Employing an au pair in France
Particulier employeur (CESU / Pajemploi)
Last reviewed
This is general guidance, not legal advice.
Employment law changes, varies by region and depends on your exact arrangement. Figures below are researched from official sources but go out of date — always confirm the current position with the official body linked on this page, or with a qualified labour adviser, before you rely on it.
France recognises THREE different arrangements and URSSAF treats each one differently, so identify yours first. A stagiaire aide familial étranger (EU national, 18–30) or jeune au pair (non-EU) works at most 25 hours a week for board, lodging and a minimum monthly indemnity, with social contributions charged on a flat rate — and URSSAF is explicit that French labour law still applies. An employé au pair is a genuine employee paid entirely in benefits in kind, whose value must be at least the SMIC for the hours worked. Anyone else you employ for childcare at home is an ordinary particulier employeur arrangement under the national collective agreement (IDCC 3239), declared through Pajemploi or CESU. Confirm details with URSSAF.
Pay floor
€12.31 / hour (SMIC)
Effective 1 June 2026 — France changed the SMIC mid-year, up from €12.02. The collective-agreement minimum is usually higher than the SMIC; confirm the current conventional rate. For a stagiaire or jeune au pair the relevant figure is instead a minimum monthly indemnity of €326.25–€391.50 (75–90 × the minimum garanti). Verified against URSSAF on 2 September 2026.
What to get right
Which of the three arrangements is yours?
URSSAF treats them differently. Stagiaire aide familial étranger — an EU national aged 18–30 on a placement agreement. Jeune au pair — non-EU, on a convention and a dedicated long-stay visa. Employé au pair — an employee with no age or nationality condition, paid entirely in kind. Anyone else is an ordinary household employee. URSSAF states that French labour law applies to the au pair statuses too, so none of them sits outside employment protection.
Au pair route — hours, indemnity and rest
At most 25 hours a week. The minimum monthly indemnity is set at 75 to 90 times the minimum garanti — €326.25 to €391.50 from 1 June 2026. At least one full day off a week, including at least one Sunday a month. Enrolment in French language or civilisation classes is compulsory and the working hours must be arranged around it.
Au pair route — what you pay URSSAF
Declare within 8 days of arrival, then every quarter. Contributions are charged on a FLAT basis — 13 × the hourly SMIC a week, or 56 × a month (€689.36 a month from 1 June 2026) — so what you actually pay, and the value of board and lodging, do not change the bill. Only employer contributions are due: about €259.50 a month. The au pair owes nothing at all — no employee contribution, no CSG, no CRDS.
Employé au pair — a trap worth knowing
An employé au pair receives no cash: the benefits in kind ARE the pay, and their value must be at least the SMIC for the hours worked, or the collective-agreement minimum. For 2026 those benefits are valued at €71 a month for lodging and €4.70 a meal. URSSAF is explicit that an employé au pair cannot be declared through CESU or Pajemploi — those are for ordinary household employment.
Written contract
A written employment contract is expected under the particulier-employeur collective agreement. Use the contract template in the NannyTank app as a starting point.
Minimum wage
Pay must be at least the SMIC, and the sector’s collective-agreement minimum (usually higher) applies. Confirm the current conventional rate.
Declare via Pajemploi / CESU
Declare the employment and pay social contributions each month through Pajemploi (in-home childcare) or CESU — required even for part-time arrangements.
Paid leave
Paid leave (congés payés) applies, commonly settled as a 10% uplift, along with the collective agreement’s other entitlements.
Official sources
Check these for the current position — they are the authority, this page is not.
An editable contract template for France
NannyTank includes a downloadable employment contract template that references Particulier employeur (CESU / Pajemploi) — you fill in the agreed pay and hours. Available in the app, along with hours, overtime and claim tracking.
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NannyTank is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice. This page is a starting point to help you know what to look into; it may be incomplete or out of date, and it does not account for your specific circumstances. Confirm anything you rely on with the official bodies above or a qualified adviser.