host a new au-pair after terminating the initial contract.

Finding an au-pair:
Once we have received your application and payment we will begin looking for an au-pair in coordination with our foreign partner organisations. It generally takes 4-8 weeks to match an au-pair with a family and sometimes longer depending on the family’s preferences (nationality, driver’s licence, etc.). If you wish to have au-pair arrive in September (for the school year), the latest time to apply is May. It is necessary to register the au-pair for language courses by mid-July in order to process the necessary paperwork before July 20, as government offices close for 2-3 weeks in August.

Fees for finding an au-pair are not cashed until we have found a candidate seriously interested in your family. One or several candidates will be proposed to you and we must receive a response in the following three days.

Costs of hosting an au-pair:
- 65 euros pocket money / week
- 25 euros for language courses / week
- Monthly URSSAF inscription of 190 euros
- 100% insurance coverage of 21- 41euros per month
Weekly cost is about 156 euros not including housing and meals.

Please click here for the application form (in French)