How to Become an Au Pair
The first step in becoming an au pair is to contact an agency that specializes in placing au pairs with host families. There are many agencies around the world, some are national and some are international. The first step is usually to fill out an application form, which will ask you questions about your personal background, work history, education and more.
Once you have completed this process you may be asked for references from previous employers or schools you attended as well as letters of recommendation from family or friends who can speak about your character or personality traits. These will be used by the agency to help them decide whether or not they want to accept you as a candidate for their program.
Once accepted into an agency’s program, they will then assign you a host family and begin training classes which often include language lessons, cultural activities including visits with local families and children’s museums where you may meet other au pairs from your host country so that when it comes time for placement with your own host family in another country such as France or Germany it won’t be as intimidating because there will be other au pairs there who have also been trained by their respective agencies and therefore understand what is expected of them.
How To Become An Au Pair
Are you looking for an exciting experience abroad, but you are not sure if you are eligible to participate in the Au Pair program? Though each country has specific requirements for participants, there is also some common criteria for participation that can be applied to the majority of Au Pair programs.
You can become an Au Pair if you:
- are 17 – 30 years old
- have a good command of English or other language spoken in the host country
- enjoy working with kids
- are not married and don’t have kids of your own
- have at least a high school diploma
- are healthy without any chronic diseases
- have a clear criminal record
- want to spend time abroad
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Let’s discuss each requirement in details.
Age
You need to be at least 17 years old and not older than 30 to apply for the program. Check out the specific age requirements for each country.
Language requirements
You need to be able to communicate on a daily basis with your Host Family. If the host country’s requirements don’t state otherwise, usually good command of English or the host country’s official language is more than enough. The Au Pair program is for you to practice a foreign language, so don’t worry if you are not fluent yet!
Would you like to learn a foreign language…
… abroad? If you also like to hang out with kids, the Au Pair program is a perfect solution! Read more
If you need a visa to participate in the Au Pair program, you might be required a language certificate proving your knowledge of the target language.
You are also allowed to improve your proficiency by attending a language course in the host country. In some countries, language courses are mandatory.
Family Status
In order to take part in the Au Pair program, you can’t have children of your own. This is also a very important criteria to be entitled to the Au Pair visa. In many countries, you need to be unmarried as well.
Education
You need to have at least a school diploma (depending on the country). Some Host Families might ask for additional certificates or documents proving your experience in childcare.
Visa (if required)
You must fulfill the requirements of the host country’s embassy to be entitled to the Au Pair visa. If you are interested in participating in the Au Pair USA program, check the requirements for the J-1 visa. Read also more information about the working holiday visa, which is issued to Au Pairs in several countries.
Au Pair’s expenses
You must be able to cover the travel expenses required to reach the host country and get back home, unless you have agreed with your future Host Family on different terms. Though we encourage Host Families to support their Au Pairs with travel costs, this is not a mandatory requirement and totally depends on the family’s decision.
Other requirements
You have to be healthy and not a smoker. Although smoking is not an official criteria, the chances to find a Host Family are much higher for non-smoking Au Pairs.
Find a Host Family online!
At AuPair.com you can find thousands of Host Families from all over the world. Read our tips and find the perfect one. Learn more
You also need to love spending time with kids. As the Au Pair duties are mainly related to childcare, this experience will be enjoyable for you only if you like taking care of children. Most Host Families expect their Au Pair to have some kind of experience in childcare. You might have done some babysitting or worked in a kindergarten or another social institution for a while. The more references you can show, the better you can convince a Host Family.
As an online matching agency we have gathered the most important information about the Au Pair experience in our Au Pair Wiki. Check also the specific requirements for each country and our Au Pair FAQ if you have other questions.
General requirements for Au Pairs from EU countries
| Target country | Age | Language | Education | Visa |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Australia | 18 – 30 years | Good command of English | No regulations | Depends on your nationality – for more details check visa regulations in Australia |
| Austria | 17 – 30 years | Basic german (with certificate) | No regulations | No visa needed |
| Belgium | 17 – 30 years | No regulations | No regulations | No visa needed |
| Canada | 18 – 30 years | Basic knowledge of English or French | No regulations | Depend on your nationality – for more details check visa regulations in Canada |
| China | 18 – 29 years | Good command of English | At least a school diploma | Depend on length of the stay – for more details check visa regulations in China |
| Denmark | 18 – 29 years | Knowledge of English, German, Swedish, Norwegian or Danish | Completed 8 – 9 years of schooling | No visa needed |
| England / UK | 17 – 30 years | Good command of English | No regulations | No visa needed |
| Finland | 17 – 30 years | Basic knowledge of Finnish or Swedish | At least school diploma | No visa needed |
| France | 17 – 30 years (or more: check Stagiaire program) | No regulations | At least high school diploma or equivalent | No visa needed |
| Germany | 18 – 26 years | Basic german (sometimes you will need at least an A1 certificate) | No regulations | No visa needed |
| Iceland | 18 – 27 years | Good knowledge of English | No regulations | No visa needed |
| Ireland | 18 – 28 years | Good knowledge of English | No regulations | No visa needed |
| Italy | 18 – 30 years | No regulations | No regulations | No visa needed |
| Luxembourg | 18 – 30 years | Good command of English or one of the three official languages of Luxembourg (Luxembourgish, German or French) | At least high school diploma | No visa needed |
| Netherlands | 18 – 30 years | No regulations | No regulations | No visa needed |
| New Zealand | 18 – 30 years | Good knowledge of English | No regulations | Check the visa regulations in New Zealand |
| Norway | 18 – 30 years | Good English or Norwegian skills | No regulations | No visa needed |
| Spain | 18 – 30 years | Basic knowledge of Spanish. Knowledge of English, French or German will also work | No regulations | No visa needed |
| Sweden | 18 – 30 years | No regulations – but Au Pair needs to prove interest in Swedish culture | No regulations | No visa needed |
| Switzerland | 17 – 30 years | Good knowledge of language of the canton for which you apply | No regulations | No visa needed |
| Turkey | 18 – 30 years | Good English or basic Turkish | No regulations | Check the visa regulations in Turkey |
| USA | 18 – 26 years | Good knowledge of English | At least high school diploma | J1 visa necessary – learn more about visa regulations in USA |
General requirements for Au Pairs from non-EU countries
| Target country | Age | Language | Education | Visa |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Australia | 18 – 30 years | Good command of English | No regulations | Depends on your nationality – for more details check visa regulations in Australia |
| Austria | 18 – 28 years | Basic german (with certificate) | No regulations | Check visa requirements in Austria |
| Belgium | 18 – 25 years | Basic knowledge of at least one of the three national languages: French, German or Dutch | High school diploma or document that grants higher education | Check visa requirements in Belgium |
| Canada | 18 – 30 years | Basic knowledge of English or French | No regulations | Depend on your nationality – for more details check visa regulations in Canada |
| China | 18 – 29 years | Good command of English | At least a school diploma | Depend on length of the stay – for more details check visa regulations in China |
| Denmark | 18 – 29 years | Knowledge of English, German, Swedish, Norwegian or Danish | Completed 8 – 9 years of schooling | Check visa regulations in Denmark |
| England / UK | 18 – 30 years | Good command of English | At least an intermediate school certificate | Check visa regulations in United Kingdom |
| Finland | 18 – 30 years | Basic knowledge of Finnish or Swedish | At least school diploma | Check visa regulations in Finland |
| France | 18 – 30 years (or more: check Stagiaire program) | Basic knowledge of French (certificate might be required) | At least high school diploma or equivalent | Check visa regulations in France |
