🇺🇸 3 Reasons Why the Au Pair Program is Better in the US Than in France 🇫🇷

You all know by now that I was an au pair in the US. And I must tell you how shocked I was when I discovered the differences between the American and the French au pair programs! 😮

One of the main reasons I chose to be an au pair in the US was safety. I wanted to feel protected in any situation, and the biggest advantage of the American program is that using an au pair agency is mandatory. You simply can’t be an au pair without one. And what a relief! 😌

Two of my friends faced serious issues with their host families: mistreatment, contract violations, no privacy, no free time... 😔 Things got so bad that the families suddenly kicked them out of the house with nowhere to go. Luckily, their Local Community Counselor (LCC) took care of them like a second mother. She hosted them, supported them, and helped them find new families.

But when I returned to France, I was shocked to learn that the French law does not require families to go through an agency. Instead, au pairs can just post an ad on Facebook and hope for the best. 😬 The family is supposed to sign a contract, declare the au pair to URSSAF, and provide health insurance... but without an agency, there is zero protection if something goes wrong. If the au pair or the family fails to respect their obligations, what can you do? 🤷‍♀️

In the US, the host family must contribute $500 per year to help their au pair take classes. Plus, the au pair must complete six credits to get their official au pair certificate at the end of the program. 📜✨

In France? It depends. Some embassies require au pairs to enroll in French courses, but the cost can be insanely high—up to €1,000 for just one month! 😱 And in most cases, the au pair has to pay for everything.

Sure, some associations offer free French courses, but these are mainly for asylum seekers and migrants, with mixed levels and age groups (students can be 17 or 70 years old in the same class!). You can imagine that progressing in French under these conditions is far from ideal. 😕

Another big difference? The stipend. In the US, au pairs receive around $200 per week, whereas in France, the minimum legal stipend is approximately €90 per week. That’s less than half. 😬 Of course, some families pay more, but many stick to the bare minimum.

Although an agency may seem more expensive, it remains a wise choice: safety is an investment that is priceless. Ensure that, should you need to leave unexpectedly, you can secure housing immediately while searching for a new family. 🏠🛡️ Your au pair experience will only be truly rewarding if you ensure everything is in order. ✨👨‍👩‍👧‍👦🌟

Allison ✨
French Au Pair Class