What are the working hours for au pairs in Sweden? How much pocket money does an au pair in Sweden get? Do host families and au pairs need to have a contract? All the necessary information on the formailities of an au pair stay in Sweden are presented on this page.
Au pairs and host families should discuss their mutual expectations regarding the au pair stay. The agreements that you make should be put in writing. As there is no official au pair contract in Sweden, we advise au pairs and host families to use the European contract template to help with the drafting of a contract. Remember to include all important conditions in this contract, including the au pair's duties, working hours, free time, holidays, etc.
The au pair contract can be terminated with a notice period of 2 weeks. In serious circumstances it can also be terminated without notice.
The maximum length of stay for an au pair in Sweden is 12 months.
Au pairs in Sweden help to take care of the children in the host family as well as assisting with light household chores. The time devoted to au pair duties and to the language course should not exceed a total of 40 hours per week. The working hours for light housework should not exceed a maximum of 25 hours per week. It is best when the au pair and host family discuss these matters prior to the commencement of the au pair stay and define them clearly in the au pair contract.
Important: The daily working time should not exceed 5 hours and should be organised so that the au pair has sufficient time to attend a language course.
Au pairs in Sweden must receive a minimum of SEK 3,500 gross pocket money per month, depending on the specific arrangements made between the host family and the au pair. Please note: Au pairs in Sweden are obligated to pay taxes.
Au pairs in Sweden pay tax on their pocket money and on their board and lodging. Au pairs need to register with the Skatteverket (The Swedish tax agency) upon arrival in Sweden. For this registration, the au pair will need to have an identification card and, for au pairs coming from non-EU countries, a work permit.
The amount of tax that must be paid depends on how much pocket money the au pair receives and the value of the non-monetary taxable benefits. (Lodging is typically valued at 600 SEK per month and two or more daily meals at 50 SEK per month). More information on the amount of tax to be paid will be available when au pairs register at the tax office.
In exchange for their help with childcare and light housework, au pairs receive free board and lodging for the entire duration of the au pair stay stay, including any periods of illness and during holidays. As a member of the family, an au pair has their own room in the home of the host family.
Sweden has no specific regulations concerning the amount of holiday or free time an au pair is entitled to, thus we recommend that you and your host family come to an agreement on these matters well in advance of you au pair stay.
We would advise that the au pair receives:
- one full day off per week (which should be on a Sunday at least once a month)
- a two-week holiday when the total stay with the host family is for six months (more holiday time if staying longer and less if staying for a shorter period of time)
In Sweden, there are no official regulations with regard to public holidays for au pairs. We recommend that au pairs have a day off on public holidays. Only in exceptional cases should the au pair have to work on public holidays. The host family should discuss this with their au pair in advance.
More information on the topic:
All au pairs must attend a Swedish language course, which should fit around their working schedule. Together with the time spent on au pair duties, the hours of work and study should come to approximately 40 hours per week. Swedish for immigrants courses (SFI) are offered through adult continuiing-education programs ("kommunal vuxenutbildning", or "komvux") by local municipalities and the Swedish Folk High School.
These courses are usually state-funded so costs are limited to teaching materials. For au pairs applying for a work permit, a certificate of enrolment in a Swedish language course has to be enclosed with their application.
Försäkringskassan is the agency in charge of social insurance in Sweden. To obtain insurance coverage, au pairs need to register with Försäkringskassan which will provide benefits including basic healthcare, disability coverage and other insurance benefits. Au pairs with a European Health Insurance Card from their home country are advised to take this with them, as this may automatically entitle them to health insurance coverage.
Driving licences issued in another EU or EFTA country, as well as those from Nordic countries, entitle the holder to drive in Sweden without having to change their licence. The Swedish Transport Agency provides additional information and resources in English on its website here. If you come from another country it may be necessary to appy for an international driving licence.
Au pairs and host families should clarify in advance if driving will be required in the au pair position and if so how often. It should also be discussed how things will be managed in the event of an accident and who will bear the cost of the damages.It is recommended to set out your agreement on these points in writing.