Au Pair Jobs in Europe 2026: Countries, Pay, Visas and Red Flags

Au pair jobs in Europe are cultural exchange placements, not full-time nanny jobs. You live with a host family, help with childcare and light household tasks for a limited number of hours each week, and in return you receive free accommodation, meals, pocket money, and usually help with a language course and insurance.

Typical pocket money in Europe is EUR 280 to EUR 450 a month in Germany, at least EUR 320 a month in France, and up to EUR 340 a month in the Netherlands, with hours usually capped at 25 to 30 hours a week depending on the country. Age limits are usually 18 to 26 in Germany and 18 to 30 in France, and non-EU citizens need a visa before travel.

The safest route is a written placement agreement, a recognised au pair agency or a well-reviewed matching platform, and a visa applied for before you leave home. Never travel on a tourist visa to start an au pair placement, and never pay a large upfront fee to a family or an unregistered agent.

An au pair helps a host family with childcare and light household tasks, such as school runs, playing with children, helping with homework, preparing simple meals, tidying children's rooms, and light housework linked to the children. You live in the family's home, usually in a private room, and you share meals and family life while you improve your language skills and experience a new culture.

An au pair is not a full-time nanny, a housekeeper, a cleaner, or a carer for elderly relatives. Hours are capped by law in most European countries, usually 25 to 30 hours a week, with at least one full day off each week and paid holiday. If a family asks for full-time housework, night shifts every night, or care for adults, that is not an au pair placement.

Germany is one of the most popular choices, with a clear au pair visa, an age range of 18 to 26, a maximum of 30 hours a week, and pocket money typically EUR 280 to EUR 450 a month, plus free accommodation, meals, health insurance, and a contribution of around EUR 70 a month towards a language course. Many families are in Berlin, Munich, Hamburg, Frankfurt and other large cities, and the programme is well established.

France is another strong choice, with an age range of 18 to 30 for non-EU citizens, a maximum of 25 hours a week, and minimum pocket money of EUR 320 a month. Non-EU citizens apply for a long-stay visa as a young au pair, and the placement agreement must be signed before departure. Paris, Lyon, Bordeaux and other cities have many host families, and French language learning is a central part of the exchange.

Au pair pay is called pocket money or a stipend, not a salary, because the placement is a cultural exchange. In Germany, typical pocket money is EUR 280 to EUR 450 a month. In France, the minimum is EUR 320 a month. In the Netherlands, pocket money is up to EUR 340 a month. In Spain and Italy, typical pocket money is lower, often EUR 250 to EUR 350 a month, and in Denmark and Norway it can be higher, but living costs are also higher.

Hours are capped by law in most countries. Germany allows up to 30 hours a week, France allows up to 25 hours a week, and the Netherlands allows up to 30 hours a week with a maximum of 8 hours a day and no more than 5 days a week. You should have at least one full day off a week, and in the Netherlands at least two days off a week, with at least two full weekends a month.

Visa rules depend on your nationality and the host country, and they change, so check the official consulate or immigration website for the country you choose. In general, non-EU citizens need a specific au pair visa or a long-stay visa before travel, and you cannot start an au pair placement on a tourist visa or a Schengen short-stay visa.

In Germany, non-EU citizens apply for an au pair visa at the German embassy or consulate in their home country, with a placement agreement, proof of language knowledge, and evidence of age and childcare experience. In France, non-EU citizens apply for a long-stay visa as a young au pair, with a signed placement agreement, and the visa must be validated after arrival. In the Netherlands, the host family or a recognised agency usually applies for a residence permit on your behalf, and the process can take six to eight weeks.

Red flags include a family that asks for more than 30 hours a week, asks you to do heavy housework or care for elderly relatives, offers pocket money below the legal minimum, refuses to sign a written agreement, asks you to pay a large fee, or asks you to travel on a tourist visa. Any of these is a reason to pause and check the rules for that country before you accept.

Other red flags are a family that will not do a video call, will not share references from previous au pairs, will not give you a private room, or pressures you to decide quickly. A genuine host family will welcome questions, share their daily routine, introduce you to the children on a call, and explain the hours, pocket money, days off and language course in writing.

SteadStaff lists overseas roles for candidates who meet the age, experience and visa requirements, and you can apply by creating a candidate profile and submitting your CV for au pair roles that match your preferred country, language and childcare experience. Keep your profile current, list your childcare experience honestly, and state your age, nationality, language level and preferred start date clearly so families and agencies can shortlist you quickly.

If a role fits, the next steps are usually a screening call, a video interview with the host family, a written placement agreement, and a visa application through the official consulate or immigration route. SteadStaff does not guarantee placement, and no genuine family or agency can promise a visa before the official process is complete. Apply on SteadStaff today, and check back regularly as new au pair roles are listed across Europe.