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Au Pair in Australia Smart Au Pairs Training Released 2019
Table of contents
● What is an au pair?
● Why become an au pair?
● What does it mean to be an au pair?
● Why Smart Au Pairs?
● Au pair program criteria
● What Visa do au pairs need?
● How do we work with partner agencies?
● How does Smart Au Pairs assist au pairs?
● What needs to be arranged after arrival?
● Possibilities for au pairs to go travelling
● Frequently Asked Questions
● Notes
● Au pairs are welcomed as a member of a host family, given the opportunity to experience the Australian lifestyle and refine their language skills.
● Host families provide full board and pocket money in exchange for childcare and light housework. Most au pairs help out for 25 to 35 hrs/week.
Basic role Extended role Diamond role
⥪ 30 hoursMinimum: $200
Recommended: $250-$300
⥪ 35 hoursMinimum: $250Recommended: $300
⥪ 35 hoursMin recommended: $360
What is an au pair?
NOTE: Diamond au pairs must have a childcare qualification OR
6 months full-time childcare experience.
Au pair roles & pocket money:
Top reasons to be an pair in Australia?
The Climate
Opportunity to explore
The food
The People
The Homes
You can be asked to help with:
● Get children ready for the day● Show kids how to tidy their room● Prepare meals or snacks for the children● Prepare and pack school bags● Take children to/from school, sports, activities ● Limited light housework like the kids laundry● Help with homework● Initiate play and activities● Prepare children for bath and bedtime
You will gain:
● Free board and accommodation● Weekly pocket money and 2 days off / week● A bonus at the end of the 6 month program● Guidance and support from the host family● Transportation to/from the Host Family home● Childcare as main role
What does it mean to be an au pair?
A full-day Orientation is organised in:● Sydney
An au pair Meet & Greet is organised in:● Melbourne● Brisbane
Smart Au Pairs Meet & Greets
Why Smart Au Pairs?
Candidates must fit the following criteria:
● Be a non-smoker
● At least intermediate English
● Be happy to help with childcare and
light housework, usually 25-35 hours per
week
● Able to be au pair for a 6 months min
● Be fit and healthy; no pre-existing
medical conditions
● No criminal record
● Driving license (preferred but not
essential)
Au pair program criteria
● Age 18 - 30
● Eligible for WHV (Subclass 417) or
W&HV (Subclass 462)
● Have a valid passport
● Be unmarried and have no
children
● Be flexible, friendly and open
minded
● At least 200 hrs of childcare
(babysitting) experience
What Visa do au pairs need?
Candidates must be able to apply for a:Working Holiday Visa (subclass 417), or a Work and Holiday Visa (subclass 462)
● Belgium● Canada● Cyprus● Denmark● Estonia● Finland● France● Germany● Hong Kong
● Argentina● Austria● Chile● China● Czech Republic● Hungary● Indonesia● Israel● Luxembourg● Malaysia● Peru
To apply for a W&HV (462), candidates need a passport from:
● Poland● Portugal● San Marino● Singapore● Slovakia● Slovenia● Spain● Thailand● Turkey● Uruguay● USA● Vietnam
● Ireland● Italy● Japan● Korea● Malta● Netherlands● Norway● Sweden● Taiwan ● The UK
To apply for a WHV (417), candidates need a passport from:
How do we work with partner agencies?
Step-by-step:
Handle the marketing of the program and candidate screening
Explain to the candidate:
● What is an au pair?● What makes a great au pair?● Au pair matching process, invitation, local
obligations like working with children check, Immigration & Visa conditions, etc
● Limitations for rematch and the required flexibility of au pairs during this process
Check and send the application + documentation to Smart Au Pairs
Smart Au Pairs provide candidates with access to their shortlist of families for interviews
Candidates can get in touch with host families, and they should respond quickly to family emails
Not every family will contact the au pair. Smart Au Pairs will add more families until a placement is confirmed
Once the au pair accepts a family invitation, we have a match! ...
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Before the interviews from au pair to family:
● Make sure the applicant has a Skype & video connection.
● Encourage applicant to prepare for interviews by drafting questions for the host family and confirming location on Google maps.
● Some families invite an au pair after just one interview. It is OK for au pairs to ask them to think about it!
Interview tips
How do we work with partner agencies?
Necessary documentation:
“Dear Host Family” letter.
Pictures - If possible, use photos of you interacting with children.
Min. 2 References; at least one childcare reference. All references are checked! Character reference can be from your teacher, tutor, (ex) employer, church official etc. (We cannot accept references from family members or friends of the same age as the au pair!)
Medical certificate.
Police check
Signed au pair agreement (see page 15-16)
First Aid certificate - if you do not yet have this, start your training today (http://www.firstaidforfree.com)
Bonus material: Video introduction. Make a Youtube video to introduce yourself. Talk about your childcare experience, your hobbies, your interest in Australia etc.
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We send the invitation template to the host family
Your au pair will be asked to complete our online arrival form, and to book flights and insurance
Smart Au Pairs provides free local support to the au pair
After arrival, au pairs will be assisted through:
● A follow up call in the first weeks● Au pair meet-ups● A 24 / 7 Helpline● An au pair only Facebook group● We encourage au pairs to call our office if we can
help them with anything at all
How do we work with partner agencies?
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… When a match has been made:
After arrival of the au pair, Smart Au Pairs also helps with:
● The application for the Working With Children Check / Blue CardA Working With Children Check or Blue Card is a national criminal history check and a review of workplace misconduct, and required for people who work or volunteer in child-related work.
● The purchase of an Australian sim card / phone number(Sometimes provided by host family.)
● The purchase of an Opal CardOpal is the public transport payment system in New South Wales, Australia. Other states have their own equivalent of the Opal Card.
What needs to be arranged after arrival?
Possibilities for au pairs to go travelling!
During the au pair placement, many au pairs want to travel in their free time!
● Smart Au Pairs has partnered up with Backpackers World Travel
● All Smart Au Pairs’ au pairs that book a trip with Backpackers World Travel will receive a discount on their travel fee
● Backpackers World Travel also organizes a day trip every month against a special price
● There is always a Backpackers World Travel nearby!
We often get asked these questions:
● What if an au pair doesn’t get on with his / her family?- If an au pair does not get on with his or her host family, Smart Au
Pairs tries to mediate. If this does not help, we could offer a rematch.
● What are the costs for a rematch?- A rematch is free for au pairs, but some additional costs could
apply while being between host families.
● Are there ways to earn more money as an au pair?- We advise au pairs to speak to their host families. They might be
able to help find the au pair some extra hours.
Frequently Asked Questions
We often get asked these questions:
● Do you perform background checks on families?- All host families provide background checks and references. We
know many of our host families from years of previous au pair placements. Families are interviewed in detail by phone; family, home and work details are discussed.
● What’s the recommended insurance for au pairs?- Our au pairs are all instructed to travel with appropriate Gap Year
Travel Insurance. This not only covers medical care but generally also repatriation and liability.
● What is the Smart Au Pairs certificate?- At the end of the au pair stay, our au pairs find that they have
gained valuable skills for life. Employers and Universities really appreciate applicants who have been abroad and our certificate is an ideal way to show them about your achievement.
Frequently Asked Questions
Remember:
Notes
● Au pairs learn English from daily interaction with host family and friends
● If your au pair is to depart within 4 weeks of confirming with a host family, we need flight details urgently!
● Au Pairs CANNOT travel to Australia without proof of insurance. Also, please check that the policy provides sufficient personal liability and emergency cover
● Please encourage au pair to be flexible during the rematch process
● Au pairs are allowed to extend their stay with their host family for an extra 6-month period (1 year total)
● Candidates on a subclass 462 Visa will need to apply for the Visa BEFORE applying for the au pair program!
