B-lingual Experience | Programas Au Pair

INICIO AU PAIR PROGRAMMES

AU PAIR PROGRAMMES

Why to be an Au-Pair?

What is an Au-Pair?

Au-Pair Programme in Spain

Au-Pair Programme in UK

Au-Pair Programme in Ireland

Au-Pair Programme in Germany

Au-Pair Programme in China

Au-Pair Programme in Canada

Au-Pair Programme in Australia

WHY TO BE AN AU PAIR

Why to be an Au-Pair?

Because it will be the best decision you ever made!

You will have the opportunity to live and work abroad as an Au-Pair. Whichever Programme or country you choose, you will be so glad you did! You will finish your Programme having made new friends from all over the world, and have many new experiences to share with your friends and family back home. Your experience abroad will help you to learn very quickly the host-country language and to improve your language ability, grow as a person, and learn important skills that will be with you for the rest of your life.

You will gain a family that will accept you as another member of the family
Total immersion in the culture and language of a country
Living in the heart of a family, learning about their customs and gastronomy
You work with children, which is what you enjoy doing
You experience a country from the inside, as a local and not as a tourist
You develop as a person and become more open-minded.
You will make good friends for life. When you go out of your comfort zone, you will make strong friendships
You will be part of an international environment

Native English speakers or with a very good level in English (B2-C2 of the CEFR) are very sought-after as Au-Pairs all over the world, so you have a great advantage and, provided your application is complete and suitable, you should be able to placed with a host family quickly. But also native German and French Native speakers are also very demanded from the families.

Many host families have some knowledge of English and are keen for their children to speak your native language or some English with you whilst you are improving your language skills. Don't worry if you are not yet fluent or even a little shy to use your language skills; the host families have a good understanding that you are coming to experience the culture and learn the language!.

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What is an Au Pair?

An au pair is a caring, live-in childcare provider who lives as an extended member of a host family in exchange for room, board and pocket money.

In addition to providing childcare, Au-Pair responsibilities may also include:

Dropping the children off at school or activities
Picking them up from school or after-school activities
Helping with homework
Helping to keep the children’s rooms clean
Cooking light meals for the children

While your main priority is to take care of the children, you will have plenty of free time to study, to socialise and get to know the area where you will be living. You can attend educational classes at local schools and you will also participate in meetings and activities planned with other Au-Pairs in your community.

Most host families are looking for someone who is able to commit for 12 months, although a six-month stay is generally also possible in most countries. You can also apply to the summer Au-Pair Programme, which is 2-3 months long, depending on where you wish to go. So, In Spain is the most common country where the families ask for Au-Pairs for just 2-3 months during the summer time.

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WHAT IS AN AU PAIR?

Au Pair Programme in Spain

Guidelines for Au Pairs and Host Families participating in the Au Pair Programme in Spain.

Nature of the Programme: The au pair programme is a cultural exchange Programme. Au-pairs must be welcomed as a member of the family.

Age:Traditionally, an au pair is aged 18 – 30

Hours on duty:Au pairs can be on duty 30 hours per week if they are from an EU country. These hours can be spread out over 5-6 days per week. Longer hours are usually referred to as ‘Au Pair Plus’.

Common duties Au Pair Programmes Au Pair Standard and Au-Pair Plus:

Childcare
Share your own culture with your host family
Help the host family with foreign language learning, especially the children (primarily English, Geman and French).
Take and collect children to and from school/nursery
Prepare breakfast, warm up lunch and/or dinner and let kitchen cleaned up
Take the children to after-school activities
Help them with their homework
Play games and interacting doing activities such as painting, baking, etc...
Take the children on outing such as playground, go to the pool, etc...
Bath the children tidy up the children ́s room and bathroom after use
Doing some grocery shopping
Light housework such as tidying, cleaning, emptying the dishwasher, etc
Babysitting 1-2 times a week

Common Benefits Au Pair Programmes:

Private, individual room provided with free INTERNET
Full board 7 days a week
Transportation costs paid by family*
Pocket money
At least 1,5 days off a week*
Paid holidays for stays of 6 months or more*
Insurance during the whole Au Pair programme*
Personal Programme coordinator
Certificate upon completion of Program
The host family will pick you up from the airport*

Pocket Money: Pocket money for Au Pair Standard must be minimum € 80-90 per week for 30 hours, regardless of whether the minimum hours are worked. Au-Pair Plus pocket money increase depending on the working hours.

Pocket money different programmes

(*) depending on the programme and the host-country and the family the pocket money and conditions varies. At least it will be always agreed between both parts. For more detailed information about the programmes please contact the Team of B-lingual Experience.

Babysitting:Two evenings babysitting per week are included as part of the Programme.

Leisure time:The Au-Pair’s schedule must provide sufficient time to attend language school, and the AuPair shall receive 1,5 free days each week.

Holidays: Holidays should be mutually agreed between host family and Au-Pair. The Au-Pair gets paid holidays for stays of 6 moths or more. Normally 1 week every 6 months.

Light Housework: A list of suggested light housework tasks (2) can be found below these guidelines. Please, take in account every family is different and the task might be different. It will always depend on the host-family needs.

Room and board:The Au-Pair receives full room and board from the family throughout the stay. The AuPair must have her own private room and not be required to share with children, and she should be given facilities to study.

Travelling Costs: The Au-Pair is required to pay their own traveling cost to and from her/his country, unless the family chooses to fund this.

The Au Pair regulation varies depending on the country. Actually in Spain the participant covers the flight costs, travel costs, public transport costs, medical insurance, language course and other possible costs related to the participant.

In case the family is willing to help the Au pair covering part of the costs, this has to be agreed between both parties.

B-lingual Experience tries always the family pays part of the public transport costs.

Insurance: If you intend to work as an au pair in Spain for less than three months, you are covered by your European Health Insurance Card. If you do not already have a card, you need to apply for one at your health insurance company before your departure. If you cannot obtain this form for your health insurance company, you need to take out private insurance in Spain so that you can benefit from instant primary health care. B-lingual Experience offers you a private insurance. If you are interested please, do not hesitate to contact us. The Au-Pair may also wish to take out additional travel insurance to cover loss of belongings, repatriation in case of accident, death etc.

Language School and Costs: Au-Pairs must be given enough time to attend language school. If an AuPair chooses to learn Spanish in a language school, they must bear their own cost. There are many possibilities to learn Spanish in Spain. There are many courses at the “Escuela Oficial de idiomas”, which are national schools in Spain and are not so expensive as the privates ones. But in the meantime and in the big cities you can find very good offers from private schools. B-lingual Experience team will be more than happy to advise you regarding the languages schools to make the best choice for your needs. The family should also give support and help the Au-Pair to find the best course for their needs.

Written Offer:The Au-Pair receives a written offer from the family covering pocket money, holidays and what help would be expected. B-lingual Experience supports both sides and will put together the Au PairFamily contract according to the specifications of the European agreement of the job of Au Pairs 1964.

The host family: The family has to be suitable to host an Au-Pair and understands the nature of the AuPair Programme, and that the Au-Pair is there to help the family and is not in charge of the house.

List of housework tasks accepted as light housework (2)

Washing dishes, including loading and unloading dishwasher
Preparing simple meals for children
Keeping kitchen tidy and clean, including sweeping and mopping floors
Loading and unloading laundry into washing machine
Ironing for children
Putting washed children´s clothes away
Making and changing children’s beds
Cleaning children’s bathroom
Everything to do with keeping their own room/bathroom clean and tidy
Light shopping (not the entire household shopping)

List of tasks considered unsuitable for an Au Pair – Please remember, it is a cultural exchange Programme, giving a young person the opportunity to learn about British culture and improve language skills through interaction with children.

Gardening
Window cleaning
Spring cleaning
Cleaning the oven, other than simple wiping out
Washing carpets
Washing the car
Weekly shopping
Pet training
Clearing up after untrained pets
Making parents bed*
Ironing for parents *
Cleaning parents’ en-suite bathroom*
Polishing silver and brassware*
Cooking the family meal, unless the au pair enjoys cooking and has chosen to do this for the family

*These duties can be included where there is less childcare and the children are out of the house for most of the day, if this is agreed in advance.

Au pairs should not be required to do housework such as ironing, when looking after children of primary school age or toddlers, due to safety reasons.

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AU PAIR PROGRAMME IN SPAIN

Au Pair Programme in UK

Guidelines for Au Pairs and Host Families participating in the Au Pair Programme in Britain.

Nature of the Programme: The au pair programme is a cultural exchange Programme. Au-pairs must be welcomed as a member of the family.

Age: Traditionally, an au pair is aged 17 – 27, however BAPAA recommends that Au-Pairs placed in the UK are aged 18 years and over. An Au-Pair without visa requirements (from EU) can be older.

Hours on duty: Au pairs can be on duty from 25 – 35 hours per week if they are from an EU country. These hours can be spread out over 5 days per week. Longer hours are usually referred to as ‘Au-Pair Plus’. Many au pair agencies also offer ‘Mother’s help’ positions; this is not part of the traditional cultural exchange Programme, as it usually involves longer hours and schedules can conflict with language classes.

Pocket Money: Pocket money must be minimum £80 per week for 25 hours, regardless of whether the minimum hours are worked. Many agencies recommend slightly higher pocket money. For 30 hours the minimum is £85-90.

*this are an average example of what a family should pay minimum. Please, take into account each family offers their own conditions and those figures might be different.

Babysitting: Two evenings babysitting per week are included as part of the programme. Additional pocket money should be paid for any additional evenings.

Leisure time: The Au-Pair’s schedule must provide sufficient time to attend language school, and the AuPair shall receive two free days each week and should be offered one full weekend off per month.

Holidays: As from September 2010, BAPAA recommends 28 days holiday per 12 month period, including Public Holidays. Pocket money will be paid during this time. The Au-Pair should not be forced to take holiday to coincide with the family holiday. Holidays should be mutually agreed between host family and Au-Pair.

UK Public Holidays: These are included in the recommended holiday and Au-Pairs can either be given the day off or have a day off in lieu as part of their holiday allowance.

Light Housework: A list of suggested light housework tasks can be found below these guidelines. See below (3)

Childcare: An Au-Pair is not permitted to have continuous sole charge of children under the age of two.

Room and board: The Au-Pair receives full room and board from the family throughout the stay. The AuPair must have her own private room with a window and not be required to share with children, and she should be given facilities to study.

Travelling Costs: The au pair is required to pay their own travelling cost to and from the UK, unless the family chooses to fund this.

Insurance: EU Au-Pairs visiting the UK do not need additional health insurance as they are entitled to use the National Health Service. If you are EU-citizen we recommend you to ask the National Health Service in your country to get the European Health-insurance card. The Au-Pair may also wish to take out additional travel insurance to cover loss of belongings, repatriation in case of accident, death etc.

Language School and Costs: Au-Pairs must be given enough time to attend language school. There are many courses in the UK for EU members, which are more affordable due to government funding. These are usually ESOL classes. If an Au-Pair chooses to go to a private school, they must bear their own cost, unless the family offers to fund this.

Written Offer: The Au-Pair receives a written offer from the family covering pocket money, holidays and what help would be expected.

The host family: The family has to be suitable to host an Au-Pair and understands the nature of the AuPair Programme, and that the Au Pair is there to help the family and is not in charge of the house.

List of housework tasks accepted as light housework (3)

Washing dishes, including loading and unloading dishwasher
Preparing simple meals for children
Keeping kitchen tidy and clean, including sweeping and mopping floors
Loading and unloading laundry into washing machine
Ironing for children
Putting washed clothes away
Vacuuming
Dusting
Making and changing children’s beds
Cleaning children’s bathroom
Everything to do with keeping their own room/bathroom clean and tidy
Light shopping (not the entire household shopping)
Walking and feeding pets
Emptying bins

Gardening
Window cleaning
Spring cleaning
Cleaning the oven, other than simple wiping out
Washing carpets
Washing the car
Weekly shopping
Pet training
Clearing up after untrained pets
Making parents bed*
Ironing for parents *
Cleaning parents’ en-suite bathroom*
Polishing silver and brassware*
Cooking the family meal, unless the au pair enjoys cooking and has chosen to do this for the family

* These duties can be included where there is less childcare and the children are out of the house for most of the day, if this is agreed in advance.

Au pairs should not be required to do housework such as ironing, when looking after children of primary school age or toddlers, due to safety reasons.

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AU PAIR PROGRAMME IN UK

AU PAIR PROGRAMME IN IRELAND

Au Pair Programme in Ireland

Guidelines for Au Pairs and Host Families participating in the Au Pair Programme in Ireland.

Nature of the Programme: The au pair programme is a cultural exchange Programme. Au-pairs must be welcomed as a member of the family. The au pair is usually given room and board and paid weekly pocket-money.

There is no specific regulatory framework in Ireland covering Au-Pairs. An Au-Pair is not a professional nanny or child minder. Au pairs are not employees and there is no contract of employment between the host family and the au pair. The Au-Pair receives a written offer from the family covering pocket money, holidays and what help would be expected. B-lingual Experience will put together the Au Pair-Family contract according to the specifications of the European agreement of the job of Au Pairs 1964.

The au pair must be an EU-citizen (no Au pair visa available in Ireland for non EU citizen)

Age: Traditionally, an au pair is aged 18 – 27.

Hours on duty: Au pairs can be on duty 25-30 hours per week. These hours can be spread out over 5-6 days per week. Longer hours are usually referred to as ‘Au-Pair Plus’.

Common duties Au Pair Programmes Au-Pair Standard and Au-Pair Plus:

Play and interact with the children
Dress or help to dress them
Shower or help to shower them
Feed them when very young
Prepare breakfast, snacks & lunch
Prepare lunch boxes
Drop to & collect from school or crèche
Go for walks & take them to activities
Organise indoors & outdoors activities
Board games
Supervise naps
3 nights of babysitting per week (when required)

Pocket Money: Pocket money must be minimum €120 -150 per week for 25-30 hours, regardless of whether the minimum hours are worked. Au-Pair Plus pocket money increase depending on the working hours, so for 40 hrs worked the family will pay a minimum of € 200 per week, which will be an Au-Pair plus pocket money.

*this are an average example of what a family should pay minimum. Please, take into account each family offers their own conditions and those figures might be different.

Babysitting: Two or three evenings babysitting per week are included as part of the programme. Additional pocket money should be paid for any additional evenings.

Leisure time: The Au-Pair’s schedule must provide sufficient time to attend language school, and the AuPair shall receive 1 day off every week (Sunday whenever possible) + 2 half days or another day off in the week and should be offered one full weekend off per month (at least every 6 weeks if host parents are shift workers)

Holidays: Holidays should be mutually agreed between host family and Au-Pair. The Au-Pair gets paid holidays for stays of 6 moths or more. Normally 1 week paid holidays every 6 months.

Light Housework: A list of suggested light housework tasks can be found below these guidelines. See below (4).The house work chores will indeed depend on the number and the age of the children. An au pair minding three children under 5 won’t be able to do as much house work as an au pair minding 2 school goers. Keep safety in mind too: it’s not advisable for an au pair to cook or iron when young children are under her supervision.

Childcare: An Au-Pair is not permitted to have continuous sole charge of children under the age of two.

Travelling Costs: The Au-Pair is required to pay their own traveling cost to and from her/his country, unless the family chooses to fund this.

The Au Pair regulation varies depending on the country. Actually in Ireland the participant covers the flight costs, travel costs, medical insurance, language course and other possible costs related to the participant. The transportation to English classes is covered by the family (lift, petrol for the car, bus fare...).

In case the family is willing to help the Au pair covering part of other costs, this has to be agreed between both parties.

Language School and Costs:Au-Pairs must be given enough time to attend language school. There are many courses in the UK for EU members, which are more affordable due to government funding. These are usually ESOL classes. If an Au-Pair chooses to go to a private school, they must bear their own cost, unless the family offers to fund this.

Written Offer:The Au-Pair receives a written offer from the family covering pocket money, holidays and what help would be expected.

List of housework tasks accepted as light housework (4)

Keep the children’s bedroom & playroom clean and tidy
Wash, dry & iron the children’s clothes
Change, wash & dry children’s bed clothes
Make children’s bed
Organise children’s school uniform
Empty & load the dishwasher
Tidy and sweep the kitchen & eating area after meals
Hoover living area once or twice a week
Cook for the children (lunch boxes, after school snack)
Help to prepare the dinner (peal vegetables, cook rice, reheat dinners...)
Keep her/his own area clean and tidy
Do her/his own laundry

List of tasks considered unsuitable for an Au-Pair – Please remember, it is a cultural exchange Programme, giving a young person the opportunity to learn about British culture and improve language skills through interaction with children.

Wash, dry & iron the parentś clothes
Clean and tidy the parent’s bedroom
Clean the bathroom & toilet (other than a simple wipe after kids)
Clean the fridge, microwave & oven (other than a simple wipe after spillage)
Wash the windows & walls
Wash the car & gardening
Tidying the garage, attic
Spring cleaning
Weekly grocery shopping
Cooking the family meal, unless the au pair enjoys cooking and has chosen to do this for the family

These duties can be included where there is less childcare and the children are out of the house for most of the day, if this is agreed in advance.

Au pairs should not be required to do housework such as ironing, when looking after children of primary school age or toddlers, due to safety reasons.

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AU PAIR PROGRAMME IN GERMANY

Au Pair Programme in Germany

Guidelines for Au Pairs and Host Families participating in the Au Pair Programme in Germany.

Nature of the Programme: The au pair programme is a cultural exchange Programme. Au-pairs must be welcomed as a member of the family.

Age:Traditionally, an au pair is aged 18 – 30

Hours on duty: Au pairs can be on duty 30 hours per week if they are from an EU country. These hours can be spread out over 5-6 days per week. Longer hours are usually referred to as ‘Au-Pair Plus’.

Common duties Au Pair Programmes Au-Pair Standard and Au-Pair Plus:

Childcare
Share your own culture with your host family. Help the host family with foreign language learning, especially the children (primarily English, Geman and French).
Take and collect children to and from school/nursery
Prepare breakfast, warm up lunch and/or dinner and let kitchen cleaned up
Take the children to after-school activities
Help them with their homework
Play games and interacting doing activities such as painting, baking, etc...
Take the children on outing such as playground, go to the pool, etc...
Bath the children tidy up the children ́s room and bathroom after use
Doing some grocery shopping
In case the children are ill, the Au-Pair should stay with them at home
During children holidays, where the parents are working, the Au-Pair will take care of the children
Light housework such as tidying, cleaning, emptying the dishwasher, etc
Babysitting 1-2 times a week

Common Benefits Au Pair Programmes:

Private, individual room provided with free INTERNET
Full board 7 days a week
Transportation costs paid by family*
Pocket money minimum 260€ monthly
Help for language academy (50€)
At least 1 dayoff per week*
Paid holidays: 2 days off per month worked*
Medical and own risk Insurance during the whole Au Pair programme*
Personal Programme coordinator
Certificate upon completion of Program
The host family will pick you up from the airport*

Pocket Money*: Pocket money for Au Pair Standard must be minimum € 260 per month for 30 hours weekly, regardless of whether the minimum hours are worked. Au-Pair Plus pocket money increase depending on the working hours.

Babysitting: Two evenings babysitting per week are included as part of the Programme.

Leisure time: The Au-Pair’s schedule must provide sufficient time to attend language school, and the AuPair shall receive 1 free days each week. Your host family should offer you the opportunity to attend a German language course during your spare time. The same applies to cultural activities.

Holidays: Holidays should be mutually agreed between host family and Au-Pair. According to the German Federal Employment Agency (Bundesagentur für Arbeit), an Au-Pair is entitled to a paid holiday of 4 weeks, provided that the Au-Pair stays with their host family for a whole year. If they are not staying so long, they get normally 2 days off for every month worked.

Families which go on a holiday usually take their au pair with them. During this time, you will perform your regular duties by looking after the children. Accompanying your host family on their holiday does not count as your Au-Pair holiday, unless you have fewer duties and are not obliged to be available at all times. In this case, it is considered your holiday, as well. Not accompanying your host family on their holiday does not entitle you to work for a different family during this time.

Light Housework: A list of suggested light housework tasks (5) can be found below these guidelines. Please, take in account every family is different and the task might be different. It will always depend on the host-family needs.

Room and board: The Au Pair receives full room and board from the family throughout the stay. The AuPair must have her own private room and not be required to share with children, and she should be given facilities to study.

Travelling Costs: The Au Pair is required to pay their own traveling cost to and from her/his country, unless the family chooses to fund this.

The Au Pair regulation varies depending on the country. Actually in Germany the Au-Pair candidate covers the flight costs, travel costs, and other possible costs related to the participant. In case the family is willing to help the Au pair covering part of the costs, this has to be agreed between both parties.

Not every German city offers a so-called "Stadtpass", but it's certainly worth checking to see if such a city discount pass for persons with a lower income is available in your host city. So check it out with the municipal administration in your city and see if they also provide some sort of "Stadtpass" that you would be eligible for as an au pair and language school student. You could certainly ask your host family for assistance in investigating this possibility.

Insurance: For you as an Au Pair, the regulations of your host country, Germany, apply. As an au pair in Germany, you need to be covered by insurance for the following cases: illness, pregnancy, childbirth and accident. According to the Federal Employment Agency (Bundesagentur für Arbeit), your host family must take out these insurances for you. The family also bears the costs involved.

Language School and Costs: Au-Pairs must be given enough time to attend language school. If an AuPair chooses to learn Geman in a language school, they must bear their own cost. Nevertheless Non-EU Au Pairs and Au-Pairs from Croatia who have signed their Au Pair contract after 1 July 2013 will receive 50 € a month (in addition to their pocket money) for their language course. Actually the families are used to offer to all the Au-Pairs candidates 50€ for the language course.

There are many possibilities to learn German in Germany. There are many courses at the “Volkshochschulen”, which are regular schools all over Germany and there are not so expensive as the privates ones. The family should also give support and help the Au-Pair to find the best course for their needs.

Written Offer: The Au Pair receives a written offer from the family covering pocket money, holidays and what help would be expected. B-lingual Experience supports both sides and will put together the Au Pair and Family contract according to the specifications of the European agreement of the job of Au Pairs 1964.

List of housework tasks accepted as light housework (5)

Washing dishes, including loading and unloading dishwasher
Preparing simple meals for children
Keeping kitchen tidy and clean, including sweeping and mopping floors
Loading and unloading laundry into washing machine
Ironing for children
Putting washed clothes away
Making and changing children’s beds
Cleaning children’s bathroom
Everything to do with keeping their own room/bathroom clean and tidy
Light shopping (not the entire household shopping)

Gardening
Window cleaning
Spring cleaning
Cleaning the oven, other than simple wiping out
Washing carpets
Washing the car
Weekly shopping
Pet training
Clearing up after untrained pets
Making parents bed*
Ironing for parents *
Cleaning parents’ en-suite bathroom*
Polishing silver and brassware*
Cooking the family meal, unless the au pair enjoys cooking and has chosen to do this for the family

*These duties can be included where there is less childcare and the children are out of the house for most of the day, if this is agreed in advance.

Au pairs should not be required to do housework such as ironing, when looking after children of primary school age or toddlers, due to safety reasons.

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AU PAIR PROGRAMME IN CHINA

Au Pair Programme in China

Guidelines for Au Pairs and Host Families participating in the Au Pair Programme in China.

Nature of the Programme: The au pair programme is a cultural exchange Programme. Au-pairs must be welcomed as a member of the family.

Age: Traditionally, an au pair is aged 18 – 29

Language skills: The Au-Pair applicant has to be a native English speaker or to be fluent in English with a level of B2-C2 of the CEFR.

Hours on duty: Au pairs can be on duty 30 hours per week if they participate in the Normal Au-Pair Standard Programme (short and long Term). If the candidate is willing to participate into the Summer Programme the working hours will be just 20 hrs per week. These hours can be spread out over 5-6 days per week.

Common duties Au Pair Programmes Au-Pair Standard and Summer Au Pair:

· Help the children with foreign language (primarily English)

· Childcare( will not be sole care for children < 2 years)

· Share your own culture with your host family

· Take and collect children to and from school/nursery

· Prepare or warm up lunch and or dinner

· Take the children to after-school activities

· Help them with their homework

· Play games and interact doing daily activities (painting, baking, etc...)

· Tidy up the children ́s room and bathroom after use

· Light housework ( tidying, cleaning, emptying the dishwasher, etc....)

Common Benefits Au Pair Programmes:

Private, individual room provided with free INTERNET
Full board 7 days a week
Pocket money at least 1,000 RMB per month (≈ 152 €, depends on rate)
Travel stipend 1,500 RMB (≈ 228€) at the end of the programme
Insurance during the whole Au Pair programme
Common excursions with other programme participants
Personal Programme coordinator
Welcome dinner
Welcome package (SIM card, Transportation card, City Map, Family address card...)
Orientation + Au Pair Handbook, to help them adapt to the new environment and enjoy their life in China
Certificate upon completion of Program
The host family will pick you up from the airport

Summer Programme: 2 months(≈ 60 days)

20 hrs working weekly maximum. 2 full days off a week
Monographic courses about the History, Art and Chinese culture and customes
50 days Au Pair work + 10 days for travelling

Short-Term(3 months) and Long-Term(6 months) Au-Pair Programme

30 hrs working weekly maximum. 2 full days off a week
Chinese language lessons at least 8-10 class-hours per week
Supplementary bonus of 2,000 RMB (≈ 290€) for Short Term (3 months), or 4,500 RMB (≈ 650€) for long Term (6 months) at the end of programme.

* depending on the programme and the host-country and the family the pocket money and conditions varies. At least it will be always agreed between both parts. For more detailed information about the programmes please contact the Team of B-lingual Experience.

Leisure time: The Au-Pair’s schedule must provide sufficient time to attend language school, and the Au-Pair shall receive 2 free days each week.

Light Housework: A list of suggested light housework tasks (6) can be found below these guidelines. Please, take in account every family is different and the task might be different. It will always depend on the host-family needs.

Room and board: The Au-Pair receives full room and board from the family throughout the stay. The Au-Pair must have her own private room and not be required to share with children, and she should be given facilities to study.

Travelling Costs: The Au-Pair is required to pay their own traveling cost to and from her/his country, unless the family chooses to fund this.

The participant will cover also the visa fees, travel costs, own costs in the country, and other possible costs related to the participant. Those costs shall be paid totally by the Au Pair. If the family is willing to help the Au pair to cover part of the costs, this has to be agreed between both parties.

Insurance: To get the Visa you will need an insurance who covers the following cases: illness, pregnancy, childbirth, accident, repatriation cost, own risk insurance etc...

Language School: Depends on the Programme, the Au-Pair candidate will get a language course of Chinese lessons at least 24 class-hours + 1 excursion monthly.

Written Offer: The Au-Pair receives a written offer from the family covering pocket money, holidays and what help would be expected. B-lingual Experience supports both sides and will put together the Au Pair-Family contract according to the specifications of the country.

The host family: The family has to be suitable to host an Au-Pair and understands the nature of the Au-Pair Programme, and that the Au-Pair is there to help the family and is not in charge of the house.

List of housework tasks accepted as light housework (6):

Washing dishes, including loading and unloading dishwasher
Keeping kitchen tidy and clean, including sweeping and mopping floors always when the candidate use for himself or for the children
Loading and unloading laundry into washing machine for her own use
Making and changing children’s beds
Everything to do with keeping their own room/bathroom clean and tidy
Light shopping (not the household shopping)
Walking and feeding pets
Prepare/Cook light meals for children
Breakfast for children

List of tasks considered unsuitable for an Au-Pair – Please remember, it is a cultural exchange Programme, giving a young person the opportunity to learn about Chinese culture and improve language skills through interaction with children:

Gardening
Window cleaning
Spring cleaning
Cleaning the oven, other than simple wiping out
Washing carpets
Washing the car
Weekly shopping
Pet training
Clearing up after untrained pets
Making parents bed*
Ironing for parents *
Cleaning parents’ en-suite bathroom*
Polishing silver and brassware*
Cooking the family meal, unless the au pair enjoys cooking and has chosen to do this for the family

*These duties can be included where there is less childcare and the children are out of the house for most of the day, if this is agreed in advance.

Au pairs should not be required to do housework such as ironing, when looking after children of primary school age or toddlers, due to safety reasons.

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AU PAIR PROGRAMME CANADA

Au Pair Programme in Canada

Although your specific work experience details may vary depending upon your location and job type, there are certain aspects of your Au Pair experience that will remain consistent.

Socially Responsible Host Family – B-Lingual Experience carefully screens each and every Host Family to ensure that they maintain a safe environment for all Au Pairs. Our employers are committed to a high level of training, education and a positive work environment that is safe and free from discrimination.
Working Hours – Depending on your Au Pair program, you can expect to work up to 30-40 hours per week in exchange for room, board & an allowance, have time off to explore your destination, and be in regular contact with your Au Pair program coordinator. It is through regular monitoring that B-Lingual Experience ensures that you are comfortable with your host family and that the needs of everyone involved are being met.
What to Expect – This program will offer:
- Private Room & Accommodations
- Meals provided by Host Family
- Weekends Off (usually Saturday & Sunday)
- Roundtrip airfare for those committing to one year
- Regular Contact with Au Pair Program Co-ordinator
- $600 CDN monthly allowance
- Nearby Access to Public Transit
- Drop in prescheduled ESL classes during weekday mornings/afternoons if placed in the Greater Toronto Area
- Visa support
- Internet access provided by the Host Family
- Orientation Package
- Welcome Package
- Some Weekend Excursions with the Host Family
Job Responsibilities - Each student will be required to perform some or all of the following duties:
- Put the absolute safety of the children first before all other responsibilities
- Provide care, warmth, and security in the absence of parents, maintaining a patient, cheerful, and helpful attitude while on duty
- Plan activities that promote physical, emotional, intellectual, and social development
- Participate and supervise daily activities with children, which would include: games, walks, play dates, playground outings and reading
- Introduce/plan activities using your language(s) to children as requested by the Host Family
- Actively participate in the children's special areas and interests and serve as a resource for problem solving
- Assist children's basic needs such as bathing, dressing, and brushing teeth
- If necessary, administer medication as directed by parents
- Plan and prepare nutritious snacks and meals for children during scheduled hours
- Limit television/video and computer games to 30 minutes per day unless educational or as directed by Host Family
- Comply with Family's discipline and child-rearing preferences
- Provide reasonable flexibility in times of emergency or unexpected schedule changes
- Light household cleaning as directed
Program Requirements - In order to be eligible for the Au Pair program, students are required to meet the following program requirements:
- Age 18 to 35 years old recommended
- Working Holiday Visa under IEC (International Experience Canada)
- Successful completion of Canadian secondary school equivalent
- Recommended/preferred at least six months of full-time classroom training or at least one year of work experience as a child or elderly caregiver or in a related field or occupation within the last three years, including at least six months of continuous employment with one employer
- The ability to speak, read and understand English so that he/she can function in an unsupervised setting
- Pass medical, security and criminal clearances
- Must provide a vulnerable sector search
- Preference for those with international driving license
- Medical insurance coverage and/or related travel insurance applicable valid for entire length of stay
- Successful completion of "Orientation Program (i.e., emergency protocol)"
Changing Families - If an Au Pair has a valid reason to change Host Families after arriving to Canada, we will do our best to find a new placement for them. All au pairs must stay with their family for the first 30 days. Once they are approved to change families, they must stay with their current family for 2 weeks. If a new placement cannot be found, the au pair will have to return home at their own cost.
Smoking - If the candidate is serious about being an au pair, they should stop smoking. B-Lingual Experience does not accept Au Pair applications from candidates who smoke.
Driving - All au pairs must have an International Driving License before they arrive to Canada. All au pairs must also have a valid driver’s license from their home country before applying to the program. Non-drivers may only be accepted by a pre-matched family.
Financial - You may collect a registration fee established by your organization for any Au Pair sent to the ICS Au Pair Canada program.

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AU PAIR PROGRAMME IN AUSTRALIA

Au Pair Programme in Australia

Do you want more information on the Au Pair experience? Contact us: info@b-lingualexperience.com or register free and without commitment here (if you are an Au Pair) or here (if you are a Host family). We will contact you as soon as possible after receiving your request.