Getting started · Au pairs and families
What to do after you match: step-by-step to arrival day
You've found your family or au pair. Here's the order to do everything in — from signing the agreement to the first day.
5 min read · Updated September 2026
1. Put it in writing
Fill in the au pair agreement together: hours, pocket money, duties, holidays, notice period and start date. Both sign and keep a copy.
2. Visa and paperwork
Check the host country's official au pair or working holiday rules. Gather documents early: passport, signed agreement, proof of insurance, and any certificates the embassy asks for. Delays are almost always caused by missing paperwork.
3. Insurance and travel
Arrange health, accident and liability cover before departure. Agree flight dates, who books them and who pays, and how the au pair gets from the airport.
4. Before arrival
- Family: prepare the room, a house guide, emergency contacts and the weekly schedule
- Au pair: register for a language course, sort a phone plan and read up on the city
- Both: a final video call the week before to go over the first days
5. The first week
Aim for a few days of shadowing before full duties. Have a short check-in at the end of week one and again after a month — small issues are easy to fix early.
Agree pay, hours and costs before committing to a match. Sign in to browse au pair and host family profiles.
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