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A host family and three au pairs stand laughing at a garden swing in the summer.

Becoming a host family

Becoming a host family in a few steps

We show you, step by step, what you need to welcome an au pair into your home.

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Step 1

The requirements

Three points decide whether things can get going at all. If they are met, we guide you through everything else.

  1. Family status

    Married couple with a child under 18, or a single person with a child under 18.

  2. German citizenship

    One parent holds German citizenship.

  3. A own furnished room

    The au pair gets their own furnished room in the family's household or in its immediate surroundings (e.g. with the grandmother or neighbours). A basement room with windows at ground level is also possible.

Step 2

Personal consultation call

You speak with a member of our team who is herself a mother caring for a child with a disability and who employs an au pair through our agency. She knows your everyday life from her own experience, and answers your questions practically, honestly and with understanding.

Free consultation call (opens in a new tab)
A woman from our phone team with a headset smiles as she talks on the phone in a bright living room

  1. You tell us about your everyday life

  2. We explain the placement process

  3. Room for your questions

Step 3

Your host family profile is created

After the consultation call, we create your personal host family profile — the basis for finding the au pair who fits you.

  1. Your personal host family area

    Here you will find videos, checklists, templates and all the important information about your au pair placement.

  2. We start the search

    We publish your profile. You receive our own agency suggestions, unsolicited applications from interested au pairs, and access to the full au pair gallery with photos, profiles and introduction videos.

  3. You get to know your favourites

    Hold video interviews with your favourites and take your time deciding on the au pair who best fits your family.

Handover

Have you decided on your au pair?

We take care of the entire organisation — from the contract documents through the visa process to your au pair's arrival.

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Questions

Before you get in touch

How old are the au pairs, and what German do they bring with them?

At least 18 years old, and no older than 26 when the visa is applied for. Before travelling, a German course is compulsory, at least to A1 level, evidenced by a Goethe certificate or an ÖSD certificate.

How many hours may an au pair help us with?

A maximum of 30 hours a week, a maximum of 6 hours a day and a maximum of 5.5 working days a week, babysitting included. In addition, there are one and a half consecutive days off per week, at least one free weekend per month, and two paid holiday days per month of presence.

Do we have to plan for twelve months, or can it be shorter?

The minimum stay is 6 months, usually 12. Because our families need long-term support, every au pair knows from the start that twelve months is what is wanted. The programme is not designed for a few weeks or for individual holiday periods.

How long does it take before an au pair can be with us?

Visa processing takes between two and about six weeks, depending on the country of origin. As soon as the au pair has received the visa, we can start booking the flight straight away, and the au pair can fly to you a few days after receiving the visa.

What does getting to know each other cost?

Nothing. The consultation call, the family questionnaire, access to the host family area and the whole getting-to-know-each-other process are free of charge. Only once you have decided on an au pair and instructed us with the placement does the placement fee (Vermittlungsgebühr, our one-off fee for arranging the au pair) of 1.178 euros become due.