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Who’s responsible for the Au Pair’s travel expenses?

Au Pairs are generally responsible for the travel expenses to the host country. Host Families may decide to contribute and cover these costs entirely or partially, but should keep some important points in mind. Both the Au Pair and the Host Family should discuss all points of the Au Pair contract in detail and add the information regarding who’s going to cover the travel costs of the Au Pair to the host country.

One of the most confusing points for both Host Families and candidates is who is responsible for the Au Pair's travel expenses. Many Au Pairs believe that once they find a Host Family, the family will buy them a one-way ticket so that they can join them and begin their experience abroad. Unfortunately, this is not the case, and Au Pairs are responsible for covering these expenses. However, there are exceptions.

Is the Host Family responsible for the Au Pair's travel expenses?

Although we encourage Host Families to assist Au Pairs with travel expenses, it's not their direct responsibility to do so. During the video interview, we suggest that the Host Family ask the Au Pair if he/she can afford to pay for the transportation. It is important to consider this aspect and discuss it immediately. It will then be possible to discuss refunding the ticket once the Au Pair arrives in the host country. In any case, the Au Pair is responsible for purchasing the ticket in the first place.

USA and China exceptions

Although generally speaking, the Au Pair must cover the travel expenses, these two countries represent an exception:

In the USA, the outbound flight is paid by the Host Family or the full-service agency. The return flight will be paid upon successful completion of the program. Remember that to be a legal Au Pair in the USA, you need to apply to a US Government-designated Au Pair agency. Choose your agency and ask them for detailed information regarding the travel costs to the USA.
In China, the Host Family is responsible for covering the travel expenses entirely or partially, based on the length of the Au Pair's stay. In any case, the flight will be refunded upon successful completion of the program.

Should Au Pairs buy a return ticket in advance?

To be able to obtain an Au Pair visa, many Au Pairs from several nationalities will need to buy a return ticket. This is to ensure the authorities that the nature of the cultural experience is being respected and that, after the period stated in the contract, the candidate plans to return to her/his home country.

Moreover, buying a round-trip ticket is most of the time more convenient than buying two tickets separately. We prepared a table for you to understand how much a round-trip ticket to the most popular Au Pair destinations costs. Click here or keep reading until the end of the page to learn more.

If the Host Family buys the return ticket as a gift

After spending many months together with their new family members, many Host Families decide to cover the costs of the return ticket as a gift. Again, this is not mandatory, but it is certainly a nice gesture that Host Families can decide to do freely and that Au Pairs always appreciate. If the Au Pair already bought a return flight, the Host Family can decide to refund it.

Contract

To have a safe Au Pair stay and to avoid any misunderstandings we encourage both the Au Pair and the Host Family to take some time to discuss in detail all the aspects of the program and to carefully fulfill the Au Pair contract. To be sure that everything is clear and to avoid even the smallest problems, it is important that you sign the contract before the start of the program - it means before the Au Pair arrives in the host country.

Many of the misunderstandings originate precisely because of the travel expenses. That’s why we recommend you add to the contract who’s responsible for partying for the ticket. If the Host Family agrees to cover this cost partially or entirely, it is important to specify the exact amount the family will be paying, how the refund will happen, and when the Au Pair will receive the money.

We suggest Host Families who want to support their Au Pair refund the cost in one or more installments depending on the total amount. If the ticket costs, for example, 200 euros, the Host Family can add 50 euros each month to the Au Pair’s pocket money for the first 4 months. Finally, we suggest Host Families make this payment via bank transfer so that, in case of misunderstandings, it will be easy for them to prove that they complied with the agreement. Note that the travel costs can’t be deducted from the Au Pair’s pocket money.

Table with samples

In some cases, it will be possible for the Au Pair to reach the host country via bus or train. In the European Union, for example, traveling overland can be really convenient compared to flying.

In case the Au Pair needs to reach the host country via a flight, the cost of the ticket may vary significantly depending on many factors, such as the Au Pair’s destination, the chosen airline, and how much luggage the Au Pair brings with her/him.

This is the highest cost that Au Pairs will have to bear. Therefore, we want you to be prepared and have an idea of the possible costs you will face. Below is the average cost of direct flights to and from the most popular Au Pair destinations.

Journey	Flight cost (round-trip)
UK - Spain	approx. 300 euro
Canada - France	approx. 2000 euro
UK - Australia	approx. 2000 euro
Spain - USA	approx. 1200 euro
USA - Germany	approx. 1400 euro

What else?

We know that discussing money is never easy. However, it is extremely important to talk about this topic before signing the contract. Read this article and list of questions to ask your future Au Pair/Host family during a video call.
We recommend you meet your preferred candidates/Host Families at least 3 times in a video call before you take any decision.

Who should pay for the travel expenses?: We recommend Host Families to help Au Pairs with travel expenses, though it’s not their obligation to do so. In any case, the Au Pair needs to cover the travel costs initially. If the Host Family would like to support the Au Pair, they can repay the ticket price in monthly installments that will be added to the Au Pair's salary during 10 months. In the case of Au Pair USA and China, the ticket will be covered by the Host Family. We recommend to discuss this topic before the Au Pair’s arrival and note down the conditions in the Au Pair contract. Learn more about other Au Pair costs to participate in the program or Host Family costs for hosting an Au Pair.

How can an Au Pair get a visa?: AuPair.com is an online matching agency, therefore this question is beyond our scope of responsibility. But we will do our best to help you nonetheless! Usually the best source of information is the embassy of the host country placed in the Au Pair’s homeland. Requirements vary depending on both the Au Pair’s nationality and the host country, but usually a letter of invitation from the Host Family and a signed contract are needed to start the visa application. Other documents may be different depending on each individual case, and in case of the US, assistance of a local full-service Au Pair agency is also necessary.

Do Au Pairs need an insurance?: Depends - if the Au Pair is an EU citizen and wants to work in an EU country, she won't need an additional insurance. In almost every other case the Au Pair will need an insurance. You can read more about the European Health Insurance Card here.

Can you help me with the paperwork and the placement process?: Unfortunately, we can’t help you with it. We are an online matching agency, thus we can’t interfere in your searching or placing process. We are happy to provide you with all our searching and matching tools and the information about the Au Pair experience. As our platform is available worldwide, we are unable to take care of all the applications we get daily. Feel free to use our service to visit your dream destination and find a great Host Family. We will be also glad to get your feedback! If you have any ideas or comments, get in touch with us.

What is the process of becoming an Au Pair?: The Au Pair program is primarily a cultural exchange, thus Host Family and Au Pair need to belong to different nationalities. Below you can see a step-by-step guide that will help you become a part of the Au Pair experience.
1. Register on AuPair.com and create your profile. As an Au Pair you can use the AuPair.com platform for free: send messages, browse profiles and get many other benefits after the registration. To stand out among the participants, you need to create an interesting profile.

2. Search for a prospective Host Family. Once you are signed in as an Au Pair, you can start searching for Host Families in different countries. The platform gives you the opportunity to browse families that match your preferences and destinations. In addition to AuPair.com's suggestions, you can add other families to your Favorites. This way you will have a selected list of users you are interested in. Each added family will receive a notification.

3. Meet up during the video-interview. After shortlisting the most suitable families, it is really important to talk to them to get to know each other better. During the interview both parties will share their expectations and talk about the important details of the cooperation. You will be able to see which family suits you best. In addition to this, a live video-call will protect you from possible scam attempts. Since scammers are afraid to reveal their identity, they usually refuse to join video-calls.

4. Sign the Au Pair contract and close other formalities. The Au Pair contract is a formal document stating all important details discussed between you and your future Host Family. It can help you avoid many possible misunderstandings and problems during the stay. Download the template of the Au Pair contract and edit it together with your Host Family according to your needs and the host country’s laws. Sign the contract and keep it with you. It is one of the visa requirements, though you might also need it for other formalities.

5. Prepare for your trip. There are many important things you need to consider before going abroad: clarifying formalities with the host country’s embassy if you need a visa, gathering all the documents you need for registration in the host country, making sure your insurance coverage is sufficient, packing the suitcase, booking the tickets. If the Host Family is willing to help you with the travel costs, we recommend writing it down in the Au Pair contract and define the installments that will be added to your monthly pocket money during the year. Nevertheless, it is not a responsibility of the Host Family to cover travel expenses.

6. Adapt to the new country. Once you have arrived it's time to get to know your Host Family and the place where you will be living. Normally, it will take some time for the children to adapt to a new person, so don't worry if they seem distant at the beginning.

7. Enjoy your Au Pair experience. Don’t forget that the Au Pair program gives you a unique opportunity to stay abroad for some time and gain new experiences. Explore the country and local culture, meet new people and make sure you enjoy this experience to the max