Become an au pair in Europe & get paid!
Last Updated on April 26, 2022
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Do you ever wonder how breathtaking the Eiffel might look at night, in person? Or do you dream of flipping a coin in the Trevi fountain in Italy, hoping to accomplish your dreams someday?
Maybe you want to see all the stunning castles in Europe!
If you are held back by the lack of funds available for travelling, this doesn’t have to be the case forever.
If you apply to be an au pair in Europe you can travel the world and save money while you do it!
In fact, one of the easiest ways to travel, without fretting over the availability of funds, is to become an au pair.
And if you want to au pair, Europe is definitely one of the best options due to the ease of travel once you’re there.
A simple job that requires you to stay with a host family in a foreign country, and take care of their children when they are away.
In this article, we will be exploring how to be an au pair in Europe and some of the different opportunities available.
Table of Contents
What’s an au pair
Before discussing the au pair jobs in Europe, a brief introduction for those who are still clueless about what an au pair is.
An au pair is the job of a young person who is responsible for assisting a host family by taking care of their children in a foreign country.
In return they get a place to stay, food to eat, no bills to pay, small pocket money, and a load of cultural exchange opportunities to avail from.
Being an au pair is the perfect job for anyone who intends to travel while making some cash on the side and forming healthy relationships with the host family.
Essentially, it is different from a live-in nanny’s job as nannies are employees of a household, whereas an au pair is more like a guest being paid to take care of children for some time and relaxing later on.
Due to the lax nature of this job, there are abundant opportunities for au pairs to explore the country they are visiting, engage in a cultural exchange, learn a new language and fulfill their dreams of travelling the world.
How to become an au pair in Italy
If you dream of strolling in the streets of Rome, devouring various kinds of pasta and crave to craft the skill of conversing in a Romance language, then you have to look up the opportunity of working as an au pair in Italy.
Almost every travel enthusiast dreams of visiting Italy, gazing at its luxurious architectural history or trying to understand a thing or two about Renaissance art, yet very few get the opportunity to actually do so.
Why?
Because bearing the expenses of a trip to Italy isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, and that’s okay. You don’t have to sit in the corner and cry over it.
You can literally apply to become an au pair, and see the wonders of Rome, Tuscany or Venice yourself.
So how does one become an au pair in Italy?
As difficult as the idea of being an “au pair” might seem to some, it is easier to start your journey as an au pair in Italy, or any part of Europe.
The job itself does not require that much training if you are familiar with childcare and mild house-related chores.
Though it is generally preferred by women, even men can try their luck at becoming an au pair in Europe.
Requirements
Starting off with the requirements of working as an au pair in Italy.
First of all, the job of an au pair requires you to fall within a specific age bracket, and that is, 18 to 35 years of age.
Although it is still a somewhat small age bracket, it is more relaxed than others, such as that of a UK au pair.
The other requirement is that you must hold the nationality of an eligible country – basically a country that Italy accepts au pairs from. To find out if you’re eligible, check out this website.
Once you’ve made sure that you are eligible to work in Italy as an au pair, let’s move on to the next set of requirements.
As mentioned before that the job involves dealing with children, it is preferred that the au pair has some sort of experience in childcare or teaching.
This gives the host families a sense of security that their children will be in the right hands in their absence.
In terms of academic qualification, there is no hard-core university degree that you need to become an au pair in Italy, you do need a high school diploma to apply for the visa.
Next, as an au pair you must not have any criminal record of any sort, and be free of any mental health or psychiatric disorders in the last 12 months before applying to become an au pair in Italy.
Given the current global situation, now becoming an au pair also requires being fully up to date with vaccinations.
Lastly, one of the crucial aspects of becoming an au pair is to be a lively, positive and adventurous person.
Since you would be working with children, having patience would also help you sustain yourself at your job.
Salary
Let’s move on to the next aspect of this job – how much you would be earning as an au pair.
Since an au pair is not a full-time employee in the host country, they are not entitled to the wage laws in that country, and whatever allowance they are entitled to varies from family to family.
The personal allowance also depends on the number of hours an au pair works in Italy. For 15 hours of work.
An au pair is expected to get at least 120 euros per week, and for a full-time week of 30 hours, at least 300 euros.
So, there is variety in what you might get paid as an au pair, but that also depends on how many hours you want to give in to the job and keep aside for leisure time.
How to find jobs in Italy
With Global Work and Travel you can easily find an au pair job in Italy.
Once you register on the platform and pay the deposit, your gWorld account would be activated – a personal database of necessary information regarding the application of au pair in Italy.
The platform takes full responsibility for helping you find your host family and rematch in case of incompatibility.
Apart from that, you would be in touch with a trip coordinator who would help you prepare any documents needed and for an interview with the host family.
Their service also includes an online au pair course, five nights stay at a hostel in Italy of your choice, access to a two-night stay in Ibiza or Oktoberfest.
They also give an option to extend your au pair journey in the Netherlands, once the contract in Italy has ended.
Apart from that, there is always support available on their platform in case of emergency, so that you can always rely on them,
How to become an au pair in France
Sure, you want to experience the exquisite artistic history of Italy and are a lover of pasta, but have you ever thought about learning the sexiest language on earth, or visiting the country of romance and love?
I am sure you have.
Almost every travel enthusiast has France in their top 10 travel destinations.
But just like Italy, a trip to France comes with a somewhat hefty price tag, but you don’t have to stay in a luxurious five-star hotel or dine-in at Michelin Star restaurants.
You can fulfill your dream of visiting Paris and gazing at the Eiffel Tower at night, while still being easy on your wallet.
How?
By becoming an au pair obviously!
As an added bonus, you’ll probably get to take at least one trip to Disneyland Paris with the kids!
The job of an au pair is particularly in demand in Western countries like those in Europe, and France is one of those.
Requirements
To become an au pair in France, you have to qualify for roughly the same requirements as those in Italy or almost any other European country.
Similar to Italy, France has an age bracket for those applying to become an au pair – and they must fall within 18 to 30 years of age.
The job is open to men and women, but since it involves childcare, normally women apply for this more than men.
At the time of application, you are expected to be single and not have a family or dependents of any sort.
There are also no academic qualifications expected to be met by applicants, though you need a high school diploma or certificate.
Apart from that, applicants must also have experience of working in an environment that involves caring for children, for at least fourteen days.
Moreover, the au pair must not have any smoking or substance abuse habits, nor should they have suffered from any psychological or psychiatric illness or disorder in the past 24 months before applying.
It is also necessary that your criminal record must be clear of any convictions in the duration of the last five years.
If you want to become an au pair in France, you must also be vaccinated and provide proof of medical examination for the visa process.
Salary
Even though the European Union has its own set of rules when it comes to the rights of au pairs, France established an au pair contract, separate for EU and non-EU au pairs.
The contracts intend to protect the rights of au pairs working in France and entitles them to receive a certain allowance every week.
According to the regulations set forth by the French authorities, au pairs from non-EU countries are expected to receive at least 320 euros every month, and those from EU countries are entitled to receive between 271.5 and 325.80 euros.
The contract also states that it can be terminated at any point in time, with a notice of two weeks for both parties involved – the host family and the au pair.
It is also mentioned in the au pair contract that the au pair must be enrolled in a French language course, the cost of which they must bear themselves.
Apart from that, the contract strictly states that au pairs working in France from EU countries must not work more than 30 hours per week, and those from non-EU countries, 25 hours per week.
Au pairs in France are also entitled to health and social insurance to some degree.
Safe to say that working as an au pair in France comes with a lot of fringe benefits, other than the luxury of traveling.
How to find jobs in France
To find a job in France as an au pair, we recommend using Global Work and Travel. They provide assistance through every step of your journey of becoming an au pair.
From finding a host family, creating an itinerary to guidance regarding visas – they have got your back.
You can even hop on to their site to find out if you are eligible to work as an au pair, given your citizenship status.
Apart from setting you up with a host family, they have a whole bunch of different perks or inclusions for you throughout your au pair journey in France.
Global Work and Travel is a tried and tested service to starting your journey as an au pair, as I have used their services when I had to fulfill my dreams of traveling while working as an au pair.
How to become an au pair in Spain
Similar to Italy and France, au pair opportunities are available in Spain as well.
You can become part of cultural exchange in Spain, while helping out a Spanish family with their children and some housework.
On your days off, you can either visit the nearest art gallery, museum or go hiking. One thing is for certain, you’ll never run out of fun and unique things to do in Spain.
Not to mention the amazing cuisine in Spain!
Requirements
Requirements to become an au pair in Spain are pretty similar to those of Italy and France.
The au pair must be between 18 and 30 years of age, hold citizenship to a country that is acceptable under Spain’s au pair laws, and have a clean criminal record in the past five years.
Even for Spain, candidates may have to provide proof of childcare experience of at least 14 days.
Moreover, as an au pair, smoking is prohibited and you have to submit medical examination records that ascertain you haven’t suffered from any psychological or psychiatric disorders in the past 12 months.
And of course, a vaccination cert is also required prior to travelling to Spain as an au pair.
Salary
In Spain, au pairs are expected to receive any amount between 205 to 360 euros every month.
This amount varies, depending on how many hours an au pair has worked and what is within the host family’s budget.
How to find au pair jobs in Spain
Finding an au pair job in Spain is fairly easy with Global Work and Travel. From helping you find a host family to assisting you throughout your entire journey as an au pair, their service covers everything.
Once you sign up with Global Work and Travel, you would have your own gWorld account – a portal designed to assist you throughout your au pair journey.
The company will assign you a trip coordinator that guides you on how to build an au pair profile, prepare for an interview with the host family and a lot more.
Apart from this, Global Work and Travel also give you access to their online au pair course where you can learn about the duties and responsibilities of being an au pair in a four-hour recorded course.
Their service doesn’t end here. They also arrange a travel concierge for you to help in planning the trip and make sure you are received at the airport by your host family timely.
Applying for an au pair job with Global Work and Travel also allows you to attend any two European festivals – Oktoberfest in Munich or a party somewhere in Ibiza.
They also give you the luxury of spending 5 nights at a hostel anywhere in Spain, or your au pair destination, so you don’t just have to work while you’re in Spain.
Lastly, they also have a 24/7 helpline, in case of emergency and also help in rematching you with a family in case of incompatibility.
How to become an au pair in Ireland
If you are a true fan of backpacking through Europe, the mysterious and gothic castles of Ireland would have surely been on your list.
Though taking an individual trip to Ireland would not be feasible for everyone’s budget, working as an au pair in Ireland might be your call.
You can either submerge into the cultural and historical exquisiteness of Ireland or party at one of the 122 festivals held in Ireland every year.
Requirements
The requirements to becoming an au pair in Ireland are similar to those of Italy, Spain and France.
You must be between 18 and 30 years of age, a citizen of an eligible country and have a clean criminal record in the last five years.
Apart from that, you must have all the required vaccinations for travelling in 2022 and after.
Salary
In terms of salary, au pairs in Ireland make around 6.48 euros to 9.25 euros per hour.
The difference in pay depends on your experience, the number of hours put in at work every week and settlement with the host family.
How to find au pair jobs in Ireland?
In terms of finding work in Ireland as an au pair, you can refer to our trusted travel company, Global Work and Travel.
They won’t just match you with a host family, but take you through every step of the trip – providing visa guidelines, 24/7 assistance, two-nights worth of stay at the Oktoberfest or Ibiza, and a lot more to make your Ireland trip worthwhile.
Final verdict
Backpacking through Europe is almost every traveller’s dream.
With its interesting culture and historical significance, you can never have it all in Europe – even if there is always something you might have to forego because there is so much to experience!
In fact, as an au pair, this might become somewhat easier for you as a two-week backpacking trip could transform into a 12-month or longer stay with a nice and welcoming family, travelling perks, and a lot more!
Don’t let another year go to waste – apply to be an au pair and help out a family somewhere in Europe while fulfilling your travelling goals and dreams!
Frequently Asked Questions
There are lots of things to think about when choosing where to au pair. Some countries have fewer requirements, some have higher salary opportunities. Don’t forget to think about the kind of place you want to live!
This varies from country to country. Au pairs in Europe can make anything from 200 to 300 euros per month or more. This would normally be for around 30 hours of work per week, though that too can vary.
The average age for au pairs is between 18 and 30 years old, though some countries in Europe have slightly different ranges.
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