Being an au pair in Germany

IMPORTANT (2011): THIS PAGE IS BEING UPDATED. FOR UP TO DATE INFORMATION PLEASE REFER TO THE OFFICIAL GOVERNMENT WEBSITE FOR EACH COUNTRY.

Employment requirements and conditions for au pairs and nannies change on a regular basis in every country. Please note it is YOUR responsibility to check the most up-to-date information on government websites. Thank you!

• Age: Germany has an au pair program for young people aged 18 to 25. Au pairs from the old EU countries may even enter Germany as an au pair until they are 30 years old.
• Salary (Pocket money): €200 to €210 per month for 30 hours of work a week
• Number of hrs to work and days off: 30-35 hours/week
• Visas: Au pairs from the old EU countries and Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway can enter Germany as an au pair with just a passport but will need a residence permit to work legally. Those from the new EU countries need an employment permit and must be registered at the Foreign Nationals Authority. Au pairs from non-EU countries need a visa to work in Germany. See Visa requirements for Germany for more information
• Duration of stay: With the permits required an au pair may work for 12 months maximum
• Language requirements: Au pairs from the new EU countries and all non-EU countries are required to have a basic knowledge of German
• Health Insurance: The host family is required to pay an au pair insurance which includes health insurance, accident insurance and third-party insurance for the au pair
• Travel costs: Travel costs to Germany from the au pair's home country should be covered by the au pair. However, if the host family wants to pay for a part of the costs, it is suggested that they do so after the au pair has stayed with them for at least half of the agreed time.
• Language courses: Au pair should be allowed time to attend language courses

Being an au pair in:
Australia / Austria / Belgium / Canada / Denmark / France / Ireland / Italy / Netherlands / New Zealand / Norway / Spain / Sweden / Switzerland / UK / US