A year abroad is more than travel, it’s the chance to grow, learn, and build a second home in a new country. Live with a caring host family, enjoy free accommodation and meals, learn a new language, and meet other au pairs who become friends for life.
Free accommodation, meals & pocket money
Learn a new language & explore a new culture
Up to 50% of your flight is paid
Find detailed information about regulations in different countries
An au pair is a young person from a foreign country who comes to live with a host family and becomes part of their daily life, not as a hired employee, but as a cultural exchange guest.
In return for helping with childcare and light household tasks related to the children, the au pair receives room and board, as well as a monthly allowance (pocket money). Their stay isn’t just about work; it’s about forming friendships, learning a new culture, and becoming part of a family abroad.
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While both au pairs and nannies provide childcare and help with household tasks, the core difference lies in purpose and arrangement:
Choosing an au pair gives families flexible childcare with a cultural exchange element, for families looking for more of a shared experience than a traditional employment arrangement.
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Which option is best depends on what you value: full cultural experience and family life, or independence and personal space.
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To create a positive, respectful experience for both parties, a well-structured au pair contract is key. This guide walks au pairs through everything that should be included in the agreement: responsibilities, working hours, holidays, rules, and country-specific requirements.
Some au pair agencies can be a bit more hands-off. Okay, we don’t like to brag or anything, but we often hear that we are super involved and know what’s up with the legislation laws. Moving abroad is a big step! It’s an exciting adventure and we guide you in every step no matter where in the world you are for the best cultural exchange and work abroad experience!
Your main responsibility will be toward the children. Spending time with children is one of the most rewarding parts of the au pair job abroad as you build lasting connections with your host kids. Alongside the children, you also will be responsible for light household tasks that fall within your schedule per week.
If you are talking to multiple host families, it is important to align on what your expectations are for the year. Some host families want an au pair available during the day for their children and others want more morning help before school and evening help after school.
Personality and how you would like to spend your free time should also be considered when choosing the host family that is a good fit for you. By doing this, you will help yourself be the perfect au pair for your host family too!
It can always happen that the vibes are off in your new house or you disagree with a family member. This is why you discuss a notice agreement. This is usually 1 or 2 months. Actually, this almost never happens because you get to know your host family and children beforehand so you know about their family life. If you don’t like your host family, we’ll go look for another host family!
In addition to room and board which is a private room in the house and food for meals, au pairs are paid monthly pocket money by their host family that they can spend in their free time. The amount depends on which country you want to au pair in but should be enough money to enjoy the local culture. Check out the pocket money in your host country.
In most countries, you are also entitled to payment from your host family in the form of a language course to improve your language skills. You can learn English or learn a new language depending on your goals and how you want to integrate with your new culture. In other countries, this money can be allocated to other learning opportunities if you would like to opt out of language courses.
Yes! Au pairs are entitled to a certain amount of paid holiday depending on the country they are in. You should check with your host family to find the best week to go. Traveling is a wonderful opportunity to see some of the best scenery your host country or neighboring countries have to offer and a great way to meet other like-minded young people. You can check the rules regarding holiday leave per country right here.
The weekly schedule is a valuable guide to help you understand your tasks and responsibilities throughout the week. While it provides structure, it isn’t fixed.
With clear, timely communication, it can be adjusted whenever you or your host family have any changes or commitments.
Having a schedule not only sets expectations but also helps prevent misunderstandings. From our experience, many challenges arise simply because no plan was put in place.
That’s why we offer this template, to support smooth communication and a positive experience between you and your host family.
