The procedure indicated hereunder applies to Canadian citizens or permanent residents of Canada 18 years of age and older who intend to go to France on an "Au Pair" program

Definition

An "Au-Pair" is a young person of at least 17 years of age and under 30, who intends to go to France to improve his/ her knowledge of the French language and/or culture by attending a language school. The "Au-Pair" lives with a family who provides her/him with a private room and a small allowance in exchange for various light household duties and child care.

Procedure

Canadian citizens need a visa to stay in France more than 90 days. The visa application is processed by the French Consulate upon reception of the documents required. If you are under 18 when you are due to arrive in France, a specific procedure applies to you. Please contact the consulate for further information.

If the total stay in France does not exceed 3 months, nationalities exempted from a short stay visa are also exempted from requesting an "Au Pair" visa.

You should, however, take note of the following :
Before starting working as "Au-Pair", your contract ("accord de placement") must be approved by the local DDTEFP (Direction Départementale du Travail, de l'Emploi et de la Formation Professionnelle) office. Working without their approval is illegal. If you think you might want to stay in France for tourism after the expiration of your contract, you should apply for a temporary stay visa which allows you a total stay of 6 months.

Documents required

Your original passport. It must be valid for at least one year after your intended date of arrival in France. For a temporary long stay visa (up to 6 months) a validity of 9 months is sufficient. Make sure you have signed your passport.

2 long stay visa application forms. They must be neatly and completely filled out in original writing. Use black or blue ink. Attach a post-it to one of the forms stating your approximate departure date from Western Canada to France. This information is very important since it will be used to date the visa. This form exists only in French. Contact us by fax or e-mail if you wish to be sent a translation and guidelines to fill them out properly. See address at the bottom of this page.

2 recent original identity pictures. Cut to the size indicated on the form and glued to each one of them.

1 recent color photo, format 35mm x 45mm, with a clear plain background. The height must be between 31.5mm and 36mm from chin to crown. The person’s head must be full front view centered in the middle of the photograph. Photos with hat, caps, sunglasses, etc. will not be accepted nor digitized photos.

The Au-Pair contract ("accord de placement" in original plus one photocopy). The stamp bearing the approval of the French Employment Department (DDTEFP - Direction Départementale de l'Emploi et de la Formation Professionnelle) must appear on it. This document is usually obtained by the Au-Pair agency or by your future employer. Make sure you have signed it before making the photocopy and sending it with your application. Faxed copies are not accepted.

A letter of acceptance ("Certificat de Pré-inscription" in original plus one photocopy) from the French university or language institute stating that you are registered to attend their courses. It must state the dates and duration of the courses. A minimum of 10 hours of French studies per week is required. A list of universities and language institutes in France is available on the web site of the French Foreign Office www.france.diplomatie.gouv.fr and on the web site of the Edufrance agency www.edufrance.fr or contact them in Vancouver at: edufrance@intergate.ca

A photocopy of your most recent university diplomas or high school degree obtained.

Your application may be delayed or refused. Do not buy an airplane ticket prior to receiving confirmation that the visa will be issued.

 

The visa issued is a student visa.
Depending on the duration of your Au-Pair contract for France, 2 types of visa can be issued :

either a visa for a maximum of 6 months valid for six months or less.

• It cannot be extended while in France. You must leave France on or before the expiry date of your visa.

• When you return to Canada, you can apply for a new visa at the French consulate nearest your permanent place of residence.

• This visa is valid for multiple entries. Therefore, you may travel in and out of France during the validity of your visa without having to apply for another one.

• The temporary long stay visa and the documents that you submit to the consulate with your application, prove your legal status in France.

• This visa does not allow you to enter other countries of the Schengen area. Before traveling outside France, you must check with the Embassy or consulate of the country where you intend to go to find out whether you need a visa or not.

or a long term visa, if your  Au-Pair contract is for more than six months.

• The date of validity stated on this visa (3 months starting one day before your approximate departure date to France) is the period of time you have to enter French territory. After that date, your visa is expired and is no longer valid to enter France. You will need to re-apply.

• This type of visa allows its holder to request a temporary residence permit ("Carte de séjour") at the Préfecture nearest your residence in France. You must apply within 2 months after the date of your arrival.

• This visa does not mention the date when you must leave France. This is because it is not the visa but the residence permit which determines the length of your stay in France.

• If you wish to stay after the expiration of your residence permit, you need to go to the Prefecture in France to apply for an extension. Make sure to apply ahead of time especially if you plan to leave France temporarily.

Fees

Click here for fees and instructions for payment.

Time process

Once you submit a complete application as requested, the consulate might be able to issue a visa the same day. However, for landed immigrants of certain nationalities, the process can take up to 2 months.

Contact us by e-mail stating your nationality and status in Canada (landed immigrant or other) to find out how long the process will take and how many forms you need to submit: visas@consulfrance-vancouver.org

Applications are accepted no longer than 3 months prior to departure to France.

List of Au-Pair agencies:

For information only. This list is provided by the Consulate General of France in Vancouver "as is" without warranty of any kind.

The best time to find a long stay Au-Pair position is during the school year (September to June). It is better to be registered with an agency by April or at least 3 months in advance.