Work Abroad as an Au Pair or Nanny

A brief summary of job prospects and red tape is given for the countries of Europe below. Note that the supply of au pairs has greatly increased in Europe with the expansion of the European Union in May 2004 to include Poland, Slovakia and eight other countries.

The Internet

Cyberspace buzzes with an exchange of information about live-in childcare. A great many online agencies provide a database of families on the one hand and people looking for live-in jobs on the other so that they can match themselves up. Prospective au pairs register their details, including age, nationality, relevant experience and in many cases a photo, to be uploaded onto a website which then becomes accessible to registered families. Registration is usually free or reasonably priced for the job-seeker, whereas the hiring families usually pay an introduction fee to the web-based agency.

Before a prospective au pair decides to look for a family on the internet, it is worth considering the relative advantages and disadvantages of using the web as opposed to a conventional agency as described below. Making the arrangement directly with a family sight unseen and with no agency back-up carries potential risks. No doubt many of the matches result in successful outcomes. Typically a family contacts a promising looking candidate or a job-seeker contacts a promising sounding family; they make contact via email and then telephone and decide whether they are compatible. Assuming each party is upfront and keeps to their part of the bargain, all should be well.

Without the support of an agency, it is very difficult to carry out any effective screening of either party. If relying on the internet it is essential that you ascertain exactly the nature of the situation and the expectations of your new employer. Work out in your mind what you will do in the event the arrangement does not work out. If the agency is simply a database-provider, they will be able to offer little or no back-up.

If it happens that either side is not committed to the arrangement to which they have signed up, the other side can be badly let down and have no recourse. For example an employer might change his or her mind between inviting a young girl to come and the start date. It is not unknown for families to issue several invitations and choose the one they like the look of better after arrival. In this case, an au pair could be turned away on the doorstep, without fluent English or much money. Similarly, families that are expecting an au pair to arrive on a certain date can find themselves disappointed.

Austria

The tradition of au pairing is well established in Austria and prospective au pairs are served by several agencies (see below), who are accustomed to dealing with direct applications from foreigners. Requirements are not strenuous, and many inexperienced 18-year-olds are placed. The agencies can take a long time to reply and may need some follow-up emails and phone calls. The norm is for the agencies to charge their au pairs a fee equivalent to a week’s pocket money.

Officially, au pairs from outside Europe must obtain both a work and residence permit (Beschäftigungsbewilligung). The employing family should apply at their local employment office at least two weeks before the start date. . Before the permit can be approved and an Anzeigebestätigung issued, the authorities must see an agreement or contract (signed by the employer and the au pair) and proof that health and accident insurance cover has been obtained by the au pair.  The agency should help with this process and tell the au pair where to take the documents to be stamped (for a fee).

Regulations governing the employment of au pairs from outside Europe in Belgium have been tightened so that it is now very difficult for non-Europeans to find a family placement. One disincentive for families to employ a non-European au pair is that they are required by law to pay very high wages of 450 euros a month (approx $550) for just 20 hours a week, in addition to the work permit (fee 250 euros) and other compulsory benefits.

Non-European citizens must obtain an authorization of provisional sojourn from the Belgian Embassy in their home country before arriving in Belgium. Their contract with their host family (minimum 12 months) must be approved by the administration communale to get a one-year “B” work permit from the regional Office National de l’Emploi. To qualify, the applicant must show proof of having registered in a language course in Belgium

France

Au pairing has always been a favored way for young women to learn French and, increasingly, for young men too. The pocket money for au pairs in France is currently Euro 60 per week plus in most cases a 20-euro-a-week contribution to language classes; in Paris families also provide a carte orange (urban travel pass) which is worth 52 euros.

North Americans can fix up au pair placements directly with a French agency, but they should bear in mind that high placement fees may have to be paid in advance and that in some cases little advance information about the family will be made available. Enrolment in a French language course is compulsory for non-European au pairs.

Germany

Dozens of independent agents have popped up all over Germany, many of them members of the Au Pair Society which has three offices in Germany and more than 40 members. The Society’s web site www.au-pair-society.org carries contact details for its members with links to agency web sites. Commercial au pair agencies do not charge a placement fee to incoming au pairs.

Non-EU citizens no older than 24 can become au pairs through a German agency. Americans and Canadians do not need to apply for a residence and work permit before leaving their home countries; however it is a general requirement that au pairs prove that they have studied German.

The monthly pocket money for an au pair in Germany was raised to 260 euros ($300+) in 2006. The majority of families also give their au pairs a monthly travel pass and other benefits such as a contribution to course fees of up to 100 euros per semester and 150 euros for return travel at end of year. For this au pairs will be expected to hard work and probably to undertake more housework than au pairs normally do.

Greece

Ads appear in the Athens News (www.athensnews.gr), usually placed by families in the wealthy suburbs of Athens. The agency Nine Muses accepts advance applications from young European and American women and also can place candidates after arrival in Athens. Most families ask their live-in staff to work longer hours then the normal 25-30 hours a week and reward them accordingly. For the limited number of summer positions available application should be made by April.

Italy

It is possible to apply independently through an Italian agency, but first make sure that you won’t be liable to pay a hefty registration fee. There are many opportunities for au pairs during the summer holidays when most Italians who can afford au pairs migrate to the coast or the mountains and take their helpers with them. The weekly pocket money for au pairs is average or above for Europe, starting at. 60-70 euros for working 30 hours a week, 80-100 euros for 40 hours, though many families in the big cities pay more than this.

Non-European nationals are not eligible for a Permesso di Soggiorno (residence permit) unless they arrive with the appropriate visa from the Italian embassy in their country. The best route is to obtain a student visa which permits the holder to work up to 20 hours per week (live-in or live-out). To obtain a long-stay visa, non-EU au pairs will need to enroll in and pay for an Italian language course at an approved school or college. The school registrar will issue a certificate which must then be stamped by the local police (Questura). The visa will be valid only for the length of the course. You must also show sufficient insurance cover, a return air ticket, proof of accommodation stamped by the police and a contract specifying dates, pocket money and benefits stamped by the provincial labor office and/or the police.

If you are already in Italy you can check classified adverts in English language journals, many of which are published online such as Wanted in Rome (www.wantedinrome.com) aimed at the expatriate community. Try notice boards in English language bookshops, English-speaking churches, student travel agencies and language school notice boards

Netherlands

Au pairs in Holland usually enjoy favorable working conditions, especially now that the Netherlands Au Pair Organisation or NAPO (www.napoweb.nl) has been established. NAPO members strive to implement uniform standards and insist that their client families and au pairs draw up an au pair agreement at the beginning of the arrangement. Au pairs are entitled to be paid 300-340 euros a month and to be given two days off a week plus one full weekend off per month. Most families also cover all or most of the cost of a course (not necessarily Dutch language) and in some cases travel costs are paid for by the family when the au pair completes her agreement. The minimum stay for a non-European au pair is 12 months.

Americans and Canadians do not have to apply for any special permits before they arrive in the Netherlands. They simply register with the immigration police (Vreemdelingenpolitie) within eight days of arrival in the municipality where they will be au pairing. Once the forms are in order, a one-year residence permit (VVR BEP) will be granted.

Switzerland

Those interested in a domestic position with a Swiss family should know the rules laid down by each Swiss canton. You must be a female between the ages of 17 (18 in Geneva) and 29 from Western Europe, North America, Australia, or New Zealand, stay for a minimum of one year and a maximum of 18 months, and attend a minimum of three hours a week of language classes in Zürich, four in Geneva. Families in most places are required to pay half the language school fees of 500-1,000 Swiss francs for six months.

Au pairs in Switzerland work for a maximum of 30 hours per week, plus babysitting once or twice a week. The monthly salary varies among cantons but the normal range is 590-740 Swiss francs after all compulsory deductions for tax and health insurance have been made.

source: www.transitionsabroad.com