Things to check before the au pair arrives
Working and residence permit
If the au pair is a citizen of a Nordic country he/she is allowed to work in any other Nordic country without a permit. Residents of a European Union country are allowed to work within the EU for up to three months. After three months a residence permit is required. In all other countries the au pair needs both a working permit and a resident permit to be able to work for the family. There are of course exceptions depending on the citizenship of the au pair.
Insurance coverage
All au pairs working abroad need an additional insurance to get full insurance coverage in case of an unexpected event. The basic insurance protection varies depending if the au pair works within the European Union or not. Always require that the au pair contacts the National Insurance Office - (if Swedish citizen, Försäkringskassan) and his/her private insurance company before leaving the country.
Taxes
In some countries, au pair families are viewed as employers and are therefore required to pay payroll tax and employee benefits when hiring an au pair (this for example applies to Switzerland, Denmark and trainees in Norway). Always check the tax regulations with the national tax agency in the specific country.
To specify in a contract
Tasks
The au pairs main task is childcare. Depending on your family’s specific needs, tasks like cooking or light cleaning will vary. Make sure all tasks are specified in the contract before the employment starts.
Working hours
Average working hours for au pairs are approximately 30 hours per week and a 1-3 nights of babysitting per week. The au pair must get at least one whole day off per week. The time of employment is usually 1 year maximum but can occasionally lead to two years.
Housing
Most families provide their au pair with their own room in the house and often also their own bathroom. Some au pairs have their own door. Sometimes families have got an extra apartment for their au pair.
Language studies
Usually the au pair is paying for her language studies. But the au pair will be more than happy if the family wants to pay for his.
Driver’s license
Make sure you add the au pair to your car insurance. Also decide if your au pair is allowed to use your car during spare time.
Wage/pocket money
Wage/pocket money varies between countries. The sum of money and how it will be paid needs to be written down in the contract. If you are giving your au pair other benefits – travel card, access to internet, car usage and bonuses for staying longer, this needs to be in the contract. Also write what you pay for extra babysitting that goes beyond the contracted working hours and times of babysitting. Many families pay for their au pairs travel costs to come to the family. This is a nice gesture but not essential, you can instead offer to pay for their Christmas flight back home.
Off duty
Make it clear if you would like your au pair to go home during Christmas, Easter and summer.
Dismissal
You and your au pair have a 14 day notice period. Write weeks of notice period in your contract.
