What you need to know if you want to be a host family in Australia.
Hosting an au pair can be a wonderful and exciting experience for both your family and the au pair staying with you. As au pairs come from a different country to the host family, it can be a great cultural learning experience for your family. Your children may even pick up the basics of a new language.
Does finding an au pair sound like the right fit for your family? Great! There are just a few things that you need to consider before committing to hosting an au pair:
1. Eligibility
For a family to host an au pair in Australia they must meet all the following requirements:
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Be of a different nationality to the au pair
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English be the spoken family language
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Have a child under 13 years of age living in the home
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Have a private bedroom for the au pair
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Expect the au pair’s duties to be childcare and light housework
2. Hours and pay
Au pairs in Australia are entitled to the national minimum wage and National Employment Standards. The National Employment Standards dictate that the au pair can work up to 38 hours per week. This includes babysitting hours.
The au pair is essentially part of your family for the duration of their stay. As such, they are entitled to three meals per day and a private room. Host families can deduct the cost of this from the au pair’s wage.
3. Tax
Host families in Australia are required to register with the Australian Taxation Office as they are employing working holiday makers. The au pair will be taxed on their income and must apply for a tax file number.
4. Duration of stay and holidays
The two visas that allow an au pair to come to Australia dictate that they can work for up to 6 months with one employer but are allowed to stay as a guest with the same employer for up to 12 months. The au pair is entitled to two weeks of holiday during their six-month working period.
5. Duties
The main responsibility of the au pair is to look after your children. They can also help with some light housework but are not to be used as a cleaner. The exact duties of the au pair, as well as their hours and pay, should be detailed in an au pair contract that is worked out before their arrival.
Read Next: The Au Pair Contract: Why You Need It and What It Should Say
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