Country pairs · Destinations & Origins
Hosting an au pair from the UK, US, Australia or Canada
Whether a family in an anglophone country is hosting an au pair at home or an au pair from the UK/US/AU/CA is joining a family abroad, the rules depend on the specific country pair — your origin and your destination. Rules, hours and allowances are never “one size fits all”. This hub organises regional guidance by Destinations & Origins, with values verified and dated against official sources.
Start with the right frame for your country pair
Au pairing is asymmetric by origin and destination: what holds in one country does not transfer to another. Age windows, visa need, the exact status and even pocket money all depend on the combination of the au pair’s nationality and the host country. With limited exceptions (such as the US J-1 programme), most anglophone markets have no dedicated “au pair salary” or childcare cap — so never assume a figure or an hour-limit that does not exist in law.
For a host family in an anglophone country, hiring an au pair who already holds the right to stay (or whose mobility scheme allows childcare on a private arrangement) is different from an international au pair who needs a regulated programme. Read the guidance below according to your pair, then consult the official source of your destination before signing any agreement.
United Kingdom
No dedicated “au pair” visa or regulated scheme — arrangements rest on private agreement and, where a real work relationship exists, National Minimum Wage rules.
United States
The J-1 au pair (BridgeUSA) is the regulated programme: ages 18–26, childcare capped at 10 h/day and 45 h/week, weekly stipend set per sponsor.
Australia
No dedicated “au pair” status — the relevant stay categories are the Working Holiday Maker (417) / Work & Holiday (462) schemes; no official au pair cap.
Canada
No dedicated “au pair” status — the IEC / Working Holiday programme governs stays; care arrangements are private.
Per-country-pair sheets — including alloweance ranges only when they are verifiable — land in the Destinations & Origins guide set. Nothing here is an automatic “legal au pair salary”.
Where to continue
- What is an au pair: definition, role and rules — understand the arrangement before comparing markets.
- Host family handbook — everyday expectations for a family sharing its home with an au pair.
- Everyday-life guides — for au pairs and their host families.
- An honest comparison of au pair platforms — transparent fees, verified references and written agreements.
Travelling onward? See the au-pair candidate side in the Becoming an au pair hub.