Au Pair in Australia: contract and insurance

The Au Pair contract in Australia is a written agreement between the Host Family and the Au Pair. It includes important details such as the length of stay, the number of weekly working hours (usually 25–40), compensation (pocket money, room and board), days off, and termination conditions. Both parties need to sign the Au Pair contract before the stay begins.

In Australia, the Au Pair is also responsible for arranging suitable insurance. Typically, it should cover healthcare, accident, and liability.

Download the Standard Au Pair Contract Template

Before embarking on your Au Pair adventure in Australia, it is essential to ensure that everything is clear and legally sound. This includes signing a detailed Au Pair contract and choosing the right insurance. These steps will protect both you and your Host Family, allowing everyone to enjoy a smooth and worry-free stay.

The Au Pair contract in Australia

Why the Contract Matters

As there is no standardized Au Pair program in Australia, the Host Country follows the general rules of the program. Having a detailed contract helps ensure that both sides understand their roles and obligations. It reduces misunderstandings and helps prevent disputes later on.

AuPair.com recommends downloading the standard contract template and customizing it according to your needs and the country’s legal requirements. The document only needs to be edited by the Host Family and the Au Pair.

What to Include in the Contract

Try to make the contract as detailed and transparent as possible. Discuss and include the following points in the contract:

number of working hours
If possible, the exact schedule
number of free days per week
length and start date of the holiday break
details of the accommodation
detailed scope of responsibility of the Au Pair (duties)
detailed scope of responsibility of the Host Family
pocket money
termination notice period

Tip: Discuss all the details of the stay during the Video Interview, and make sure both sides sign the document.

Termination of the Contract

There are no official rules about the termination of the Au Pair contract, but we strongly recommend giving both the Au Pair and the Host Family at least 2 weeks of notice. This gives both sides enough time to find either a replacement or a different option.

The Au Pair Insurance in Australia

Purchasing insurance before travelling to Australia is a must for every Au Pair. The cost of any medical treatment following an accident or the need for medical care can be overwhelming, one day in a local hospital can easily reach 1000 AUD. Insurance ensures that unexpected accidents or illnesses don’t result in heavy expenses.

If the Au Pair needs to drive a car in Australia, the Host Family needs to report this fact to their insurance company. Moreover, the Au Pair’s driving license may not be valid in Australia, and therefore you will need to find a solution accordingly. Normally, you can request an international driving license in your home country.

Health Insurance in Australia for Au Pairs

Foreigners in Australia must arrange their own medical insurance as they are not eligible for Medicare, the public health system, unless they come from a country with which Australia has a reciprocal healthcare agreement.

Since medical care and hospitalization are expensive, we strongly advise you to purchase private health insurance to cover the full duration of your stay.

The Australian Department of Immigration and Border Protection recommends Overseas Visitors Health Cover. You can also choose other private international health insurance plans (e.g., from Dr. Walter or Care Concept).

Insurance Options Comparison

Insurance Type	Who It's For	Notes
Overseas Visitors Health Cover (OVHC)	Visitors	Offers various policies, different in terms of cost, benefits and eligibility. Most of the policies cover hospital admissions and other medical expenses. In addition to OVHC, General Treatment can cover private medical treatment, such as the dentist. Depending on the policy, the Au Pair will need to cover the part of such costs out of the pocket, but the insurer should take care of the major part of costs.
Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC)	Students	Aimed to assist international students during their courses in Australia. Insurance should cover the cost of hospitalization, ambulance, general medical care and limited scope of pharmaceuticals
Private Insurance	Any Au Pair	Custom plans (health, accident, liability) Compare providers like Dr. Walter or Care Concept

More details are available on the Australia’s official websites for immigrants and visitors.

Reciprocal health care agreement in Australia

Au Pairs from countries with which Australia has a reciprocal healthcare arrangement can only use the Australian healthcare system in an emergency or if immediate treatment is necessary.

The countries that signed the agreement with Australia are:

Belgium
Finland
Ireland
Italy
Malta
Netherlands
New Zealand
Slovenia
Sweden
United Kingdom

Note: Even if your country is listed, coverage is very limited. We still recommend taking out additional private health insurance.

Car Insurance and Driving License in Australia

Driving in Australia: What You Need to Know

Driving in Australia might be challenging for foreign Au Pairs—cars drive on the left, and road rules may differ from your home country.

The Au Pair should be an experienced driver to deal with Australian roads.
The Host Family should make sure that the insurance company covers all possible damages in case of any accident.
In some states, an International Driving License is required. In others, the Au Pair can only have the foreign license, accompanied by a formal English translation.
Laws, regulations, and requirements differ by state and territory. Host Families should always check local regulations before the Au Pair gets behind the wheel.

Recommendation: Get both accident and liability insurance for the Au Pair.

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.

What are the requirements to host an Au Pair?: There are three most important requirements: the Au Pair accommodation, full board and monthly/weekly sum of pocket money. We recommend to go through the full list of requirements for Host Families. If you meet them, you can register as a Host Family today and find an Au Pair that matches your criteria.

Do I need a visa to become an Au Pair?: The visa requirements vary depending on the Au Pair citizenship and target country. The Au Pair needs to ask the host country's embassy in her/his homeland about the visa requirements. Find more information here.

Do you help with documents, visa, etc.?: AuPair.com is an online matching agency, where Au Pair and Host Families can find each other. However, AuPair.com is not a full-service Au Pair agency! That means, that we do NOT place Au Pairs in Host Families actively. We do not organize the stay and we do not help with visa applications or Au Pair and Host Family rematchings. We also do not solve problems between Host Families and their Au Pairs, although if you have a problem with one of our users, you can raise a complaint anytime.

If these services are important to you, we recommend you to contact one of our cooperation Au Pair agency. Addresses can be found at the list of Au Pair agencies.