FAQ for Au Pairs

If you like to get to know new cultures, learn new languages, make new friends, travel, learn, live a life experience and you like children, you deserve to be an Au Pair. You definitely deserve to be an Au Pair. Thanks to the KIDOWE Au Pair Programme you will get to know the culture and language of another country as if you were going on an all-inclusive package. You will live the experience that a HOST FAMILY offers you, allowing you to be part of their family. You will be the big brother/sister during your stay and you will live day to day situations that will provide you with fun moments, learning and enjoying yourself. Being an Au Pair implies a lot of responsibility and commitment as you have to take care of the youngest members of the family, you must be a person who likes challenges and have the ability to overcome them. Are you ready? Contact us and we will help you through the whole process. Click here.

Can I travel as a tourist to the UK to be an Au Pair? According to information published by the UK Immigration Minister, Kevin Foster (December 2020). After Brexit, any Au Pair in the UK who wants to use a tourist visa may be sanctioned by the immigration department. To enter the UK, citizens of EEA countries, until 01 October 2021, will only need to present a valid national identity card. After that date, it will be necessary to have a passport to travel to the UK, and the option of a national identity card will no longer be valid. For tourists and visitors, it will not be necessary to obtain any type of visa, the length of stay can be up to 180 days. At the moment there is no specific visa for Au Pairs or cultural exchange, options are being studied to facilitate cooperation, but no information has been published at the moment. Regarding health coverage in the UK, it is advisable to take out health insurance after Brexit, in KIDOWE we can inform you about the most used by our Au Pairs. We are constantly working to improve and update the information about the Brexit, at the moment it is quite new and confusing, therefore, we cannot guarantee that the information is 100% up to date. You should check with the consulate or KIDOWE to see if any new information has been published and we will be happy to answer any questions you may have.

In the UK there is no official Au Pair programme, although we do have options to facilitate such cooperation, we will tell you about them below: Student visa (Tier 4) 🡪 This is a student visa, in order to obtain it you need to enrol in an approved course at an additional cost, which allows you to work up to 20 hours a week. This would imply that the family would have to accept this option and only be able to enjoy their Au Pair 20 hours per week. Tier 5 Youth Mobility Visa. This visa is valid for citizens of Australia, Canada, Japan, Monaco, New Zealand, Hong Kong, Republic of Korea and Taiwan. At the moment there are no agreements that can facilitate this type of cultural exchange, in KIDOWE we are working to provide all the information about any type of agreement with Spain.

Being an Au Pair is not an easy decision, but it is certainly a life experience in which, apart from learning a language, you will be able to live with a Host Family who will welcome you as a member of their family. Although we at KIDOWE will make everything easier for you, you should know the conditions of your health insurance that are covered by your European Health Insurance Card (EHIC). The European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) is the personal and non-transferable document that proves the right to receive the health benefits that are necessary, from a medical point of view, during a temporary stay in the territory of the European Economic Area (1) or Switzerland, taking into account the nature of the benefits and the duration of the planned stay, in accordance with the legislation of the country of stay, also during the stay as an Au Pair. If you are going as an Au Pair outside the European Union. In this case you should always check the coverage depending on the country you are going to, you should be aware of their coverage, although it is very likely that you will have to take out a medical insurance to be totally relaxed. Medical care can be really expensive abroad and there are cheap insurance policies that will give you that extra peace of mind. There are countries where travel health insurance is compulsory to be an Au Pair, such as the USA or Switzerland, among others. In some cases it is paid for by the host families, so you will have to talk to them about this. In addition, these insurances include clauses to protect your luggage …. You never know… If your trip as an Au Pair will be to an EU member country In this case you must apply for the EHIC (European Health Insurance Card). You must apply for it before leaving on your trip and the procedure can be done online, through the Social Security Electronic Headquarters (sede.seg-social.gob.es), and it is not necessary to have a digital certificate. The EHIC is only valid for health care that cannot wait until you return to your country. The EHIC is not valid when the purpose of the trip is to receive medical treatment or if you move your residence to the territory of another Member State. Because it is a compulsory document to be able to enjoy the experience, but is it enough to get through my stay as an Au Pair? Depending on the country you want to apply to, you will have to take into account that there are certain medical consultations or treatments that require an extra financial contribution that the EHIC does not cover. Do you have to take out additional insurance as an Au Pair in Europe? The EHIC covers almost all your possible medical problems that you may have as an Au Pair. The decision to take out an additional medical insurance will give you a plus that guarantees you against possible incidents or unforeseen events that may occur in a foreign country. There are countries in which a service involves a co-payment, as the EHIC does not cover it in its entirety. In this link you will find all the information so that you can consult the coverage of each country. Coverage by COVID-19. There are additional insurances that include medical expenses and insures the repatriation of Au Pairs abroad in case of contracting COVID-19. Kidowe is not an insurance brokerage so we can not tell you how and what are the necessary coverages to be an Au Pair in one country or another, but, we can offer you which are the companies with which our Au Pairs have the possibility to decide which insurance is the best for their needs, in Kidowe we work so that you can live an unforgettable experience.

If you have made the decision to become an Au Pair, one of the objectives you have in this adventure is to learn the language. As a general rule, Au Pairs have a basic level of the language of the country, so a course in an academy will help you to reach a level to be able to communicate more fluently, helping you to communicate and adapt in your Host Family. Can you imagine? Interacting, making friends with young people from different parts of the world who are in the same situation as you, sometimes these friendships will last a lifetime. In many cases these academies organise excursions and cultural visits to help with your cultural immersion. The language course is usually paid for by the Au Pair, sometimes the families help with a monthly contribution.  It may be an extra expense in your budget, but it is the best immersion you can do as learning the language in the country of origin can help you to have a great stay and you can even get an official qualification. Kidowe will help you together with your Host Family in the search of options to attend language classes, our Au Pair Maria P in our Blog tells us how she has improved her English with the help of an academy in Leeds (UK). It is important to ask your Host Family when you do the interview, which is the closest academy to your home and your intention to attend a language course, for sure they can help you. Sometimes there are cheaper or even free courses at public institutions that you can attend. Once you have decided on a course you should let the Host Family know so that they can fit in with your schedule and not interfere with their way of life, the timetable of these courses cannot interfere with the time that the family needs to take care of their children. At Kidowe we work with Excellent Au Pair programmes in different countries which include classes in approved academies so that you only have to worry about learning and enjoying your Au Pair experience.

On the day of the interview with your future Host Family you should prepare yourself to avoid surprises during your stay as an Au Pair. At Kidowe we will help you by giving you the most important TIPS to keep in mind on the day of the interview. Although many of the questions can be answered with the documentation and forms that we give you from the host families, we want to pay special attention to the most important aspects and questions, so we are going to group them in several blocks: Questions about the family: Why do you want to host an Au Pair in your family? What do you expect from the Au Pair? What is a normal day in your family like? How much time do you spend with your family? What are your weekend plans and do you expect the Au Pair to participate in these activities? What are the children’s names? How old are they? What do they like to do? What are their hobbies? What kind of activities would you like me to do with them? Can we go to the park, to the museum? What are the children’s personalities like? Do they have any health problems or food allergies? What kind of food do you usually eat? Do you follow a particular diet? Usually they will ask you about your eating routines, but if they don’t, don’t hesitate to tell them what you like to eat. Do you have pets and will I have to look after them? Do you work from home or away from home? How many hours? Keep in mind that you will be immersed in a different culture with different schedules, so you should know if the families are also willing to adapt to your mealtime preferences or simply to the hours back home. Questions about weekly routines How many hours do you need the Au Pair per week? Can there be changes in the weekly schedule? Do you need an Au Pair during the weekend? In case you need some extra hours, how would you value this time? You should review with them the weekly schedule we have given you to confirm the planned timetable. In case you have to drive you should check if you can use the car in your free time. Personal questions Regarding the weekly allowance amount, how will you receive your weekly or monthly allowance? What will be my main tasks as an Au Pair? Is there a language school near your home? What would the Au Pair’s room be like? Do I have my own bathroom? Ideally at the interview, even if you have seen pictures, you should be given a House Tour so that you can see the house. In addition to all this, you should also take into account the questions that the host family may ask you. Some of the questions can be directed in this direction: Why would you like to be an Au Pair? What do you like most about looking after children? What is your experience with children? Tell us what you are like? Would you be willing to teach your language to the children? The most important thing is to show yourself as you are and don’t want to pretend to be someone you are not, as this can be easily detected. Show yourself to be calm and everything will be fine. Are you ready? Contact us and we will help you through the whole process. Click here.

The estimated time will depend a lot on your flexibility regarding location and agility to prepare all the documentation, we have families throughout the year, so it depends on many factors and can take from 2/3 weeks to more than 3 months.

Frequently asked questions about the Au Pair Programme in the USA What does the Au Pair programme in the USA include?

• Application, support and processing of documents to prepare for the J-1 Visa.
• An educational allowance of up to $ 500 (Tutor Care $ 1,000)
• 30 holiday days for travel after successful completion of your programme.
• Consultation and support for family interviews.
• Exclusive access to Renzulli Learning
• Health insurance
• Support from a local coordinator
• Minimum weekly salary of $ 195.75 (Au Pair Pro $ 265, Tutor Care $ 146.81)
• First aid course
• 24 hour emergency line
• 3-day Au Pair orientation with au pairs from other countries (Online Covid -19)

Expenses that are not included:

• Any surplus of additional educational component
• Possible extra baggage fees for all flights
• SEVIS fee and embassy fee are not included in the programme fees.
• Travel expenses to the U.S. embassy for Visa preparation

Can I stay in the United States for less or more than 12 months? The Au Pair programme in the USA has a minimum stay of 12 months, so individuals cannot go to the United States on an au pair programme and stay less than 12 months. Applicants have the option to stay longer than 12 months by extending their au pair programme with the same host family or a new host family for 3, 6 or 12 months. How far in advance should I prepare my application as an Au Pair in the USA? At Kidowe we recommend submitting your application and documentation as soon as you have committed to participate in the au pair programme. It takes approximately 3 to 4 weeks to complete your application, including all necessary documents. Once you complete your application, the amount of time depends on when you apply and when you are able to come to the United States. Many Au Pairs receive interview requests from prospective host families during the first month. However, it can take anywhere from 1 to 6 months to find your host family. Can I apply without a driving licence? Yes, you can apply as long as you intend to obtain it during the host family application period and have it in your possession before you travel to the USA.

The Au Pair salary or Pocket Money. It is the amount of money that a family pays to their Au Pair for their dedication and commitment in caring for their children. This amount will depend on many factors:

• Host country,each country has its own guidelines that every Au Pair should be aware of so the agencies are guarantees to ensure all your rights as an Au Pair.
• Skills as an Au Pair, each family needs their Au Pair to have certain characteristics, for example, to have a driving license, specific language level, a degree in childcare for children under 5 years and so on …. That will determine an increase in salary depending on each Au Pair’s value as an Au Pair.
• Hours they need their Au Pair, this will depend on the time the family needs to have the Au Pair services during the week, it is not the same to be in a family that has rotating work shifts than in a family that works from home.
• Possible extra tasks (agreed with your Au Pair) within the stipulated tasks, sometimes families offer the possibility with some extra task that may interest everyone, this type of tasks always have to be mutually agreed by both parties.

The decision to live the experience as an Au Pair should not be subordinated to the salary since we have to value the cultural and linguistic enrichment in another country and also the accommodation and the complete maintenance, cost that we must estimate when we go to live abroad. It also depends on the agreements with the different countries since for example in Switzerland or the USA they have a program in which they include them, for example. Language course or other subjects in an official center, public transportation, private medical insurance, round trip flight and …. In conclusion, living the experience as an Au Pair can be very beneficial for your personal and professional future. Check out our programs and see the Au Pair salary ranges for each country.

Yes, you can choose several countries where you would like to do your Au Pair Program. We will always take into account what your priorities are, what is your preferred country. With KIDOWE you can choose several destinations at the same time and this way you will have more opportunities for interviews and to choose the family that best fits your profile, your way of being and your lifestyle. Within Europe you can choose: Ireland, UK, France, Germany, Italy, Switzerland, Belgium and the Netherlands. Remember that each country has different requirements and you will have to fulfill them if you want to choose them as destinations.

An Au Pair normally has between 5 and 6 hours of work per day from Monday to Friday, the rest of the time is free and they can do what they like the most. In most cases the Au Pair spends their free time attending language classes where they not only improve their language skills, but also make friends of their own age and socialize socially. Other Au Pairs enroll in cooking or dance courses, others do sports outdoors or in a gym. And others take advantage of this time to get to know the city where they live. You can read in our Blog the posts published by our Au Pairs. The family has to help their Au Pair to integrate in the city or town where they live, give them support to find academies, study centers, introduce them to friends of their age, show them the place where they live, invite them to join the family plans, etc. All this will improve family coexistence.