AIFS Au Pair in Australia Information for Parents

We know what it’s like… one night your child vaguely mentions an idea about becoming an Au Pair in Australia…and right now that sounds like a fun but crazy idea. We know that as a parent, you will have many questions and concerns and your trust in us is very important. We understand that this is a big step for both child and parent and AIFS want this to be an amazing life experience for all involved.

We hope you find the answers and information you are looking for here. We have tried to address the essential details you will need, but if after reading this you still have questions and would like to get in touch please feel free to contact us.

What is an Au Pair?

Au Pair means en par or equal to in French. Therefore, Au Pairs are considered equal members of their Australian families! An Au Pair is an international visitor who travels to Australia on a Working Holiday or Work & Holiday visa and lives with an Australian family for six months. Au Pairs receive room and board with their host family as well as weekly pocket money. In return they provide up to 40 hours of childcare per week.

An Au Pair is much more than a nanny. By the time your child returns home they have gained an amazing life experience, a better understanding of other cultures and have developed as individuals. It is also a wonderful addition to any CV!

Application and Interview

Applying to Au Pair in Australia will involve completing an online application, paying a deposit and have an interview with a trained AIFS Interviewer.

As part of the application process our Interviewers assess appropriate skills, experience, maturity and ability to participate on the programme. Interviewers generally conduct interviews in their own time with most interviews taking place in a local coffee shop or via Skype

Host Families

Most Au Pairs are placed with a Host Family for a minimum of 6 months unless a longer period is requested at the time of application. All families who participate on our program are required to complete a detailed application, provide references (which are checked by our team) and provide police checks for any person over the age of 18 who will be residing in the home during the placement.

Matching with a Host Family

Once an application is complete and been sent to our Sydney office the placement team will begin the process of identifying potential families that are looking for an au pair with similar requirements and interests.

Once a potential match is identified the au pair and Host Family receive the profile of the other party and are asked if they wish to arrange an interview. Both parties are freely able to decline in which case further profiles are then forwarded. When both parties agree to an interview AIFS will confirm a mutually agreed time for the two parties to speak. Sometimes more than one call takes place before an applicant and family confirm they wish to proceed with a placement.

Once placed with their Host Family, Au Pairs are required to pay their final payment, apply for their Visa and book flights.

Support in Australia

Every Au Pair arrives in Sydney and is met at the airport by a representative who will be wearing an AIFS t-shirt. They will then be transferred by shuttle bus where they will spend their first three nights in an award-winning hostel that is in central Sydney and close to our office, where they will attend a two day orientation before traveling to their host family.

During orientation Au Pairs have the opportunity to make friends, and meet the AIFS team. Once Au Pairs travel to their Host Family, we keep in regular contact with them and also provide a community counsellor who can be contacted at any time in addition to our emergency phone line. If any au pair experiences any issues or simply need someone to talk to about their placement, AIFS are only a call away.

Emergency Help

Au pairs have access to a 24-hour, emergency phone line throughout their entire time in Australia

Once the placement has finished

Once the placement has ended we will continue to support your child right up until they return home. After they have finished their placement they have the option to transfer to our work and travel programme or simply use our travel desk to assist with their travel plans. We can help them find casual work, accommodation and offer other services such as travel discounts, luggage storage, mail forwarding and 24/7 emergency support.