How many hours does an au pair have to work?
There is no standard au pair working schedule that is applicable all countries. In Germany or the United States there are official rules. In Australia there is no official au pair programme. According to our basic idea of au pairing an au pair should never work more than 30 hours per week. In most host countries official au pair working hours include time spent babysitting.
Au pair working hours overview per country
| Australia | 25 - 40 hours/week |
| Austria | 18 hours/week |
| Belgium | maximum of 20 hours/week |
| Canada | 25 - 30 hours/week |
| Denmark | 18 - 30 hours/week |
| Finland | maximum of 25 hours/week |
| France | 25 hours/week |
| Germany | 30 hours/week |
| Ireland | 30 hours/week |
| Italy | 15 - 30 hours/week |
| Netherlands | 30 hours/week |
| New Zealand | 30 - 40 hours/week |
| Norway | 30 hours/week |
| South Africa | 30 hours/week |
| Spain | 30 hours/week |
| Sweden | maximum of 40 hours/week |
| Switzerland | maximum of 30 hours /week |
| United Kingdom | 30 hours/week |
| USA | maximum of 45 hours/week |
Au pair working hours - Frequently Asked Questions
What are working hours and what is free time?
The borderline between working hours and free time can sometimes be unclear for an au pair. In this connection it can be helpful, for example, when the host family states clearly in advance what the au pair's role is for a given activity such as family excursion. Is the au pair on the excursion to relax, as part of the cultural program of the au pair stay, or with the task of looking after the kids? Au pairs and host families should simply talk with each other in advance about such questions and make an arrangement with each other that everyone finds acceptable.
Is there extra pay for babysitting?
The stipulated working hours of an au pair are typically clearly defined in the au pair regulations of the various host countries. Generally, an au pair should not work more than a set number of hours. In most cases, hours spent babysitting are included in this amount.
Must the distribution of the au pair's weekly working hours be specified exactly in the contract or is it possible to be flexible?
Plan the main tasks and basic working hours with your au pair in advance. Of course, one can't plan everything exactly. Therefore, au pairs should also bring flexibility to the situation. As a host family, it is good to plan in advance what can be planned. Be careful that the au pair does not exceed the working hours specified in your country's au pair regulations and also that the au pair has sufficient time to take part in a language course. It works best if host families agree on a weekly or monthly schedule in advance and talk this through at the beginning of each week.
How are public holidays handled? Can the au pair help out on such days?
You should check on the au pair regulations of the respective host country. In some countries, there are no official regulations for whether au pairs should work on public holidays. We recommend that au pairs be given a day off on public holidays and in particular that they should not exceed the recommended total working hours. If you need the au pair on a public holiday, make sure that the extra working day does not result in excessive working hours or that the hours can be compensated for at another time. Talk with the au pair about these arrangements and make an individual arrangement for the public holiday. Finally every successful au pair-host family relationship depends on a flexible give and take between the parties.
Is babysitting working time for the au pair?
Yes, babysitting is working time. Even if the au pair is watching television, for example, and the children are sleeping, the au pair still needs to be present and be ready to take care of things if the children wake up. When au pair really isn't working, she or he can do whatever she wants , which is not possible in this case. In addition, in various countries the au pair regulations stipulate how many evenings an au pair can babysit for the host family. In most countries this is one or two evenings per week.
