Frequently asked questions

Every profile on the platform relies on a systematically verified contact point (email address or Google-connected phone). On top of this, KYC is offered to VIP members of the paid plan on a voluntary basis: they can have their identity verified via Stripe Identity and, depending on the country, submit proof of address or a criminal record extract. The green "Certified" badge only displays publicly on a profile once this KYC is validated; certified profiles are promoted more prominently and members are encouraged to complete these checks, but they are not obliged to. On each profile the platform also shows transparency indicators, such as average response time and last login date, so you can measure a candidate's real responsiveness. We always recommend completing these technical checks with an in-app video interview, which does not require sharing your personal contact details before you decide to move forward.

In France, hosting an au pair does not work like hiring an ordinary employee: it falls under a host-family convention for a cultural exchange stay rather than a classic employment contract. The "young au pair" status and the "foreign family aide trainee" status for European Union nationals follow specific rules, and the family must respect a precise framework to avoid penalties. The remuneration takes the form of pocket money, not a salary: in France, pocket money is set at approximately €326.25 to €391.50 per month for an EU/EEA national provided with board and lodging, and at least €320 per month for a non-EU/EEA national provided with board and lodging, in line with the verified data in our legal reference. The paperwork is handled via Urssaf, with a family employment declaration required within 8 days. An official document, such as a Cerfa form, must be completed to frame the relationship, and fines-grained obligations concerning accommodation, meals, working hours and a portion of free time must be agreed in advance. Our country guides, backed by official sources, help you complete each document correctly and respect the thresholds currently in force, so you never run the risk of a redressment.

A match can fail for many reasons: a change in the family's situation, a personal reason on the au pair's side, or an incompatibility that only surfaced after the interview. AuPair Connect has designed its offer to reduce this risk on both the financial and the practical level. The paid "Serenity & Rematch" option guarantees a replacement for the candidate within 30 days if the first relationship does not work out, under the conditions set out when you subscribe. The pay-per-match model also avoids paying for steps you never actually reached. We also recommend formalising from the start a short written questionnaire on mutual expectations, and keeping an agreed trial period of a few days before final validation. Clear communication from day one, on schedules, tasks and house rules, is the best way to avoid late misunderstandings.

The most common red flags are an urgent need for money, a request for a bank transfer, gift cards or cryptocurrency, pressure to leave the platform immediately for WhatsApp or a private channel, a refusal to take a video call, inconsistent documents, or artificial urgency ("another family is waiting"). No serious family asks an au pair for money, and no serious au pair asks a family for an advance: financial exchanges are limited to the pocket money paid within the legal framework. If in doubt, do not transfer any money, keep a written record of the exchanges and report the profile immediately through the in-app reporting button. Every report is reviewed by our moderation team, which can suspend an account while it verifies. The basic safety rule remains to formalise everything after a live video interview, never to disclose your personal contact details before you have decided to, and never to share your bank details with anyone.

AuPair Connect processes personal data in compliance with the GDPR and strictly limits the information requested to what the matching service actually needs. Documents submitted as part of the voluntary KYC (identity document, proof of address, criminal record extract) are checked through a specialised provider, Stripe Identity, which encrypts the exchanges, and are not published: only the certification badge is visible. Messages exchanged go through end-to-end encrypted messaging. You can request access to, rectification of, or deletion of your data at any time, and exercise your rights by a simple email to our compliance team. The purpose of each processing operation is documented, retention periods are limited and no data is resold to third parties. This privacy-by-design approach — minimisation, encryption and user control — aims to protect both families and au pairs throughout the relationship.

Any behaviour that breaches the rules — harassment, financial solicitation, attempts to bypass the exchanges or inappropriate comments — can be reported directly from the relevant conversation or profile, using the dedicated reporting button. A protected, confidential reporting channel also lets you raise a concern you do not wish to follow up publicly. Every report triggers a review by our moderation team, which examines the exchanges concerned and can take graduated measures: a warning, temporary suspension or permanent removal of the account. You are informed of the outcome where the nature of the report allows. We recommend keeping the written exchanges and describing the facts precisely (dates, context, quotes), because factual evidence significantly speeds up processing. In an emergency or immediate danger, of course, contact your local authorities first, before the platform.

A few simple precautions make all the difference for a calm first placement. Always favour a live video interview before any decision, then formalise a written contract or convention setting out dates, hours, tasks, pocket money and accommodation. Prepare the arrival practically: a private room with a door, access to a shared bathroom, an introduction to the house rules and emergency numbers, and a map of local transport. Plan a gradual integration period of a few days, with lighter hours, so everyone can adjust. For families hosting a minor or a very young person, extra care is advisable around day-to-day support, language courses and regular contact with the family back home. Finally, write down the mutual expectations and an emergency point of contact: this initial clarity prevents most later tension.

Every profile rests on a verified contact point (email address or Google-connected phone). To strengthen trust, KYC is a service offered to VIP members: on a voluntary basis you can have your identity verified via Stripe Identity, along with proof of address and, depending on the country, a criminal record extract. Once validated, your profile receives the green "Certified" badge, which only displays publicly when this KYC has been passed; it reassures families and noticeably improves your chances of being contacted, since certified profiles are promoted more prominently. Au pairs can also unlock an intermediate level — without being VIP or passing KYC — by referring friends who sign up and pay for their plan. It is also recommended to make your profile as complete as possible: profiles with a high completion gauge, a 30-second intro video and precise schedules receive more enquiries. Responsiveness transparency (average reply time, last login) is also shown to families, so an active, complete profile works directly in your favour.

Identity verification (KYC) is a service offered to VIP members, on a voluntary basis and without obligation. It is done remotely via Stripe Identity, within minutes and without travel. It requires presenting a valid identity document and a liveness check to confirm the document matches the person. You can also submit, depending on the destination country, proof of address and a criminal record extract drawn from the country's administration procedures, whose delays generally range from a few days to a few weeks. Your references and declared experience may also be requested. Once everything is validated, you receive the "Certified" badge, which only displays publicly if the KYC has been passed. To avoid delaying your search, we advise starting the longest-running checks as soon as you create your profile and preparing the required items in advance. A certified profile is noticeably more attractive: it comes across as serious and secure, and it is promoted more prominently, which increases your chances of being contacted quickly by quality families.

Safety is structured across several levels on AuPair Connect. Every profile relies on a verified contact point (email or Google-connected phone). KYC — identity verification via Stripe Identity and, depending on the country, proof of address and a criminal record check — is offered to VIP members on a voluntary basis; certified profiles (with the "Certified" badge displayed publicly) are promoted more prominently. All exchanges go through end-to-end encrypted messaging. You never share your personal contact details until you have explicitly decided to release them for a specific family: this is a strong differentiator versus platforms where numbers circulate freely. The built-in video call applies exactly the same protection. An anti-fraud system monitors suspicious behaviour, and transparency indicators (average response time, last login) help spot unreliable profiles. This perimeter is completed by an editorial trust layer: each country has a dated, sourced legal fact sheet reviewed by our Compliance Team, so neither families nor au pairs ever advance on the basis of outdated or misleading information. If anything ever looks out of line, you can report a profile directly and flag any concern through the protected in-app channel, and the moderation team reviews every case.

An au pair's schedule is negotiated from the start and must be realistic, respectful and consistent with the spirit of the programme, which provides free time for language courses and local discovery. A typical range is around five hours per day and up to 30 hours per week for full-time placements, but each family sets its own limits according to the children, extracurricular activities and occasional needs. We advise writing down before arrival the children's bedtime, shared meals, planned nights out, weekends and days off, as well as the margin for the unexpected (sickness, travel). The au pair's free time must allow her to attend a language course, a frequent requirement in many countries and a precious resource for her experience. A clear and considerate schedule prevents tension and makes the difference between a durably successful placement and a draining relationship. Our country guides set out the indicative ranges and best practices per destination.

The contract or host convention is the legal backbone of the relationship: without a signed document before arrival, nothing is really enforceable if a problem arises. It states the identity of the parties, the start and end dates of the stay, the weekly care hours within the national ceiling, the division of tasks, the amount and frequency of the pocket money, the accommodation and meals arrangements, access to a language course, and the holiday periods and free time. It should also mention any trial period, the notice period for termination and the replacement terms. In France, the Urssaf declaration must be made within 8 days of hiring, and an official form (Cerfa type) frames the relationship. Depending on the country, liability insurance or health cover may be required. Our country guides detail, item by item, what the document must contain for each destination, backed by official sources.

An au pair's working hours are framed by the programme rather than freely set by the family. In practice, the most common benchmark is around 30 care hours per week, with a daily maximum and mandatory rest periods, and free time that must allow the au pair to attend a language course. Some destinations cap it lower, others allow slightly more, but the logic is always the same: an au pair is hosted for a cultural and language exchange, not as a full-time employee. Occasional extra hours must remain the exception, be agreed by both parties and be compensated with time off. Nights, public holidays and weekends must be planned in advance. Our country factsheets set out, for each destination, the indicative weekly ceiling and the associated obligations, with official sources. Writing these limits down before arrival protects both the au pair and the family.

Health cover and liability insurance are legal points that must not be overlooked. An au pair must have health insurance valid in the host country for the entire stay: depending on nationality and destination, this may be a European Health Insurance Card, private insurance taken out before departure, or enrolment in the host country's system. Some destinations require a minimum health cover as a visa condition. On the family side, liability insurance covering the presence of a hosted person at home is recommended, and required in some countries. Some host contracts also include repatriation cover and protection in the event of an accident during care hours. Documents must be checked and kept before arrival. Our country guides list the expected cover, with official sources, to spare you any unpleasant surprise on the day.

Yes, some destinations are heavily regulated. In the United States, the au pair programme falls under the J-1 visa and placement must go through a designated sponsor under 22 CFR 62.31: this text sets precise requirements, including limited working hours, education provided by the household, local supervision and a maximum working period over the year. In Germany, the Bundesagentur für Arbeit (BA für Arbeit) frames the au pair stay: it requires an au-pair-type visa, a compliant contract, a language course, an age limit and a maximum length of stay, as well as care hours and education plus board and lodging in exchange for pocket money. Other countries, such as France, require the Urssaf declaration. These frameworks vary and evolve: our country reference cites the official texts (22 CFR 62.31, BA für Arbeit, Urssaf) and keeps them up to date, so families and au pairs never rely on outdated rules.

Formalities vary a great deal depending on your nationality and the country where you are hosted. In France, for example, a non-EU/EEA national generally needs a long-stay visa that doubles as a residence permit (VLS-TS) "young au pair", while a European Union national is hosted under a convention and the trainee or young au pair status, without a long-stay visa. In Germany, the au pair stay rests on an au-pair-type visa issued by the consulate, which often requires an invitation letter from the family, proof of a language course and health coverage. Applications are made of documents that must be exact and recent: a signed contract or convention, health insurance, the family's resources, and sometimes proof of accommodation. Visa processing times can take several weeks, sometimes several months depending on the embassy, so it is essential to start the steps very early. Our country reference tells you the type of visa, its duration and the expected documents, with the official sources cited.

AuPair Connect currently covers 32 active bilateral corridors (country pairs) linking au pairs' home countries to host families' destination countries. Each corridor comes with a complete, verified guide: legal obligations, visa and paperwork, pocket money and best practice, all sourced from official authorities. For every country pair you will also find the pilot cities, legal resources and the concrete steps to complete before departure. This figure updates automatically whenever a new corridor goes live on the platform, so it always reflects the exact number of combinations actually available, never a stale value.

AuPair Connect connects host families with international au pairs through a compatibility algorithm that evaluates the fit across five criteria: parenting style, desired schedule, housework, driving practice and diet. You create a free host-family profile, describe your needs and expectations, and the algorithm surfaces the au pairs who match best instead of overwhelming you with hundreds of unfiltered applications. Searching, compatibility scoring and the first secured-messaging exchanges are entirely free. It is only when you unlock full matching — complete contact details and built-in video calls — that flexible plans apply: Family VIP access costs 29,99 € for one month, or 19,99 € per month on the 3-month plan, while au pairs unlock VIP access with a one-time payment of 9,99 €. This model removes the pricing barrier imposed by incumbents by keeping the essential discovery free, so you can evaluate whether a candidate is the right au pair before investing. The profile you build also lets you specify your city, family composition, house rules and any accommodation you can offer, which the algorithm uses to rank only the candidates genuinely able to fit, giving you quality over volume from the very first screen.

Compatibility is not just a strong CV: it rests on the daily fit between both parties' expectations. The AuPair Connect algorithm assesses this fit across five complementary criteria: parenting style (support, structure, child autonomy), desired care hours, sharing of household tasks, any driving experience and dietary habits. This score helps you rank profiles, but it does not replace your own judgement. To refine the decision, we recommend a structured video interview that focuses on the frequent friction points: handling conflict with children, mealtime rhythm, free time, communication while away, weekends and occasional travel. Responsiveness transparency (average reply time) also gives a realistic indication of a candidate's involvement. A solid on-paper fit is always confirmed by a direct, honest and detailed conversation. Taking the time to align these everyday expectations up front is what turns a promising profile into a placement that lasts, and it is the single most effective way to avoid a mismatch becoming visible only once everyone is settled in.

AuPair Connect currently covers 32 active bilateral corridors (country pairs) between au pairs' home countries and host families' destination countries. You can search for a host family across several destinations according to the countries and cities that interest you, compare conditions, and then explore the destination countries for which a verified guide exists: visas and paperwork, pocket money, length of stay and the family's obligations. This scope grows continuously: as soon as a new corridor goes live, the count updates automatically on this page.

You create a profile describing your experience, languages, schedule preferences, parenting style, driving ability and dietary habits. The compatibility algorithm cross-references these with the registered host-family profiles and surfaces the households that fit best according to a compatibility score, rather than a plain date-sorted list. You can then compare opportunities by focusing on what matters to you: country, city, care hours, number of children and family type. Creating a profile, searching and the first secured-messaging exchanges are entirely free, letting you evaluate several families before committing to anything. The built-in video call lets you run a first interview safely, without revealing your personal contact details until you are sure you want to pursue a particular family. This targeted approach makes finding a family noticeably faster and more reliable than platforms that push you to apply blind to hundreds of listings.

There is no single deadline: everything depends on the destination country, the period you are looking for and the checks to be carried out. As a rule, you should plan for a one-to-three-month horizon between the start of your search and your actual arrival at the family. This delay comes from several steps: building and validating your profile, the time to find a family that really matches your preferences, the video interviews and, above all, obtaining the administrative formalities and your visa if you are concerned, which is often the longest part. For busy seasons, such as summer or the start of the school year, families plan their needs several months ahead and the best candidates go fast. Anticipate well in advance to maximise your chances of finding a household that suits you for the exact period you want.

A basic level of the host country's language is almost always recommended, because it eases day-to-day communication with the family and the children as well as your local errands. However, the required level varies a lot from family to family: some prefer English as the shared household language, others accept an au pair who is just starting and plan for her to attend a funded language course, a frequent au pair requirement depending on the country. Your profile should honestly state your levels in French, English and the target country's language, because honesty avoids frustrating situations on arrival. Use the video interviews to clarify the level actually expected, the planned courses and the family's flexibility on this point. A genuine motivation to learn the language is often valued as much as an already advanced level, especially for a family hosting an au pair over the long term and expecting gradual integration.

A credible profile is specific and verifiable: country and age bracket, availability dates, languages spoken with their level, concrete experience with children (ages and durations), driving licence and any certificates, a clear idea of the tasks accepted, and a short intro video. A useful video lasts about thirty seconds and stays factual: the person introduces themselves, sums up their childcare experience in one sentence, explains what they are looking for (dates, country, tasks) and says a few words in the target language. It should be filmed in one take, at home, with no script read off screen. Vague profiles, stock photos or a refusal to appear live are warning signs. On the family side, a complete profile states the household composition, the city, the expected hours and duties, the accommodation offered and the house rules. The more precise both profiles are, the more relevant the compatibility algorithm and your interviews become.

Reference checks usefully complement KYC and the video. Ask the candidate for the contact details of two or three people who genuinely supervised or observed her work with children: former families, childcare settings, internships. Favour a direct phone or video exchange over a scanned certificate, and ask concrete behavioural questions — how she handled conflict between children, homework management, an emergency, punctuality — rather than closed questions. Cross-check the stated dates and durations against the profile information. On AuPair Connect, transparency indicators (average reply time, last login) complete this work. The voluntary KYC, which verifies identity via Stripe Identity and may include a criminal record extract depending on the country, adds a further guarantee. No check replaces human judgement, however: cross several sources before deciding.

Yes, agreeing on a trial period is good practice that safeguards both parties. It means setting, in the contract from the outset, an initial phase of a few days to a few weeks during which each party can confirm that the relationship works, with simplified termination conditions and a short notice period. In practice, run this period with progressive hours and regular check-ins — an informal one at the end of the first week, then at the end of the period — on hours, tasks, integration into the family and how each person feels. Write down the terms of the trial period, what happens in the event of early termination, and the replacement option offered by the "Serenity & Rematch" plan if the first relationship does not work out. This transparency avoids unspoken issues and turns a possible mismatch into an organised solution rather than a conflict.

Discovery, search and the first exchanges are 100% free: you can create your profile, browse au pair profiles, read compatibility scores and send your first messages at no cost. Flexible plans only become necessary to access the full matching features: unlocking contact details and built-in video. These plans start at 29,99 € for one month of Family VIP access (19,99 € per month on the 3-month plan), with the au pair VIP access charged as a one-time payment of 9,99 €. A pay-per-match model and a paid "Serenity & Rematch" option guarantee a replacement within 30 days if the first placement does not work out. No plan imposes an annual commitment: you choose the pace that fits your real need and can stop at any time. This transparent pricing, with no hidden subscription, avoids the trap of legacy platforms that charge more than €50 upfront before you have even been able to evaluate a single candidate. You always know precisely what you are paying for and can scale up or down between the search and match steps without ever feeling locked in.

The entire discovery stage stays free: creating your profile, browsing family or au pair profiles, reading compatibility scores and exchanging the first messages through the secure messaging cost nothing. It is the advanced full-matching features — unlocking contact details and the built-in video call for interviews — that fall under the flexible plans. On the family side, Family VIP access starts at 29,99 € for one month, or 19,99 € per month on the 3-month plan. On the au pair side, VIP access is a one-time payment of 9,99 €. The pay-per-match model also lets you pay only when a match actually succeeds, and the "Serenity & Rematch" option covers replacement if it fails. No plan imposes an annual commitment. This clear split guarantees you pay only for the value you need, with no hidden cost.

Cancellation and refund terms are set out at the time of subscription, before any payment, so you know exactly what applies. If a match fails after payment, the "Serenity & Rematch" option guarantees a replacement for the candidate within 30 days, under the conditions described at subscription: it is a service guarantee rather than a mere goodwill gesture. The pay-per-match model avoids committing sums for steps never reached, which mechanically limits refund situations. If you need to cancel before using a paid feature, contact our compliance team, who will handle your request under the conditions in force and the applicable legal withdrawal periods. As these are amounts and rights, our pricing reference is updated at source and displayed on the pricing page. In case of doubt, ask for the full terms before paying: transparency is part of the service.

Pocket money is paid monthly by the family to the au pair, in addition to the accommodation and meals provided, on the basis set by the host country's regulation rather than the family's goodwill. In France, for an EU/EEA national with board and lodging, it stands at approximately €326.25 to €391.50 per month depending on age and status, and at least €320 per month for a non-EU/EEA national with board and lodging, in line with our verified legal record. In Germany, the reference value is around €280 per month for a full-time placement, according to the Bundesagentur für Arbeit. The payment must be regular, traceable and stated in the contract or convention. The family must never ask the au pair to contribute to its running costs, nor condition pocket money on tasks outside the agreed framework. Our country guides specify, for each destination, the amount, frequency and any costs covered, with official sources.

Profile creation, searching for families, reading compatibility scores and the first secured-messaging exchanges are entirely free for au pairs, just as they are for families. That means you can freely explore multiple opportunities in the countries that interest you, compare conditions and start several conversations without spending a cent. Flexible plans, starting at 9,99 € as a one-time payment for au pair VIP access, mainly cover full matching access: unlocking contact details and using video calls for interviews. The pay-per-match model and the serenity replacement option prevent any locked-in payment before you have confirmed a family. This freemium approach was designed to remove the traditional financial barrier that discourages many candidates, while still giving you the freedom to find the right household with confidence before deciding to invest in a full plan. You stay in full control of when, if ever, you choose to pay, which keeps the search process stress-free whatever your budget.

Pocket money is the monthly counterpart paid to the au pair in addition to the accommodation and meals provided by the family. Its amount depends on the destination country and is set by local regulation, not by the whim of the family. For example, in France pocket money is about €326.25 to €391.50 per month for European Union nationals with room and board, and at least €320 per month for non-EU/EEA nationals with room and board, according to our verified legal record. In Germany, the reference value is around €280 per month for a full-time au pair placement, according to the Bundesagentur für Arbeit. These amounts are indicative and should be checked with the relevant authorities of the destination country. This transparency on amounts is essential so the relationship rests on clear, healthy and legal foundations.