The au pair employee is a person employed by a host family (as an individual employer) to perform light familial tasks (child care, household chores, etc.) in exchange for payment in kind (accommodation, food).

Au pair employees are considered as domestic workers and fall under the national collective agreement for employees of the individual employer. An employment contract has to be signed between the au pair and the host family (as individual employer) defining the amount of hours worked, days off, etc.

Taking into account the employment situation in France, it is highly likely that the Direccte will oppose to the employment contract request.

The working holiday program is aimed at people aged 18 to 30 years willing to go abroad for a maximum period of four months for Russians, for tourism and cultural purposes and with the ability to work in the destination country to support their trip.

The list of required documents can be find here (in French).
For more information: French Embassy in Russia (in French).

The Foreign temporary familial trainee program corresponds to the true French au pair program. Non-Europeans candidates from non-French speaking need to meet the following 3 conditions:

• be between 17 and 30 years
• be temporarily hosted in a family, in return for certain family duties (light housework, childcare, ...)
• come to France to improve their language skills and their general knowledge about France. They must know, prior to their arrival to France, some French. Once in France, they must take French classes

Note:

• The Foreign temporary familial trainee program should not be mistaken for another program named "au pair"
• Applying for an au pair visa will make the candidate fall under the Foreign temporary familial trainee program (actually a Student visa)