Thinking about relocating to France with your trusted live-in helper? You’re not alone—many families value the continuity and support their helpers provide during such a big transition. The good news is that it’s possible to bring your helper along for a short vacation or a long-term move. However, French immigration and labour regulations are strict, and navigating them requires careful planning to ensure compliance and avoid delays.
As experts in this process, we’ve helped many expats from Singapore and beyond successfully bring their helpers to France. This article breaks down the key steps, requirements, and challenges based on official French guidelines. While the process can be complex, our specialised service can handle the details, saving you time and stress. For personalised support, contact us for a consultation to make it seamless.
The Short-Stay Option (Up to 90 Days in Any 180 days)
If you’re planning a holiday or temporary visit to France with your helper, this is the most straightforward route. Domestic helpers accompanying their employers for personal services (like childcare or household tasks) need a short-term visa.
This visa allows travel across the Schengen Area, making it ideal for multi-country vacations. However, it’s not a “tourist” visa, as she will be working for your family; instead, she needs a business visa to reflect the employment relationship.
The application must be submitted via the official France Visas website (france-visas.gouv.fr) and involves submitting a full set of documents and meeting certain criteria. Your helper will have to visit a VFS Global office for an interview. The entire process typically takes between 1 and 2 months.
Required Documents:
- Valid passport (at least three months beyond the stay).
- Completed visa application form.
- Proof of accommodation (e.g., hotel bookings, your residential French address, or an invitation letter).
- Employment contract or letter from the employer detailing the trip, duties, and salary, proving she has been working for you for at least three months.
- Proof of sufficient funds (e.g., employer’s income statement).
- Schengen travel insurance covering at least €30,000 in medical expenses.
- For helpers from Singapore, proof that the work permit is active at least three months beyond the stay.
- The employer must provide a letter of commitment to French labour laws, including minimum wage and social security payments.
Once approved, your helper can join you without further work authorisation for the short term.
This option is accessible for most, but if your plans extend beyond 90 days, you’ll need the long-stay route.
The Long-Stay Option (More Than 90 Days)
For permanent relocation or extended stays, a long-stay visa (VLS-TS) equivalent to a residence and work permit is required. France prioritises local and EU talent, so employers must prove they couldn’t find a suitable French or EU candidate before hiring a non-EU worker. This makes the process more rigorous, often taking 3-4 months.
Job Advertising: Even if domestic work is on the “tension” job list (roles with shortages), the French administration still requires the local search. Therefore, posting the job advertisement for at least three weeks on France Travail as a particulier employeur is mandatory. The employer must fairly consider all applicants and interview relevant ones before closing the job ad.
Autorisation de Travail: If there are no suitable candidates, the next step is to obtain an Autorisation de travail from the Ministère de l’Intérieur via administration-etrangers-en-france.interieur.gouv.fr. This step must be done carefully, as it typically takes between 3 and 6 weeks to get an outcome. Any incomplete submission will be rejected, causing extra delays since a new submission is required. Also, the administration might request some additional documents, so responsiveness is key.
Visa Application: Once the autorisation de travail is granted, the long-stay visa application can be submitted via France-Visas. It also involves an in-person interview at VFS Global, the organisation responsible for collecting all documents on behalf of the French consulate. We routinely attend the appointment with the helper to ensure everything is in order.
Ten days after the appointment at VFS Global, the helper will receive her visa and be able to fly!
Post-Arrival: The helper must activate her visa, and the employer should register an account at CESU to facilitate the payment of salary and social contributions while receiving tax-deductible benefits.
Challenges
- Time and Language: The process is lengthy and mostly in French; rejections are standard for missing documents.
- Global expertise: Steps to be completed in both France and Singapore.
- Compliance: Achieving compliance is not easy and requires a rigorous methodology. Therefore, we recommend using the services of experts.
The Benefits of Choosing Our Service
Bringing your helper to France is rewarding but daunting, with dual regulations in Singapore and France to navigate. As a specialised consulting and employment agency, we handle everything: job postings, permit applications, document translations, and liaison with authorities like France Travail, URSSAF, France-Visas, CESU, and the Ministère de l’Intérieur.
Our track record includes:
- 100% success rate in deploying live-in helpers in a fully compliant way.
- Transparency and Updates: Regular progress reports will be provided during the entire process.
- Expertise in France and Singapore: Deep knowledge of pitfalls and criteria to ensure full compliance at all steps and anticipate potential difficulties.
- Efficiency: Experience in communicating directly with administrations for faster resolutions.
- Post-Arrival Support: Help with post-arrival and visa renewal processes.
We’ve anticipated obstacles others miss, ensuring a 100% success rate. Ready to get started? Contact us today for a free consultation. We’ll ensure your family’s and your helpers’ move to France is smooth.
