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Au pair agencies

AU PAIR THROUGH TO AU PAIR AGENCY

You don’t know if you should hire an au pair agency in order to find an au pair host family for you? You would like to know what services an agency offers? What’s the best agency?

Read more about au pair agencies and you will find answers to all these questions.

INFORMATION AT A GLANCE:

  • You and your host family have to pay the agency a fee;
  • An agency helps you with your application;
  • Help with your visa application;
  • Support during your stay.

WORK HOURS AS AN AU PAIR

In  Germany , your  work hours as an au pair  cannot exceed 30 hours per week. As an au pair in  Austria  you work a maximum of 20 hours per week and in  Switzerland , your work hours are also 30 hours per week.

In a day, you shouldn’t work more than 6 hours. If you  work  overtime as an au pair, your host family has to give you some time off shortly afterward in exchange. As an au pair, you have to have one day off per week; once a month this day has to be a Sunday.

 AU PAIR AGENCIES

  • Most  au pair agencies  want you to work as an au pair for one year or at least half a year. The process of finding a host family for you as an au pair is similar in all the au pair agencies. First, you must fulfill the formal and personal  requirements  as an au pair. After checking these, the  au pair agency  will send you your application form. It contains a questionnaire. The questions are meant to help you find the right host family and also give your future host family more information about you.

Usually, the  au pair agency  will help you fill out the  application  form. If your au pair stay requires a visa, it can be especially helpful to hire an au pair agency to help you with the formalities. This service is obviously not for free, as the agency is interested in making a profit.

Therefore, both you and your future host family have to pay the agency a fee for its service. As an au pair, you only have to pay the fee after the agency finds a suitable family for you. The  agency fee  may vary a lot.

A GOOD AGENCY SHOULD OFFER MANY ADVANTAGES

Before your trip:
 
  • A hotline is not enough; you should be able to meet your contact person, too.
  • The agency charges you its fee only after having found a host family for you.
  • Make sure your agency is controlled by the IAPA (International Au Pair Association).
  • Testimonials from ex-au pairs who found work with the agency and a way to contact them.
  • Help with your  application  (for example correcting your letter to the host family).
  • Fast service, as an agency is supposed to have a large network in each au pair country.
  • A good au pair agency will consider your special wishes, regarding the age of the children, whether you prefer working in the city or in the countryside etc. 
  • The agency suggests more than one host family to you.
  • You receive detailed information about the host families.
  • You can get in touch with your potential host family (for example, call them) .
  • The agency is there for you even after helping you with your preparations and after finding a host family for you.
  • You receive information about the insurance you will need abroad.

During your stay:

 
  • The  agency  will contact you after your first days abroad;
  • support during your au pair stay;
  • Contact person available;
  • Help if you have  problems  with your host family;
  • Activities for au pairs (excursions, au pair meetings);
  • Contact list of other au pairs close to you;
  • Help finding the right  language school ;
  • emergency hotline;
  • If there are problems, immediate  change  of host family;
  • You receive an au pair certificate after finishing your au pair stay.

DISADVANTAGES OF AGENCIES

  1. The au pair agency looks for your host family so you cannot be sure that your wishes and necessities are really considered. At the end of the day, you know best what you want and need!
  2. The au pair agency will charge you and your host family a fee for their services.
  3. Many  au pair agencies  claim that they will check the host families first. However, this usually only refers to checking if the host families fulfill the formal requirements. The agency does not go to see the household normally of the host family to make sure the information they give is correct.
  4. Unfortunately, there are many fake agencies out there.
  5. For many agencies, making money is the most important thing and they leave you alone after putting you in touch with your host family abroad.
  6. Au pair agencies  are usually focused on certain countries which limits your choices of finding a good host family. 
  7. Most agencies want you to work for a year or at least six months as an au pair but this doesn’t always fit your personal plans.
  8. Some au pair agencies keep sending au pairs to “unpopular” host families who have violated the au pair norms repeatedly.

OUR OPINION

From our perspective, it is also possible to find a good host family through the   internet  .
As host mom I have had better experiences finding au pairs through the internet than through the three   agencies   I payed.
Also, if you are an au pair looking for a family on your own you have more control over the entire process that way.
Furthermore, looking for a host family online is free for you as an au pair. Trust your good feeling! If you organize your search for a host family well, you fill find a family very fast.


Au Pair Village!  Finally, you can register now for free on our platform and find suitable host families and other au pairs!

We are looking forward to see you and your profile on aupair-village.com!
Au pair matching agency here!