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Au Pair in Finland: information on the program

Finland is a great Au Pair destination for candidates who would like to discover Nordic family life, improve their Finnish or Swedish, and learn more about Finnish culture. In Finland, an Au Pair stay is meant to be a cultural exchange, where the Au Pair lives with a Host Family, helps with light housework and childcare, and studies the local language and culture during the stay.

Program requirements

Everything you need to know to join the Au Pair program in Finland

For Au Pairs

Be 17 to 30 years old
Not have worked as an Au Pair before in Finland or in any other country
Have basic knowledge of Finnish or Swedish and of Finnish culture
Must have completed these language or culture studies abroad before arriving in Finland
Be enrolled in a language or culture course in Finland
Not be closely related to the Host Family
Have private health and accident insurance for the whole stay
Have a recent health certificate (not older than 3 months)
Have a written agreement with your Host Family

Do you meet all the requirements? Then start searching for a Host Family in Finland. Otherwise, check out other countries where you can become an Au Pair.

Free Registration as Candidate

For Host Families

Must provide the Au Pair with a private room and full board
Must be able to pay at least EUR 340 net per month in pocket money
Must ensure that the Au Pair has health and accident insurance for the whole stay
Must sign a written agreement with the Au Pair
Must give the Au Pair enough time to attend language/cultural courses
The Au Pair’s chores must not exceed the amount of domestic work and childminding normally done by other family members

Do you meet all the requirements? Then start your search for an Au Pair in Finland. Otherwise, consider other available programs.

Free Registration as Family

Working Conditions

Working Hours

Maximum 25 hours per week

Time Off and Holidays

At least one full free day every week
At least two successive free days every second week
Free time and free days must be agreed upon in the written agreement

Language Course

The Au Pair must be enrolled in a course in Finland
The course can be in Finnish or Swedish, or another course about Finnish culture and society
The Host Family must give the Au Pair enough time to attend language courses
Course details must be included in the written agreement

Au Pair Responsibilities

Childcare, light housework, and everyday family tasks
The Au Pair is not housekeeping staff. If the purpose is home-help work, a different permit is needed
The stay must remain a cultural exchange, not ordinary employment

See details on Au Pair duties and schedule.

Au Pair Insurance

Private health and accident insurance is required for the whole stay
Occupational accident insurance alone is not sufficient
The insurance must cover all medical and pharmaceutical expenses in Finland without restrictions

Driving Licence

Driving arrangements should be agreed upon in advance between the Au Pair and the Host Family
If driving is expected, the family should clarify licence validity, insurance coverage, and responsibility for damages before the stay begins

Host Families provide Au Pairs with:

Accommodation

The Host Family must provide the Au Pair with a private room during the stay. The room must be sufficiently spacious, have a window, and be completely furnished for the Au Pair’s use.

Meals

The Au Pair must receive full board from the Host Family.

Pocket Money

The Host Family must pay at least EUR 340 net per month in 2026.

Language Course

The Au Pair must attend a language or culture course in Finland. The Host Family must give enough time for attendance.

Health Insurance

The Host Family must make sure that the Au Pair has private health and accident insurance covering the whole stay in Finland.

Transportation

There is no specific official rule on transport support. If transport is needed for childcare or courses, this should be agreed on individually.

Legal Support

The written agreement must include the main terms of the stay, and the Host Family may follow the status of the application if the Au Pair gives a power of attorney.

Free Registration as Candidate Free Registration as Family

Everything You Need to Know

Explore our comprehensive guides to make your Au Pair journey smooth and successful

Visa & Next Steps

Entry requirements for EU and non-EU applicants
Visa and residence permit applications
Legal steps once arrived in Finland

Au Pair in Finland: guided tour Experience your Northern adventure as an Au Pair in Finland! Where is the best place to stay? Which places should you visit? Find out here.
Explore Finland

Start Learning

What our customers have to say about us and our service:

Member since 5 years

Meghan's family, Canada

❱ Spanish Au Pair

Great! We were able to communicate well together and we matched really well!

Alphonce, French

Au Pair in France
During my time as an au pair with the Alexandra family, I developed a strong and nurturing relationship with both the children and the parents. I was responsible for daily routines including ❱❱

Member since 7 years

Michele's family, Italy

❱ Argentinean Au Pair

Amparo is a very reliable Nanny, honest, fair in family relations.excellent English and music teacher, she has been a valuable help to me in the family

Member since 8 years

Bradley's family, Usa

❱ Polish Au Pair

Really great and seemless experience. The site is so easy to navigate and it is easy to communicate with au pairs and find the right match.

Contract Information

Understanding your agreement

Written Agreement There is no state-issued Finland-specific Au Pair contract, but a written agreement is mandatory. Therefore, we advise you to download our free contract and fill it out. The agreement must be attached to the application and must include the main conditions of the stay.

Contract Duration You can stay in Finland on an Au Pair status for a maximum of one year. If you later wish to stay in Finland on other grounds, you may apply for an extended permit on another basis.

If you cannot continue with your original Host Family and your residence permit is still valid, you may move to a new Host Family without applying for a new Au Pair permit.

Contract Must Include

Accommodation, rights, and obligations during the Au Pair placement
Pocket money and other means of support
Duties and how the maximum of 25 hours is distributed over the week
Times when the Au Pair must be available for tasks
Free time and free days
Courses the Au Pair will attend

Au Pair program costs in Finland

For the Host Family and Au Pair

Host Family Covers

Pocket money: at least EUR 340 net per month
Accommodation: private room in the Host Family’s home
Food: full board during the stay
Insurance: private health and accident insurance for the whole stay

Au Pair Covers

Residence permit fee: EUR 530 online / EUR 630 paper for non-EU applicants
Course: Language or culture course fees, unless otherwise agreed
Personal expenses: phone, leisure, and extra travel
Extras: Other everyday expenses not covered by room, board, or the required scheme benefits

What else?

The Au Pair may not start au pairing until the residence permit has been granted. A residence permit for Au Pair status only allows Au Pair tasks and does not give a general right to work in Finland.
The health certificate must be less than 3 months old. If you have a valid vaccination certificate for one of the listed diseases, it may cover that part of the health certificate requirement, but a recent health certificate is still required for the other diseases.
EU citizens do not need a residence permit but must register their right of residence if they stay in Finland for longer than three months.