Becoming an au pair in Germany – 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 Germany?
Requirements
EU and EFTA citizens
- You are in between 18 and 26 years old
- You have basic knowledge of the German language (level A1 or higher)
- You are not married and have no children
- You can afford the trip to Germany (normally the au pair pays for the flight)
Non-EU citizens
- You are between 18 and 26 years old
- You have basic knowledge of the German language (level A1 or higher)
- You are not married and have no children
- You can afford the trip to Germany (normally the au pair pays for the flight)
- You would like to work as an au pair in Germany for a minimum of 6 months and a maximum of 12 months
- You have not yet been an au pair in Germany
Contract
Au pairs and German host families sign an au pair contract which discusses the working hours, schedule, holidays, pocket money, and other rules and expectations.
Important note for au pairs from non-EU countries
If you are from a non-EU country, and you need a visa you will need to have a signed contract for at least 6 months and a maximum of 12 months, otherwise, it will not be acknowledged by the German Employment Office.
Minimum and maximum stay
If you want to be an au pair in Germany and you come from an EU country, you decide together with the host family on the duration of the stay. If you need a visa, you need to show a contract that runs for at least 6 months. The maximum stay is 12 months and cannot be extended. If you’ve worked as an au pair before, you can unfortunately not become an au pair again.
Earnings
In Germany, an au pair receives 280 euros per month in pocket money. It doesn’t matter how many hours the au pair works per week. You will also receive this amount during holidays or in case you fall ill.
You live with the family, so of course, you also get board and lodging aside from the pocket money.
Language course
The host family will pay 50 euros per month for the au pair to take a language course. The rest of the costs are for the au pair. These 50 euros are not included in the 280 euros pocket money per month.
Amount of working hours
An au pair in Germany works a maximum of 6 hours per day and a maximum of 30 hours per week.
Days off and holidays
An au pair in Germany gets at least one day off per week and once a month, this day has to be a Sunday. Your host family has to provide at least 4 evenings free per week. In Germany, it is regulated that au pairs must get time off on public holidays. I mean, you need to experience the culture, right?
According to the German Federal Employment Office (Bundesagentur für Arbeit), an au pair is entitled to a paid annual holiday of 4 weeks, if the au pair stays with the host family for at least 12 months.
Going on holiday with your host family
If you go on holiday with your host family, but you’re still supposed to work – it doesn’t count as a holiday for you. If you go on holiday with the family, and you get time off, it does count as a holiday for you.
If you stay at home while your host family is on holiday, you are not allowed to work for another family.
Au pair insurance
Au pairs in Germany must be insured for: illness, pregnancy, childbirth, and accidents. According to the Federal Employment Office (Bundesagentur für Arbeit), the host family is responsible for arranging this insurance coverage, and they have to pay for it.
Are you ready for a new adventure?
So, you now know what the requirements are and what the process to become an au pair in Germany consists of. So, there is only one question left:
Want to register as an au pair?
We’d love to look for a wonderful family for you!
