Au Pair’s job descriptions are not always very clear - Au Pair’s work, Au Pair’s hours and salary and even the exact scope of responsibilities vary from case to case.
Applicants looking forward to becoming an Au Pair and Families hiring an Au Pair should discuss the terms of their cooperation prior the beginning of the Au Pair program and sign the Au Pair contract.
If you want to knowwhat Au Pair should do, click here.
If you want to know what Au Pair should NOT do, click here.
An Au Pair has different responsibilities according to the Host Family needs. The main task is taking care of the children and playing with them. As a temporary family member the Au Pair is also expected to participate in light housework, for example, folding the children's clothes and cleaning the table.
These duties should be determined and agreed before the Au Pair travels to the host country. To make this official, Host Families can use the Au Pair contract provided by AuPair.com, which will also be needed in case of requiring a visa.
Ironing the children's clothes and do their laundry
Helping the children with their homework
Putting the kids to sleep
Helping the host kids with personal hygiene (tooth brushing, changing diapers etc.)
Light shopping
Loading and unloading the dishwasher
The Au Pair's primary chore is to take care of the children. Au Pairs work between 20 and 45 hours a week depending on the host country. Host Families have to respect these working hours and give the possibility to their Au Pairs to attend a language course and have free time to fully enjoy the experience of living abroad.
Download the Au Pair contract
The scope of responsibility should be described in details in the Au Pair contract - and the contract should be signed before the program start date. Learn more
An Au Pair should not be mistaken for a nanny or a housekeeper. The Au Pair program provides a cultural exchange for both parties. An Au Pair is not in charge of the household. Here are some duties that the Au Pair should NOT do during her stay with the Host Family.
Cooking for the entire family
Cleaning non-shared rooms or work in the garden
Washing the car
Doing laundry or ironing clothes for the whole family
Clean windows
Taking care of others' children besides the host kids
It depends. If the Au Pair is an EU citizen and is staying within the EU, then he/she can have another job. For the rest of the cases, it depends on the visa the Au Pair holds, the amount of hours she already works and the specific labour laws of the Host Country.
Can Au Pairs work more than 45 hours?
No. Every country has its own regulations for how many hours/week the Au Pair is allowed to work, and they correspond to a specific monthly pocket money. In some countries, like the USA, this includes extra babysitting hours. In other Host Countries it depends on the agreement between Au Pair and Host Family.
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