This is an article for anyone who is thinking about becoming an au pair, or any family who wants to take the exciting leap and invite an au pair into their home and lives.

Finding an au pair can be exciting for all parties involved. It’s important to be well informed about what the job of the au pairs entail, as well as the process of becoming an au pair, which will bring you both together to start this exciting journey.

What is an Au Pair?

Typically, an au pair is a young, single person from overseas who wants to move to another country to learn their new language and integrate into the local community. An au pair’s main responsibility is to provide childcare to young children whilst living with the host family and becoming a member of their household. The word au pair is French for ‘at par’ or ‘equal to’, because an au pair is intended to become a member of the family!

Is there a difference between a full-time nanny, a part-time nanny and an au pair? Technically, their responsibilities are similar, and the only true distinction between nannies and au pairs, is that au pair are typically young, international workers, who will work and live in a new country on a working visa. Both look after children as their primary job and responsibility.

So, you’re thinking of becoming an Au Pair?

Being an au pair is one of the cheapest and most fulfilling ways to live and work abroad. You will usually be a live-in nanny for a local family and integrate into their lives and community. This will help to improve your language skills and allow you to gain a unique experience on other cultures.

Being an au pair overseas will help you become more independent and enhance your resume for future work. But it’s also a unique way to experience other countries and cultures – a perfect experience if you’re taking a gap year, or are just looking to do something new.

You will also get to care, educate and help raise children, which is always fulfilling and never boring.

What are the benefits on an Au Pair for families?

Au pairs, like traditional live-in nannies, will help take the stress off raising your children and running a household.

Au pair’s love to spend time with children. An au pair is to live alongside the host family in their home and help to be one of the primary caregivers to the children in the house. Au pair duties varies from household to household, but their main responsibility usually involves child care and light household chores such as cooking or cleaning – duties, which will be discussed during the interview process – in exchange for board and pay.

Au pairs are a great edition to the household as they will bring other cultures and perspectives in to your home, which will enrich your lives and the lives of your children. Your children can learn about another country, cultures and even learn another language! They will also learn social skills and open-mindedness, which will prepare them for their future learning and growth.

Au pairs can cost a lot less than traditional child care facilities. Since they will be sharing your living space, and part of their job will be for board, hiring an au pair can be a cost-effective way to get that extra help around the house.

Who can become an Au Pair?

The short answer is – anyone can!

The long answer is that it takes a certain type of person to become an au pair, you must be open-minded, independent, motivated and most importantly of all, you must love to work with children!

There are certain working visa permits you will need to be able to work and get paid in Australia. To be able to travel abroad and work, you will need to be approved before you leave. Such things may include a police check, approved work in the country you are visiting, plus some other factors that can vary case to case.

How do I find an Au Pair for my family?

Nannies Australia can help you find an au pair for your family. You can browse our au pair section and get in touch with someone today. *please note that you will need to check the current COVID-19 travel restrictions for your country before you apply.

Firstly, you will need to decide what needs your family has in terms of needing an au pair. An au pair has come to Australia expecting to work, so you will need to be able to provide efficient payment and care for them whilst they are here. Au pairs are flexible workers, but they are also considered employees in Australia. Under the Australian employment law, there is a minimum standard for all employees which you need to be aware of before hiring an au pair. Some of these regulations include minimum wage and maximum number of hours of work during the week.

You will need to discuss with au pair your needs and expectations as a family. Some of these include the types of duties the au pair will need to perform, what type of hours they can expect to work and what their living arrangements will be, as well as any other important information.

Nannies and au pairs can be an exciting and interesting experience for you and your family. You want to be able to find someone who is the right fit and will help to enhance your household. Finding the right au pair for you can be a process, if you need any more guidance, you can read our guide on how to find the perfect nanny for you (link to Find Nannies in Australia: Choosing the Right Type for your Family article).

The most important thing is to enjoy the experience and choose someone who you think will fit into your family dynamic. You and your children can learn a lot from someone when you’re sharing a roof with them. Make every experience count.