Au Pair FAQ’s

Basically, anything related to children! You must have a minimum of 200 referenced hours. This can include internships in daycare centres, schools, nurseries, midwives, children's nurses, camp counsellors, sports coaches, babysitting or tutoring. Caring for family members is great experience and should be included on your Application, however it won’t be counted as childcare hours

Yes! Almost all of our host families need help with the school run or driving the children to afternoon/weekend activities. If you are required to drive, your Host Family will provide vehicle insurance coverage for the Au Pair and have you listed as a driver on the car insurance policy. More information about driving will be supplied in your Handbook.

You can apply all year round! We usually need a minimum of 6 weeks to get you through the application process, placed and out to Australia, but if you need a little more time that’s fine. Most people apply about 6 months in advance, but you can book up to a whole year in advance!

Ultimately finding the perfect family should take priority over living in your desired location, so try to keep that in mind. If you really want to go to a specific area, we will try and accommodate your needs, however we cannot guarantee this. Please remember that specific request for location may result in us taking a little longer than usual to arrange your placement.

There are many websites offering Au Pair services for free. However, what these sites don’t offer is security and safety. All host families go through a rigorous screening process before being accepted onto the AIFS programme, so you have peace of mind knowing you are travelling to a safe place.

During your placement, you will have access to a dedicated community counsellor and 24/7 emergency support – something online searches cannot offer you.
AIFS is also accredited by ChildWise, has over 50 years’ experience in cultural exchange and has been offering au pair programs for over 30 years. We are a registered business in Australia with a physical office and a team of staff who are here to support you!

All AIFS Au Pairs will need to help with light household duties that are childcare related, such as tidying the children's room, making their beds, preparing light lunches, cleaning up the kitchen after the preparation of meals or doing the laundry. The primary objective for the Au Pair, however, is to care for children.

Occasionally we may hear from an Au Pair that she/he is struggling in the placement. In this case AIFS’ Community Counsellor will assist you and your family with trying to resolve the issue. If AIFS determines that the placement cannot be continued, we will provide assistance that may include placement with another Host Family or the services of our Work & Travel program.

We have placements starting almost every week! So you can hop on a plane and go to Australia whenever you like! Just choose a month you’d like to be in Australia by and we’ll do our best to get you there in time!

Placements start almost every week, all year round so no horrible deadlines to meet.

Yes, you should factor in the cost of obtaining the following:

• Criminal Record Check (USD17.95)
• Visa Fee
• Medical Report
• Working with children Check (in Australia)
• Whooping cough booster vaccination
• Flights

You will travel to Australia on a Working Holiday visa that is valid for 1 year, but can be extended to 2

We have host families all over Australia! Many in popular places like the major cities, but also in rural and outback Australia!

Of course! You will meet all the other au pairs who arrive when you do for the 2 day Orientation Program. We also run regular events around the country, have a contact list and an exclusive Facebook page just for AIFS au pairs.

Yes! If both you and your host family want to extend your placement, then we can sort all that out for you in Australia!