Becoming an au pair in Belgium – What are the requirements? What does the process consist of? Which documents do you need, and what exactly are you going to do as an au pair? In short, how do you become an au pair in Belgium?
Requirements to become an au pair in Belgium
- You are between 18 and 25 years old;
- You are unmarried and have no children;
- You have never had a work permit before in Belgium;
- You have a basic knowledge of either Dutch, French or German (depending on the region where you want to go);
- You have a school-leaving qualification that allows you to attend university, or can you prove that you attended school up to the age of 17;
- You can cover the expenses of your au pair stay and your return trip.
What do you earn as an au pair in Belgium?
Belgium au pairs get a minimum of 450 euros pocket money per month, which must be paid into the au pair’s bank account, so au pairs should open a personal bank account immediately after their arrival. Au pairs get the full amount of monthly pocket money in case of illness and also during holidays.
How many hours do you have to work as an au pair in Belgium?
In Belgium, au pairs are not permitted to work more than 4 hours a day (babysitting hours included) and 20 hours per week spread out over a maximum of 6 days a week.
Days off as a Belgian au pair
Au pairs in Belgium are entitled to at least one day off per week. You can decide together with your host family what day this is.
There are no rules regarding holidays for au pairs in Belgium, but we recommend that an au pair who works for 12 months, gets a minimum of 2 weeks paid holiday.
There are also no official regulations regarding public holidays for au pairs. We do recommend that au pairs have a day off on public holidays, so they can experience the Belgian culture fully.
Do you have to register when coming to Belgium as an au pair?
It depends if you are from a EU/EFTA country or not.
The au pair is from a EU/EFTA country
Step 1: You need a valid identity card or passport
Step 2: You need to register with local municipality in Belgium
The au pair is not from a EU/EFTA country
Step 1: You will need a valid passport
Step 2: You need to apply for a work and employment permit
Step 3: You need to apply for a visa
Step 4: You need to register with the local municipal authority in Belgium
Au pair contract
The au pair contract contains rules and decisions made between the au pair and host family. Both parties need to sign the contract before the au pair travels to Ireland.
Are you ready for a new challenge?
So, you now know what the requirements are and what the process to become an au pair in Belgium consists of. All you have to think about now is the foreign adventure that awaits you!
Curious about our other countries? We are also looking for au pairs who want to go to Italy, Ireland, Spain, Switzerland, France, or the Netherlands!
Register as an au pair for free!
