General Rules for “Au Pair” System

Basically, an “au pair” represents a domestic assistant from a foreign country, working and living as part of a hosting family. Most of the time, the assistant takes on a part of the family’s responsibilities regarding childcare or housework and, in return, receives a monetary allowance that he or she can use for personal purposes. Our immigration solicitors in London can offer legal advice and representation to foreigners interested in this topic.

Different conditions and age limits

Our UK immigration lawyer specifies that this type of arrangement is subject to few government restrictions where, for example, an age range is usually specified (from mid-late teens to late or mid-twenties). In some countries, there is a specific limit on the arrangements for females.

There are some mandatory criteria that any future au pair worker must apply to if he or she wants to become an au pair in the United Kingdom. First of all, the au pair in the United Kingdom must be between 18 and 30 years old (for non-EU citizens) and between 18 and 35 years old for nationals of Australia, Canada, New Zealand and South Korea; since Brexit there is no au pair visa and EU/EFTA citizens (except Iceland, which is in the Youth Mobility Scheme) have no route unless they hold EU Settlement Scheme status. Then, the au pair must have a basic knowledge of English and must not have children under 18 who live with him or her or for whom he or she is financially responsible. The person must have not previously had a working holiday visa or YMS visa and must be willing to work inside the UK for up to 24 months (up to 36 months for Australian, Canadian and New Zealand nationals). Last but not least, regarding the non-EU citizens, the au pair must have 2,530 GBP in savings and sufficient funds for travel costs and return airfare. Our UK immigration lawyer can tell you more.

What is offered for an au pair worker in UK?

The person working as an au pair receives a private room and an allowance. He or she usually eats along with the family he or she is working for and also joins them in some of the family activities (e.g. trips). Because the au pair is not quite a family member, in the evening he/she can retire to the provided room to study, watch television or simply go outside with his or her friends. Also, usually, the provision is made so that the au pair has time for studying, especially if the subject of study is the language of the host country. Talk to our London immigration lawyer for legal representation.

Although the majority of au pairs are females, some of them are now males as well. Many of the governments impose some limits as to how many hours an assistant is allowed to work during a day. As for the tasks included, they range from taking the children to and from school or after-school activities, cleaning, ironing, cooking, and babysitting.

If someone would like to work as an au pair and if he or she has questions regarding this subject, do not hesitate to contact our immigration solicitors in London. You can rely on the support of our London immigration lawyer for any immigration-related issue