What is an au pair?
An au pair is a foreign national who wishes to travel abroad to learn or further explore his/her language skills and to live as part of an English speaking family for a minimum period of six months and up to two years. He/she is not a domestic servant but is responsible for taking care of children and light housework in return for his/her own room, food and pocket money.
An au pair is not a trained nanny and therefore the host family should be prepared to instruct, guide and support him/her accordingly.
Applicants, who wish to apply for an au pair placement, must be a single and between 17 and 30 years of age.
Which types of the au pair programme do we offer?
Au Pair - up to 25 working hours per week plus two evenings baby-sitting per week during the working days if needed. Two days off per week. Pocket monies from £60.00 per week.
Au Pair Plus - up to 40 working hours per week plus two evenings baby-sitting per week during the working days if needed. Two days off per week. Pocket monies from £80.00 per week.
How much is the agency fee and what does it entail?
Au pairs
We do not charge any fees to au pair applicants.
Host families
We charge an agency fee of £275.00 which is payable once an au pair placement has been confirmed. Registration process is free.
The agency placement fee entails costs incurred for:
- administration duties
- postage
- international phone calls
- au pair's ticket for travel to the UK
- improvement of the current services we provide
How much pocket money do au pairs receive?
Depending on the selected type of au pair programme, guidelines on pocket monies are as follows:
- Au Pair - a minimum of £60.00 per week
- Au Pair Plus - a minimum of £80.00 per week
How many days off a week does an au pair receive?
Au Pair receives 2 days off a week, which usually is Saturday and Sunday. However, depending on the host family's work commitments, au pair may be sometimes asked to work on a weekend given a day off during the week.
The specific working hours and days are agreed between the host family and the au pair before the au pair placement start date or during the au pair's stay with the family.
How many days/weeks of paid holiday are au pairs granted?
Au pairs are entitled to two weeks paid holiday per year; one week for every six months worked. If the au pair placement is for a shorter period of time, holiday is calculated pro-rata. The au pair should not be forced to take holiday to coincide with the family holiday.
How much notice are au pairs and host families required to give prior to terminating au pair agreement?
A minimum of four weeks notice in required to be given to the au pair agency if either side wishes to terminate the au pair agreement. During the notice period au pairs are required to perform their usual daily duties and the host families are required to continue to supply the au pair with her/his own room, board and pocket money.
In a case of gross misconduct, the au pair agreement may be terminated with immediate effect.
What is our rematch policy?
If the host family is not satisfied with the au pair provided, a full refund or a free replacement will be offered within the first three months from the au pair's arrival. Thereafter full agency fee applies.
If the au pair is not satisfied with the host family provided, the au pair agency will endeavour to arrange a replacement host family within the standard notice period of four weeks.
Do host families pay for the au pair's monthly transport ticket?
If the au pair is required to use public transport in order to perform her daily/weekly duties, the host family needs to pay for the expenses incurred.
If the au pair is required to drive in order to perform her daily/weekly duties, the host family should ensure that their au pair ir provided with the necessary funds for petrol, oil and other expenses, where applicable.
Which countries are included in the au pair scheme?
An au pair must be a national of one of the following countries:
- Andoora
- Bosnia-Herzegovina
- Bulgaria
- Croatia
- Faroe Islands
- Greenland
- Macedonia
- Monaco
- Romania
- San Marino
- Turkey
EU and Swiss Nationals are also welcome to come to the UK as au pairs.
Who funds the au pair's travel to the UK?
Au Pair Professional as the receiving agency offer to fund the au pair's travel to the UK providing the candidate is willing and available to stay as an au pair for a minimum period of six months or for the minimum length of stay as agreed with the actual host family.
What is the age of children au pair can take sole charge for?
An au pair should not be allowed to have sole charge of children under the age of two years.
What type of housework may we ask our au pair to perform?
- washing dishes, including loading and unloading dishwasher
- preparing simple meals for children
- keeping kitchen tidy and clean, including sweeping and mopping floors
- loading and unloading laundry into washing machine
- ironing for children
- putting washed clothes away
- vacuuming
- dusting
- making and changing the children's beds
- cleaning children's bathroom
- everything to do with keeping his/her own room / bathroom clean and tidy
- light shopping (not the household shopping)
- walking and feeding pets
- emptying bins
What type of housework we as a host family cannot ask our au pair to perform?
- gardening
- window cleaning
- spring cleaning
- cleaning the oven, other than simple wiping out
- washing carpets
- washing the car
- weekly shopping
- pet training
- clearing up after untrained pets
- making parents' bed*
- ironing for parents*
- cleaning the parents' en-suite bathroom*
- polishing silver and brassware*
- cooking the family meal, unless the au pair enjoys cooking and has chosen to do this for the family
* these duties can be included where there is less childcare and the children are not at home for most of the day
Au pairs should not be required to do housework such as ironing when looking after children of primary school age or toddlers.
Do we as a host family need to allow sufficient leisure time for our au pair?
Yes, the au pair's working schedule must provide sufficient time to attend a language school and the au pair shall receive two free days each week and should be offered one full weekend per month.
Do we as a host family pay for the au pair's language classes?
Host families are not obliged to fund the au pair's language school fees.
Majority of language schools in the UK offer free English courses to foreign nationals providing they are nationals of EU countries.
The host family should enquire of English classes available in their local area and discuss the options available with their au pair when she/he arrives.
What do we as a host family need to provide our au pair with in addition to pocket monies?
The au pair is required to receive full room and board from the family throughout the stay. The au pair must have her own room and not be required to share with children and she should be given facilities to study.
How do I qualify to travel to the UK as an au pair?
You must show that you want to come to the UK on an au pair placement and that you:
- are not married
- have no dependants
- do not plan to stay in the UK for more than two years as an au pair
- can support yourself and live without getting any help from public funds, and
- intend to leave the UK when you complete your au pair placement
Do I need a visa?
Nationals of Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Macedonia, Romania and Turkey must get a visa before they travel to the UK.
If you do not need an entry clearance when you arrive in the UK, you will have to satisfy the Immigration Officer that you qualify for entry. They will then give you a permission to stay in the UK for six months.
Can I move to another host family?
Yes, you can move to another host family as long as the new arrangements continue to meet the requirements of the Immigration Rules.
Do I as an au pair need to have insurance?
Au pairs visiting the UK do not need additional health insurance as they are entitled to use the National Health Service. The au pair may wish to take out additional travel insurance to cover loss of belongings, repatriation in case of accident, death etc.
How can I as an au pair obtain contact details of other au pairs in the host country?
Au Pair Support Scheme
If you staying with one of our families as an au pair, we can provide you with contact details of other au pairs in the host country. We can either provide you with contact details of the au pairs of the same nationality as you, those living the same area as you or both. Please contact us for further details.
