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Everyday life guides

Practical, people-first guides so cohabitation, departures and learning French go smoothly for au pairs and host families alike.

Host family handbook

House rules (meals, kitchen, guests, screens, keys, emergencies) to set from day one, with a free downloadable PDF.

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Rematch & handling conflicts

What to do when things don't work out with your host family: kindly mediation, written notice, and changing families mid-stay.

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Au pair agency: fees & licences

What an au pair agency really does, what it costs, how to check it is licensed, and when an agency is legally mandatory (US J-1).

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Au pair vs nanny

The real difference: legal status, pay, hours and cultural value, with a total-cost calculator and a risk-mitigation checklist.

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How to find an au pair

The three channels, safety vs classifieds, what a trustworthy profile and profile video should show, the red flags to refuse and the vetting checklist before you sign.

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How much does an au pair cost?

The real total cost: pocket money, board and lodging, social charges, agency vs direct matching and the tax rules, country by country with a TCO calculator.

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Au pair eligibility in Canada

Who qualifies for Canada (and who does not): IEC bilateral agreement by nationality, ages, quotas and alternatives for ineligible profiles. Verified IRCC facts.

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Resources & contracts

Contract templates, pocket money, Urssaf and administrative steps: the legal and practical Cluster 2 guides.

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Back to homepage

Return to the AuPair Connect homepage.

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Au-pair stories

Verified stories from au pairs and host families: what worked, what was hard, and how to travel with peace of mind.

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