How to become an au pair: the complete path

Step 1: Check you're eligible

The core requirements are similar almost everywhere: aged 18–30 (some countries cap at 26 or 27), not married, no children of your own, a clean criminal record, and some genuine childcare experience — babysitting, tutoring, coaching or younger siblings all count.

You'll also need basic language ability for most destinations. It doesn't have to be fluent — families expect you to learn — but you should be able to introduce yourself and handle simple situations.

Step 2: Gather your documents

Start these early — some take weeks:

• Passport valid for the whole placement plus a few months
• Criminal record check from your home country
• A medical certificate confirming you're fit to work with children
• Two or three references from families or employers you've worked with
• School certificates or proof of education (some visa routes ask for this)

Step 3: Build a profile that gets replies

Your profile is your application. The profiles that get messages share three things: at least two clear, friendly photos (on The Pair Network every photo is reviewed before it goes live, which families trust), a genuine 'about me' that mentions specific experience with specific ages, and honest expectations about duties, hours and the kind of household you want.

Say what you're actually like. A family looking for a sporty, outdoorsy au pair will pass on a profile that says nothing — but leap on one that mentions coaching their local football team.

Step 4: Match and interview

When a family messages you, move to a video call within a week or two. Treat it as a two-way interview: ask about the children's ages and routines, the weekly schedule, the room, the language course arrangements, and what happened with their previous au pair if they had one.

Do at least two calls before agreeing, and ideally speak to the children on the second one. Red flags: pressure to decide immediately, vagueness about hours or pay, or reluctance to put things in writing.

Step 5: Agreement, then visa

Sign the au pair agreement before anything else moves — it sets out hours, pocket money, duties, free days and notice, and most embassies require it for the visa application. Use a proper template (we have a free one in our contracts guide) and make sure both sides keep a signed copy.

Then the visa. The family usually helps with their side of the paperwork, but the application is yours. Book the appointment early — in popular destinations the wait for a slot can be the longest part of the whole process.

Step 6: Arrival and the first month

Agree your arrival date, airport pickup and first-week plan before you fly. The best placements start with shadowing, not sole charge — you learn the routine with a parent nearby before running it yourself.

Register with local authorities if the country requires it (Germany and France do), start your language course in the first fortnight, and keep the agreement somewhere you can both see it. Our first-month checklist walks through this week by week.