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Host an au pair in Switzerland
Country guide · host family

Host an au pair in Switzerland

The verified guide to host an au pair in Switzerland.

Sources

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Age
18–25 years
Pocket money
CHF 600.00 to CHF 900.00
per month
Working time
≈ 20 h
per week, 4 h per day, customary
Visa
Required
non-EU/EEA only

Your hosting journey, step by step

  1. Conclude a hosting convention between the family and the au pair (tasks, hours, free time, lodging, meals, pocket money) Host family / au pair
  2. File the residence-authorisation application with the competent cantonal migration office (SEM coordination) — third-country nationals: go through a recognised placement organisation Cantonal migration office / SEM
  3. Third-country nationals: obtain a visa at the Swiss representation of the country of origin before entering Switzerland Swiss representation abroad
  4. EU/EFTA: free-movement formalities (notification to the canton depending on the length of stay) Cantonal migration office

Your host-family obligations · Switzerland

Legal status

  • Au pair — third-country national (non-EU/EFTA) Non-EU/EEA Cantonal residence authorisation (permit) + visa from the Swiss representation + placement by a recognised organisation
  • Au pair — EU/EFTA national EU/EEA EU/EFTA free movement — cantonal residence authorisation / SEM

Visa

Required — Cantonal residence authorisation (permit) + SEM — visa from the Swiss representation for non-EU/EFTA nationals (third-country); EU/EFTA: free movement

Admission as a “young au pair” is a derogatory admission (LEI art. 30 / OASA): a third-country national aged 18 to 25 may be admitted to Switzerland for up to 12 months, exempt from the priority order, provided they are placed by a recognised organisation. The authorisation is issued by the cantonal migration office (SEM coordination); non-EU/EFTA nationals also obtain a visa from the Swiss representation of their country before entry. EU/EFTA: free movement, simplified formalities.

Official federal rule (SEM, verified 2026-09-06) for third-country au pairs (non-EU/EFTA): 18 to 25 years, stay of up to 12 months, placement by a recognised organisation. EU/EFTA: free movement — age, duration and amounts according to cantonal practice.

Working time

4 h/day · 20 h/week

No federal “au pair” hour ceiling is set in the admission ordinance (OASA): the exchange consists of limited services (simple housework and childcare) with the host family, within the usual limit of Swiss practice of about 4 h/day and 20 h/week, with protected free time for the language course. To be confirmed with the competent cantonal migration office: beyond this, the arrangement drifts towards ordinary gainful activity.

Agreement

Hosting convention (non-profit cultural exchange, cantonal model) — Written hosting convention signed between the family and the au pair (cantonal / SEM model)

Cantonal population / migration office + SEM; third-country nationals: recognised placement organisation + Swiss representation · Residence-authorisation application filed before arrival (cantonal procedure)

The family provides lodging (individual room), meals and pocket money; the au pair performs limited services (simple housework, childcare) and has enough time to attend a language course. The arrangement is a non-profit cultural exchange, distinct from ordinary salaried employment.

Pocket money

Monthly pocket money with board & lodging: usual Swiss-practice range of about CHF 600–900/month depending on the canton — no official federal amount is published by the SEM for au pairs (the OASA sets no minimum au-pair remuneration). Amount to be confirmed with the competent cantonal migration office and the recognised placement organisation.

Contributions

Host family (provides lodging, meals and pocket money) — no URSSAF-equivalent attachment body for the au pair stay

Non-profit cultural exchange (outside an ordinary salaried employment contract)

The third-country au pair is admitted under the “young au pairs” derogation (LEI art. 30 / OASA), outside the ordinary labour procedure. For any gainful activity in the strict sense, the general admission and notification rules (SECO / social insurance) would apply — check with the canton.

Tax

No tax advantage specific to hosting a young au pair in Switzerland

The pocket money of the unpaid exchange is generally modest; tax treatment depends on the canton and the situation (source tax possible for foreigners without a settlement permit)

The au pair scheme is a non-profit cultural exchange distinct from salaried employment; any tax advantage or obligation must be confirmed with the cantonal tax administration.

Official sources

Report an error

Hosting an au pair in Switzerland is a single federal frame with a very local execution: every placement lives as a cultural, non-profit exchange, but the authorisation for the au pair to live with you is issued at the CANTONAL level. That is why the answers you find online for a host family in Zurich, Geneva or Lausanne can look different - the working rules and day-to-day requirements really are handled by your canton.

This English guide for host families is built on the same verified, dated official sources AuPair Connect uses (2026-08-13: sem.admin.ch - the State Secretariat for Migration, SEM, and fedlex.admin.ch - the Foreign Nationals Act LEI, RS 142.20). It walks you through what you, as the Swiss host family, need to arrange and budget for, and where to confirm your canton's exact rules.

Verified on 14 October 2026 · Compliance Team

  • The au pair is hosted in Switzerland under a cultural, NON-profit exchange: they join your household, help with childcare and light tasks, and are NOT considered a salaried employee - you provide accommodation, meals and pocket money. (SEM / LEI RS 142.20, verified 2026-08-13)
  • The stay is based on a cantonal authorisation and residence permit: you (or your au pair, per cantonal procedure) apply to the cantonal population office / SEM, and non-EU/EEA nationals also obtain a visa from the Swiss representation in their home country. (sem.admin.ch, verified 2026-08-13)
  • The au-pair profile expected is generally 18-30 years old, and the monthly pocket money is 600-900 CHF (room & board included) depending on your canton. (record verified by our compliance team on 2026-08-13; SEM / Fedlex)
  • Light family help is limited to about 4 hours a day and 20 hours a week; your au pair must also have enough free time to follow language courses. (SEM / LEI RS 142.20, verified 2026-08-13)
  • Because the intake is cantonal, confirm the exact age range, pocket-money amount and paperwork for YOUR canton with the local cantonal migration office before you start - a federal overview can never replace the cantonal decision you will actually receive.

Understanding Switzerland: a national cultural exchange, delivered by your canton

In brief

Think 'cultural exchange, cantonal permit': you provide room, board and pocket money (600-900 CHF/month by canton) and the au pair is NOT a salaried employee. The residence authorisation and visa come from your canton (and the SEM for coordination), with the paperwork agreed local to local.

Switzerland regulates foreigners through the Federal Act on Foreign Nationals and Integration (LEI, RS 142.20), but the practical side of hosting is decided between the family and the canton. For an au pair stay - a cultural exchange and language immersion - the contact is the cantonal population/migration office (via SEM for federal coordination).

As the host family you give the au pair a private room, meals and pocket money; in return they help your household with childcare and light tasks while attending a language course. Because the position is not salaried, you do not set up an employment file or pay a Swiss salary; your cost is the pocket money plus board, insurances and the non-profit hosting setup agreed with the canton.

Age, hours and what counts as 'au pair' help in practice

In brief

Aim for an au pair aged 18-30. Cap light help at ~4 h/day, 20 h/week, and protect free time for language study and rest. Exceeding this drifts the arrangement from a non-profit cultural exchange into something Swiss authorities treat as employment.

The au-pair profile is generally expected to be between 18 and 30, in line with how the scheme is applied in Swiss cantons. The days are structured around light family help: around 4 hours a day and up to 20 hours a week on childcare and light household tasks, with clearly protected free time so language courses and personal time stay possible.

Hosting stays an exchange, not cheap childcare: the au pair is a young adult learning a language and living as part of your family. Keeping the help light is exactly what keeps the arrangement a legal, non-profit au pair stay rather than a de facto job that Swiss authorities would treat differently.

The paperwork, in order, so nothing blocks your placement

In brief

Start with a written hosting agreement, apply to your cantonal population/migration office for the residence authorisation, and (for non-EU/EEA au pairs only) ensure they obtain their Switzerland visa before arrival. Confirm your canton's exact list first.

Because the intake is cantonal, the documentation order follows your canton rather than one federal form. The task list below mirrors what the au-pair scheme generally expects; your local migration office confirms the exact list for your address.

First, draw up a hosting agreement (convention d'accueil) between you and the au pair setting the household help, hours, free time, meals, room and pocket money - the document everyone will reference later.

Next, lodge the application for the residence authorisation with your cantonal population office (coordinated with SEM). Then, only if the au pair is a national of a non-EU/EEA country, the person obtains a visa from the Swiss representation in their home country before travelling. The first three steps of the official application appear in the 'Official data' block above.

Pocket money, insurance and budgeting as a Swiss host family

In brief

Budget the 600-900 CHF/month pocket money your canton expects plus health/accident insurance, board and integration costs - pocket money alone is not the whole cost of hosting in Switzerland.

The pocket money is a monthly allowance on top of room and board, set at 600-900 CHF/month depending on your canton. Small enough to be realistically not taxed as income in many cases, it remains the clearest budget item you control - so confirm the amount your canton expects before you commit.

Remember the supporting costs most guides forget: adequate health/accident insurance cover for the au pair while they are with you, travel or repatriation cover, and the practical costs of integrating them (the room, meals, a mobile plan, local transport during free time). These belong in the family budget even though they are not part of the pocket-money figure.

Keep the hosting agreement, the cantonal decision and your insurance documents together. They prove, in any control, that your placement meets the non-profit au pair conditions your canton authorised.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need to register my au pair as an employee in Switzerland?
No. An au pair stay is a cultural, non-profit exchange and the au pair is not a salaried employee: you provide accommodation, meals and pocket money rather than a Swiss wage. The residence authorisation itself is what your canton grants.

What pocket money should I pay an au pair in Switzerland?
Expect a monthly allowance of roughly 600-900 CHF (room and board included), depending on your canton. Confirm your canton's exact amount with its migration office before you commit.

Can any nationality be hosted as an au pair in Switzerland?
Yes, but the route differs: EU/EEA nationals benefit from lighter free-movement formalities, while non-EU/EEA au pairs need a visa from the Swiss representation in their home country plus the cantonal residence authorisation. Your canton confirms the applicable procedure.

How many hours can my au pair help me?
Light family help is expected at around 4 hours a day and up to 20 hours a week, with protected time for a language course and rest. Going far beyond this drifts the placement from a cultural exchange toward something treated as employment.

Is the pocket money I pay considered taxable income for me or the au pair?
Within the non-profit au pair exchange the modest monthly allowance is generally not treated as salaried income subject to Swiss withholding, because the au pair is not an employee. Confirm your canton's handling and keep your plan documents - tax treatment can vary by canton and situation.

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Photo credits:John Samuel (CC BY-SA 4.0)

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