Information for Au Pairs

We provide a free service to all au pair applicants contacting us direct. We also work with contact agencies abroad.

Apply for a position as an Au Pair

Who can legally be an au pair in the United Kingdom?

a) EU Nationals from Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain and Sweden.

Nationals of EU member countries who joined in May 2004 (except Malta and Cyprus) will need to be registered under the Accession State Worker Registration Scheme if they work for more than 25 hours a week and intend to work for more than 1 month. Once these nationals have been working legally in the UK for 12 months, they will have the full rights of free movement. An application form can be obtained by visiting the website: www.workingintheuk.gov.uk

Please note that Bulgarian and Romanian nationals need to apply for an 'Accession Worker Card' which will allow the au pair to stay with a specific family and work for up to 5 hours a day for 5 days a week. If the au pair wishes to change the family, she/he will need to apply for a new card. Once a Bulgarian or Romanian au pair has been in the UK for one year with an Accession Worker Card, he/she will be entitled to to work freely in the UK by obtaining a 'registration certificate'. Visit the website www.workingintheuk.gov.uk for more information.

A Bulgarian or Romanian national can only work for up to 5 hours a day for 5 days a week plus one or two evenings of weekly babysitting. The UK government are currently suggesting that Bulgarian and Romanian nationals be paid weekly pocket money of £55.

b) EEA nationals from Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway.

c) Swiss nationals

An EU, EEA or Swiss national can legally work more hours for extra money.

d) Nationals from Andorra, Bosnia, Croatia, Faroe Islands, Greenland, Macedonia, Monaco, San Marino and Turkey.

Nationals of the countries listed under d) will require an au pair visa from the British Embassy in their country before arrival in the UK. In order to obtain a visa, the applicant will need to be sent a letter of invitation from the host family.

The UK Immigration Rules state that an au pair is entitled to:-

(a) come to the UK for the purpose of improving the English language
(b) live for a time as a member of an English speaking family
(c) help in the home for a maximum of 5 hours a day in return for a reasonable allowance often known as pocket money, currently around £65 per week and have two days free each week.

To qualify as an au pair you must:-

(i) seek entry via an arranged placement
(ii) be aged between 17-27 years although in practice 18 year olds upwards are preferred by most families
(iii) be unmarried and without dependants

A UK Immigration Officer will normally admit an au pair for up to 12 months, though you can stay longer in an au pair capacity, extending your period of stay up to a maximum of 2 years. No working or residence permits are required to be an au pair.

Facts about being an Au Pair

Accommodation and food are provided free by the family.

You will work for 5 hours a day plus up to 2 evenings a week baby-sitting and have 2 days free per week.

Duties include light housework e.g. vacuuming, dusting, putting on the washing machine, ironing, helping with preparing of meals and looking after the children.

You will have time off to attend English classes for foreign students.

You will be responsible for paying your own travel costs to and from the UK as well as any school fees should you decide to attend classes. The host family will help you to arrange English classes on arrival.

How to Apply

Applicants should send our agency a completed application form, a letter of introduction (this is a letter about yourself and addressed 'Dear Family'), 4 smiling passport photos plus 1 or 2 full length ones with name on the back, a minimum of 2 references, preferably 1 relating to child care, a doctor's medical certificate as to your present state of health and a copy of your passport and where appropriate, driving licence.

An invitation letter plus written details about the host family will be sent to you by our agency as soon as a family have chosen to invite you as their au pair. The family will also want to phone you before we send you their invite letter.

The usual length of time for an au pair to stay in the UK is for 6-12 months and many working mothers prefer an au pair who can cover a school year from the end of August /beginning of September until mid/late July. Some families will consider taking a summer au pair anytime from June until September but they are not as popular as longer term au pairs and it is easier to find a position if you can drive.

It is important to remember that families will expect you to have a fair knowledge of English before you arrive in the UK as you will need to converse with the parents and children and understand instructions and answer the telephone.

Registration with the Police

Immigration rules provide that if you are from a non EC country, an au pair should inspect his/her passport to see if you are required to register with the local Police within 7 days of your arrival. Au pairs from Turkey are required to register with the Police. Where relevant, you will need to show your passport, hand over 2 passport sized photos of yourself and pay a registration fee, currently £34.

Medical Cover

Reciprocal health agreements between most European countries allow an au pair to receive emergency hospital treatment under the National Health Service for any illness contracted whilst in the UK. However, a doctor may at his discretion charge a fee for his services. It may be worth checking to see if you need to take out medical insurance to cover you whilst in the UK. Dental treatment is not available free under the NHS and must therefore be paid for.

Driving

It has become more and more popular for families in the UK to request an au pair who can drive as children are often taken to school and other activities by car. If you are happy to drive in the UK, we have asked families to provide you with some professional driving lessons as you will be driving on the left side of the road. You should have been driving regularly in your own country for some while and you must let us know if you have any driving convictions. The family are asked to ensure that you are covered by insurance and they will pay for any petrol that you use when driving the car as part of your duties.

Holiday

Our families are informed that you will be entitled to a week's holiday with pocket money if you come through our agency and stay for 6 months with them. You should try and take this holiday as paid compensation will not normally be given for holiday not actually taken. For example, you may like to have time off at Christmas or Easter and one week will be paid for if you have worked for the family for 6 months.

Telephone/Internet Use

International and long distance calls should not be made from the family's home unless with permission e.g. in an emergency. Your own family can always telephone or email you and you should appreciate that the family will also want to make and receive calls. A local call lasting a few minutes is usually permitted upon request.

When you arrive with the family, we will send you a Newsletter with information about places of interest to visit and names, addresses and telephone numbers of other au pairs who have come through Delaney International.

Apply for a position as an Au Pair

Tips for being an au pair

Au pairing is an inexpensive and safe way of living abroad. You will be living in comfortable surroundings and have a great opportunity of improving your English by talking regularly with the family.

Remember to respect the family's privacy and their customs and ways of living and they will appreciate your thoughtfulness.

Be helpful and always offer to lay the table and clear up after meals. Do not leave dishes and pans in the sink but keep the kitchen tidy.

If you like or dislike particular foods, let the family know so that they can arrange for you to have something different and you should always let a family know in advance if you are a vegetarian.

It is important to meet up with friends but do remember that if you come in late, you should lock the front door, turn off any lights and climb the stairs quietly so as not to wake up the family.

Boyfriends will not usually be allowed to stay with you and you should always ask the family if you wish to invite a friend into their home as they may have certain rules about house visitors.

Carry out your duties responsibly. Be ready for work at the correct time and never be late in taking and collecting the children from school.

English classes for foreign students take place in most local towns. The family will show you the College and state run classes are much cheaper than private ones. Most state run schools close for the summer months so au pairs staying for the summer should be aware that they may not be able to attend classes so easily,

We are always here to advise you if you have a problem and that is why it is much better to use a well established au pair agency as there will be someone in the UK with whom you can talk and who can usually find a solution to your difficulty. If you want us to find you another family, we will try and help you do so and there will be no charge.

Good luck and best wishes from Marcia Delaney.