Often, au pairs become more than just babysitters or temporary daycare workers for your family. They are temporary family members and an essential part of the family experience. As such, families treat them as they would a family member and pay for some of their expenses. This includes things like gym memberships, bath products, and personal activities.
Room & Board
Au pair come with their room and a standard weekly stipend. But, the cost of hosting an au pair goes beyond that stipend to include other expenses like food, transportation, and education. Au pairs are required to take language classes as part of the program. Host families are responsible for covering these educational costs. If your au pair comes from an out-of-country program, you must pay for the au pair’s return flight. This is a mandatory expense that the agency cannot negotiate or waive. There are also fees associated with applying and placing an au pair. Families who have had an au pair before or are extending for a second year may qualify for discounts on these au pair costs. Room and board are integral components of the au pair program, ensuring a comfortable living arrangement for the au pair within the host family’s home. Providing a private bedroom and access to communal living spaces establishes a sense of belonging and privacy for the au pair. Additionally, host families typically include meals as part of the room and board arrangement, offering the au pair the opportunity to share and experience the family’s culinary traditions. This aspect of the program contributes to the practical needs of the au pair.
Personal Expenses
The cost of an au pair can often be less than daycare or nannying. Many families choose to help their au pair with a few personal expenses such as clothing, bath products, and activities such as gym memberships. Families should consider how much these purchases will add to the overall cost of the au pair. The program fee includes the au pair’s weekly pocket money, room and board, education component stipend, and other expenses related to the Au Pair Program. The program fee is based on the Department of State-mandated minimum compensation, and host families are free to agree to higher payments than this legally stipulated amount.
Transportation
The au pair must have some form of transportation to get to her workplace, cluster meetings, and classes. Host families may offer to pay for this, but it is not mandatory. Many au pairs will find public transportation (metro, bus, Uber/Lyft) cheaper than car use and insurance. Most au pairs will also want a cell phone, which is unnecessary but can be very helpful. It is common for host parents to provide the au pair with a family plan, which will cover most of her monthly communication costs. If the au pair will use her cell phone for personal purposes, discussing a fair method for her to pay for any overages is a good idea. The au pair will have a program fee paid to the foreign company that screens her and arranges her flights. This is usually delivered in one installment upon her arrival, but some families do it in two installments. This fee does not cover the au pair’s flight supplement education component stipend or insurance costs.
Insurance
A car accident can be expensive for both the au pair and the host family, so insurance is a good idea. It may also cover au pairs driving on the road as part of their job, so it is essential to discuss with them what type of coverage is appropriate. Each country has standards for how much pocket money the host family pays their au pair. These vary widely. Some include travel costs if the au pair is going to participate in a language course or extra expenses like toiletries. Families should also consider the price of a cell phone for their au pair. It is required that au pairs have a cell phone so they can call for help if needed and communicate with their host families. Many families buy a pre-paid plan with a small monthly fee to give their au pair a chance to try it before committing. If the family decides to extend their program with their au pair, they must purchase a new plan.
Cell Phone
Host families are not obligated to pay for personal expenses for their au pair. However, some families may choose to pay for things like a gym membership, bath products, or other items that add to the au pair’s comfort level.
Au pairs are required to participate in the educational component of their program. This means they will attend classes, often during weekends or when the host kids are not in school. Hosts must provide a way for their au pairs to get to and from these classes. Some host families offer a car; others will use Uber credits or give their au pair a credit card so that they can cover the cost of rides to class. Some au pairs can also apply for an academic scholarship to help with the cost of their credited courses. The scholarship amounts vary, but they can be substantial. Families should contact their Agent, Au Pair with questions about academic scholarships or other tuition-related issues.
