Au Pair Meaning

Misha_Irshad · December 24, 2021, 7:03pm

Au pair is a helper from a foreign country working for, and living as part of, a host family. Typically, au pairs take on a share of the family’s responsibility for childcare as well as some housework and receive a monetary allowance for personal use. Au pair arrangements are often subject to government restrictions which specify an age range usually from mid-late teens to mid to late twenties.

Characteristics of Au pair system

The au pair program is considered a form of cultural exchange that gives the family and the au pairs a chance to experience and learn new cultures.

Arrangements differ between Europe, where the concept originated, and North America. In Europe, au pairs are only supposed to work part-time, and they often also study part-time, generally focusing on the language of the host country. In the United States, they may provide full-time childcare.

In 1969, the European Agreement on Au pair placement was signed, and it came into force in 1971. Au pair companies in the United States have significant non-refundable fees once the au pair arrives in the country. The contract does not guarantee childcare, despite many families’ reliance on the program.

Unlike many other types of domestic assistants, the au pair is considered a part of the host family and not merely an employee. In some countries, the au pair wears a uniform, but more commonly the au pair only follows the host family’s dress code and wears attire appropriate for the work description, typically including a protective apron.

How Au pair is treated in family?

An au pair receives an allowance and his/her room. The usual practice is that au pairs eat with the family most of the time, and join in some of the usual family activities such as outings and trips.

However, host families ordinarily expect to have some private time to themselves, particularly in the evenings. During this time, an au pair might retire to his or her room to watch television, study, or go out with friends.

Provision is often made for the au pair to have time for studying, especially the language of the host country. The Council of Europe recommends that au pairs be issued standard contracts with their family.

Some au pairs are now male, but females remain the overwhelming majority. Many governments impose limits as to how many hours an au pair is allowed to work.

Tasks can include

1.		Taking children to and from school
2.		Taking children to after-school activities
3.		Cooking, cleaning
4.		Ironing, tidying up
5.		Babysitting.

Each placement varies depending on the host family.

How Au pair relationships between host families and au pairs can be established?

In many developing countries, an abundant supply of local domestic labor is still available, so there is little or no demand for au pairs.

Au pair relationships between host families and au pairs can be established through various means. Traditionally, au pair agencies located in a given host country have served as an intermediary between young people seeking to become au pairs and families in the country that are interested in hosting an au pair.

Such agencies typically charge a fee to the host family for fulfilling an intermediary role between the host family and possible au pairs. The agency conducts some process of screening and evaluation of prospective au pairs and then proposes possible au pairs to the host families, who are their principal customers.

Traditional agencies also assist with the arrangement of some of the bureaucratic formalities associated with an au pair visit.

This approach typically gives prospective au pairs and host families a wider range of choices and more direct control over the selection process than is possible through a traditional agency at a considerably lower price than traditional agencies charge.

At the same time, the use of such websites requires an aspiring host family or au pair to invest more personal effort in the search process and to make their selection and arrange the formalities of an au pair stay without the involvement of a third party.

What Au pair does not have to do?

An au pair does not have to:

Manage the whole household
Prepare meals for the parents
Make the host parents’ beds and clean their bathrooms
Clean the floors
Clean the windows
Take care of the pets
Do gardening
Supervise/take care of other children that aren’t the host kids

The duties of the au pair

The duties of the au pair also include following the house rules set by the host family. This includes abiding by the curfew, bedtime, and dress code, as well as following rules for computer and phone use.

These rules may be described in a household handbook, which is provided to the au pair when moving into the host family. The curfew and bedtime are typically assigned based on when the au pair will begin work the following morning.

Summary

An au pair is a domestic helper from a foreign country working for, and living as part of, a host family. Au pairs take on a share of the family’s responsibility for childcare as well as some housework.

They receive an allowance and their own room. In many developing countries, an abundant supply of local domestic labor is still available, so there is little or no demand for au pairs.

Au pair system worldwide

Spain

The minimum pocket money for au pairs is 55–60 euros a week. There are also opportunities for young people to stay with Spanish families in exchange for speaking English with the children without having any domestic or childcare duties.

According to the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the holder of an au pair visa must be between 17 and 30 years of age.

He/she has the following rights, among others:

1. Duration of the agreement, not longer than one year.

2. Participation in household chores and duties, not more than 5 hours daily.

3. Minimum of one completely free day a week. For the student “Au Pair” to attend religious activities, one free day a month must be a Sunday.

4. Exact address where the student “Au Pair” will be residing with the host family, enjoying at the same time a certain degree of independence.

5. Determined monthly pocket money that the student “Au Pair” will receive.

6. Conditions that would allow either party to reject the Placement Agreement with advance notice of two weeks.

The Embassy requires both an offer of employment from the family, and a letter from an authorized educational institution in Spain, confirming the au pair’s enrollment in a full-time course. The au pair must also provide “proof of economic means to cover living expenses and eventual return to the country of origin.”

Switzerland

The applicant must be a female between the ages of 17 (18 in Geneva) and 29 from Western Europe, North America, Australia, or New Zealand, stay for a minimum of one year and a maximum of 18 months and attend a minimum of three hours a week of language classes in Zürich, four in Geneva.

Families in most places are required to pay half the language school fees of 500–1,000 Swiss francs for six months.

Au pairs in Switzerland work for a maximum of 30 hours per week, plus babysitting once or twice a week. The monthly salary varies among cantons but the normal range is 590–740 Swiss francs after all deductions for tax and health insurance have been made.

United Kingdom

Until Brexit au pairs mainly came to the UK from the European Economic Area under European freedom of movement regulations.

In the UK, many au pair agencies assist families looking to engage au pairs. These agencies are all privately owned and are not regulated by the UK government.

Basic application criteria

Potential au pairs must be aged 18–26 (at the time of arrival) and have no criminal record.

Unless you are in a federally funded exchange program, sponsor organizations charge participants program fees.
Fees vary from sponsor to sponsor based on the exchange category, the sponsor’s program, program duration, etc.
Be sure to check with your sponsor to get a breakdown of all costs and fees.

Au pair program types in the United States

Au pairs in the United States are categorized by program types.

Most Au pair organizations in the US classify au pairs by the following programs:

1. Standard Au Pair Program

The Standard Au Pair program is the most popular program available. Standard au pairs can work up to 45 hours per week and no more than 10 hours per day. They are paid the standard stipend amount and fulfill the minimum educational requirement of 6 hours of academic credit or its equivalent during the program year.

Families hosting standard au pairs are required to provide (up to) the first $500 toward the cost of the au pair’s academic coursework. Standard au pairs are usually available for a full-year commitment and have a variety of qualifications.

If a family has a child under the age of two, the au pair has to have at least 200 hours of experience. The weekly payment stipend for an Au Pair is U$195.75 per week, being U$4.35/hour.

2. Professional Au Pair Program

The Professional Au Pair program is for families who need more than just a babysitter and have higher child care needs, due to a new baby, multiple children, or children with special needs.

Professional au pairs have degrees in childcare-related fields such as pre-school teacher, pediatric nursing, or occupational therapy for children or one-year full-time experience with children.

A professional au pair can work up to 45 hours per week and no more than 10 hours per day. They are paid a higher stipend amount and fulfill the minimum educational requirement of 6 hours of academic credit or its equivalent during the program year.

Families hosting professional au pairs are required to provide (up to) the first $500 toward the cost of the au pair’s academic coursework. Professional au pairs are usually available for a full-year commitment and have a variety of qualifications.

Cost is typically higher for a special needs au pair. Numerous agencies offer professional Au Pair programs including Au Pair International and PRO au pair.

Summary

Sponsors and sponsor organizations charge participants program fees. Fees vary from sponsor to sponsor based on the exchange category, the sponsor’s program, program duration, etc. Be sure to check with your sponsor to get a breakdown of all costs and fees for au pairs in the United States.

Repeat participation

In 2008, the U.S. Department of State re-designated the au pair requirements and regulations and added a repeat participation clause that states:

“A foreign national who enters the United States as an au pair exchange visitor program participant and who has completed his or her program is eligible to participate again as an au pair participant, provided that he or she has resided outside the United States for at least two years following completion of his or her initial au pair program.”

Au Pair online profile

An online profile is one of the most important steps for any au pair searching for a family. Families use the profile to get to know the au pair before scheduling an interview. It is therefore crucial that au pairs have a professional profile that is accessible at all times with a fully working contact form.

Typically, an Au Pair online profile includes a candidate’s personal and contact data, information on their professional background, skills, lifestyle habits, and work-related preferences. Au pairs need to be aware that having private information publicly available could be dangerous. It is therefore important to have a private working email.

Frequently Asked Questions

People have these questions in mind.

1. Who pays for the au pair flights?

Au Pair USA arranges and pays for au pairs to travel from their home country to your local community. Families who match with an au pair who is already in the U.S. are responsible for arranging and paying for the au pair’s travel to their home. Upon successful completion of the au pair’s program, Au Pair USA will coordinate the au pair’s return travel.

2. What type of visa do au pairs need?

All au pairs come to the U.S. on the J-1 Exchange Visitor Visa, which is a non-immigrant visa granted by the U.S. Department of State. Inter Exchange functions as the visa sponsor for the au pair and will make all the arrangements for the au pair to receive the visa from their nearest American Embassy or Consulate.

3. How long can an au pair stay in the United States?

Au pairs initially come to the U.S. on a 12-month J-1 au pair visa and can extend for an additional 6, 9, or 12-months, allowing a family to benefit from up to two years of live-in childcare from the same au pair. At the end of their program, au pairs have a 30-day travel grace period in which they can remain in the U.S. (They are not permitted to work during this time.)

4. Do au pairs pay a fee to participate in the program?

Yes, au pairs usually pay a fee to participate in the program. Program fees vary depending on the au pair’s country of origin. The au pair program is generally considered an affordable cultural exchange option since the au pair earns a weekly stipend and receives room and board from the host family.

5. Do au pairs have health insurance while on the program?

All Inter Exchange au pairs have accident and sickness insurance that meets the U.S. Department of State’s requirements for the program. Au pairs have access to a network of physicians and medical providers while on the program.

Coverage and exclusion details are outlined in the insurance materials provided to the au pair. Au pairs have an option to upgrade their insurance coverage for an additional fee at the start of their program.

6. Why do au pairs participate in the program?

The Au Pair USA program allows au pairs to provide childcare to host families while earning money and participating in a true cultural exchange experience. Our au pairs are excited to travel to the U.S., improve their English and experience American culture.

7. How are au pairs trained?

Before arriving in the U.S., au pairs attend Au Pair USA’s Online Academy. The 32-hour curriculum includes courses in Child Development, Pediatric and Adult CPR and First Aid Training, American Culture, Life as an Au Pair, Personal Safety, and other important topics.

Our Online Academy is custom-designed for au pairs and uses a variety of training methods including live sessions with Au Pair USA staff, videos, online courses, and offline activities. The Online Academy meets the Department of State’s training requirements.

Conclusion

An au pair is a foreign-born domestic helper who works for and lives with a host family. Au pairs take on a portion of the family’s childcare responsibilities as well as some housework. After World War II, the notion was born in Europe.

An au pair is a domestic worker from another country who works for a host family and lives with them. Au pairs take on a portion of the family’s childcare responsibilities as well as some housework. They are given a stipend and a room.