These are the most important guidelines that people are supposed to know in order to plan their departure:

 

1) CONTRACT

During the few months or weeks before the au pair arrives, the host family and au pair should talk about their specific wishes and expectations. The detailed agreements they reach thanks to these discussions should be written into a formal contract. There is a contract template provided by the Council of Europe which can be used for this purpose.

Personally, I signed a contract for a 12-month commitment. Most of the families that use the platform Aupairworld ask for a long-term stay, such as 10 months or one year.

If the au pair comes from the EU, the au pair and host family can freely agree on the duration of the stay they prefer.

Au pairs who have required a visa must agree on a contract of at least 6 months when applying for the visa.

The legal period of notice is 14 days. This should provide both parties with enough time to make new arrangements to find another au pair or host family or to return home.

 

2) DUTIES

An au pair‘s main responsibility is to help the host family with childcare activities. Typically, light housework tasks are included in such duties. The au pair and host family should discuss and specify these duties in detail before the au pair stay begins. There have been cases where the contracts terminated because of this lack of clarity and transparency: it might happen that families exploit the au pair making her do all the housework, cooking, and shopping (occasionally, the family could ask for these services, but it doesn’t have to be a common request).

As far as I am concerned, I didn’t experience such problems as, luckily, my host family already had a cleaner who used to come three times per week, so they never asked me for any housework.

 

3) WORKING HOURS

Au pairs usually work no more than 30 hours per week, babysitting hours included.

 

4) POCKET MONEY

The au pair receives not only board and lodging, but also a little salary.

The wage changes depending on the country:

In Germany, an au pair receives monthly pocket money of 280 euros, also during holidays and in case of illness.

In Spain, the au pairs receive a minimum of 50-70 euros per week, in England, the pocket money is about 85-100£ per week, and, in France, usually 80 euros per week, the best salary in relation to the current cost of living (unless you live in Paris, one of the most expensive European cities).

 

5) LANGUAGE COURSE

Personally, I had to babysit two 7 -year -old twins, which meant that, when they were at school (9:00 AM-4:00 PM), I was free.

In their spare time, au pairs can go out (to the library, for example), visit the city, or do a language course. Au pairs should have the possibility to do such courses if they wish, but they have to bear this cost by themselves. The host family, on the other hand, is responsible for enrolling the au pair in a course.

 

6) DRIVING LICENSE

Host families often wish to have an au pair who has a driving license and an adequate driving experience. If the au pair has to drive during her stay, then issues of insurance and liability should be clarified in advance.

Not having a driving license could penalize the au pair when they seek a suitable host family. However, as there are so many families to choose from, it becomes only a bit harder, not impossible.

My host family lived in a spacious apartment, with every comfort, in a nice residential area located downtown and close to everything, so they accepted me even if I did not have a driving license.

 

7) INSURANCE

Prior to leaving their home countries, au pairs should inquire with their current health insurance provider whether the insurance cover is in force for an au pair to stay in the designated country. Au pairs should find out in which cases this insurance cover is available and which formalities need to be taken care of. But, in general, for European citizens traveling in Europe, there is no real problem, because they are all supposed to have the European Health insurance card.