An au pair is a single girl (or, rarely, a boy) who helps a host family with childcare and/or housework while staying as a guest with a host family and generally receiving a small allowance (or pocket money). In many cases, the au pair is from another country and intends to learn a foreign language or culture during her stay.

Arrangement

An au pair placement is an arrangement where a single person between 17 and 27 lives for up to two years in a foreign country as a member of a local family, helping in the home for a set number of hours a day, with often at least two full days off a week. In return she receives a reasonable allowance and a private room. (In the United Kingdom, As of 2005 recommended amount for the weekly allowance is £55.)

The Council of Europe recommend that every au pair is issued a standard contract with their family.

Specific countries

United Kingdom

In the UK, an au pair must be a national of one of the following countries: Andorra , Faroe Islands , Romania , Bosnia-Herzegovina , Greenland , San Marino , Bulgaria , Republic of Macedonia , Turkey , Croatia or Monaco . Although European Union nationals are not included in the au pair scheme, they are free to take au pair placements in the UK.

Nationals of Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Republic of Croatia, Macedonia, Romania and Turkey need a visa from their British Embassy or Consulate.

Au-pair permits are limited to candidates who are unmarried, have no dependants, do not plan to stay in the United Kingdom for more than two years as an au pair and can support and accommodate themselves without help from public funds. They are also required to leave the United Kingdom after completing the au pair period. Au pairs may move to another family as long as the new arrangements continue to meet the requirements of the Immigration Rules.

Finland

‘Au pair’ is a French term that means "equal to" ; a young person living on an equal basis with caring host family and the children in a foreign country. An au pair will typically be a young woman and sometimes a young man from 18 to 30 years old who is accepted into to the host family as an extended family member. Both the family and au pair are expected to respect cultural differences and display tolerance towards on another.

An au pair’s responsibilities also include light housework, totalling six hours a day, five days a week. The au pair has her own room, food and is paid a weekly "pocket-money" salary of at least 252 euros per month (minimum set by Finnish law). Additionally, the host family will arrange a Finnish language course to help au pair communicate better with the children and get more out of her stay in Finland. It is expected that an au pair is also flexible and if extra hours are required that pay is set at 5 euros per hour. An au pair in Finland will also get a one week paid vacation every six months. Au pairs can stay with their host family for up to one year or choose a shorter stay.

Some of the typical task an au pair in Finland performs:

- feed the kids

- dress the kids

- give baths

- play

- read

- help with school assignments

- take the kids to school, playgroups and hobbies

- fill and empty the laundry

- fill and empty the dishwasher

- keep the kids room in order

- clean up after the kids play

- heat up the kids food

- clean the kitchen after the kids meals

- keep her/his own room tidy

- help with the weekly house cleaning