au pair

Become a Host Family in Switzerland

Are you looking for an affordable childcare solution for your children in Switzerland? Hosting an Au Pair can be the perfect option for you!
If you are keen to join the program as a family, let’s see whether you can become a Host Family in Switzerland.
 
become a host family Switzerland

Can you become a Host Family in Switzerland?

If you would like to host an Au Pair in Switzerland you need to meet the following criteria of participation:   
  1. You have at least one child of school age or younger. 
  2. You speak the language of the area where you live.
  3. You can offer accommodation for the Au Pair, regular meals, pocket money and help with the insurance.   
  4. You will help your candidate find a language course and cover the costs. Make sure the working schedule is constructed in a way that enables the participant to attend this course weekly.
If the information above is about you, join AuPair.com and find an Au Pair for your family!
 
Free Registration as Family

After you register, fill in your profile. Add pictures of your city and family to give a better visual impression. Write an introduction letter to your future Au Pair. Use the filters during your search to find the right candidate faster! 
 
The free membership on AuPair.com gives you the possibility to send automated messages to all registered users and add them to your list of favorites. Our Premium Membership gives you access to some additional features like sending personalized messages, getting different document templates that you will need throughout the program. 
 
Before you shortlist applicants, let’s have a look at which candidates can become Au Pairs in Switzerland. Read more about the requirements for EU and Non-EU citizens, program rules, insurance in Switzerland, visa requirements.
 
After you find a candidate matching your search criteria, sign the contract. Include all the important details of your cooperation, like working hours, responsibilities, holidays, expectations and other terms.

Hosting EU and Non-EU applicants in Switzerland

In addition to standard program requirements that we will look into below, there are some general expectations for participants. For instance, they need to be in good health to be able to work with children and take on some responsibilities around the house. In addition to this, they need to be unmarried, without children of their own and have some child care experience as this will be the main responsibility of the Au Pair in your home. We also recommend that the applicant speaks the language of your family a bit already so you can understand each other better. 

Please note: each canton receives a different number of places for a visa. Since the quota is always different, you should always contact the embassy or the foreigners' registration office in the canton in which you live beforehand.

Hosting an Au Pair from the European Union and EFTA in Switzerland

Applicants from European Union countries and EFTA (Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Switzerland) only need to meet the age limit (17-30 years old) so this makes the search much easier. Don’t forget to organize a video call with suitable applicants to get to know each other better. Once you select your candidate and sign the contract, there are a few formalities to take care of once your candidate reaches Switzerland:
 
1
Register your Au Pair
You need to register the applicant within 14 days after the arrival in Switzerland. You only need the identity card/passport of the participant and the previously signed Au Pair contract.
 
2
Apply for a residence permit
Apply for a residence permit at the cantonal immigration office. For this you will need the following documents:
  • A passport or an identity card of the applicant
  • The previously signed contract 
  • Applicant’s registration obtained within 14 days after the arrival
  • A passport photo
The permit will be valid for the duration of the contract. It can be extended by 12 months. 
 
3
Get an insurance
Au Pairs are considered employees in Switzerland, thus there will be contributions subtracted from the monthly pocket money. For this you will need to apply for an insurance certificate. The contributions for health, pension, unemployment and accident insurance will be divided between your family and the income of the Au Pair.
 
NOTE: Applicants staying for less than three months only need to register with the cantonal authorities in Switzerland after their arrival.

How to hire an Au Pair from a Non-EU country

The regulations for Non-EU citizens differ a bit. The participation criteria for Switzerland are the following:
  • Age: 18 - 30 years old
  • Education: at least a high school diploma
  • The applicant’s country has diplomatic relations with Switzerland
  • The applicant is eligible for the visa application
Note that you can find a suitable candidate on AuPair.com, but you will need to clear all further documentation through an agency recognized by the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO), so the further steps after signing the contract will be the following:
 
1
Choose an agency
Talk to your Au Pair and choose an agency recognized by SECO together for further documentation and formalities. 
 
2
Apply for the work and residence permit for the Au Pair
Since the Au Pair program is an employment in Switzerland, you need to apply for a work and residence permit for your Au Pair at your cantonal immigration authority. For this you will need the following documents
  • Application form provided by the canton
  • A copy of the applicant’s passport
  • The contract
  • A confirmation of the placement from the recognized agency
  • Applicant’s pre-registration for a language course of the canton
  • Registration with a Swiss health insurance company
The process of the document analysis can take up to four weeks. 
 
3
Help your Au Pair with the documents for the visa application
Participants who need a visa need to submit all required documents in the respective embassy or other diplomatic authorities of Switzerland in their country. In addition to the applicant’s documents like passport, birth certificate, application form, they will require the Au Pair contract from you.
 
All the documents need to be submitted in English or one of the official languages of Switzerland. The translation should be done by an authorized translator. 
 
4
Register your Au Pair after arrival.
Within 8 days after the arrival in Switzerland you need to register your Au Pair at the cantonal registration office. You will need the passport of the applicant, entry permit and a few other documents depending on the canton. The registration will help the applicant to get an identity card from the immigration office. It will serve as work and residence permit. 
 
5
Clear the insurance of the Au Pair
Both your family and Au Pair will need to pay contributions for the insurance in Switzerland. As your family is an employer of an Au Pair in Switzerland you will need to help the applicant with health, accident, pension and unemployment insurance. For this you need to apply for a social insurance certificate. The contributions will be partially taken from the applicant’s pocket money and the other part will be covered by your family. 


Au Pair in Switzerland: contract and insurance
Au Pair in Switzerland: contract and insurance Read More »
Au Pair in Switzerland: Visa requirements
Au Pair in Switzerland: Visa requirements Read More »
Au Pair in Switzerland: salary, holiday and more
Au Pair in Switzerland: salary, holiday and more Read More »


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