WORKING AS AN AU-PAIR IN AUSTRIA
As an Au Pair you are part of your host family, this means working together and participating in your family´s daily schedule. An au-pair should look after the children but also do a little housework. Most important for being an au-pair is that you enjoy being with children. Depending on the children’s age, your tasks can differ, but the making the children’s life more comfortable will always be the heart of your tasks. That is why the family expects you to be open-minded, tolerant and flexible.
This section will provide useful information for au-pairs in Austria and will help you find the best health insurance for au-pairs in Austria.
Aim
The au pair should get to know Austrian culture and social life and improve her/his German language skills.
Tasks
The au pair helps with the child care of the host family’s children and carries out light household chores. The au pair is not a professional care-giver or cleaner. If the au pair is a non–EU/EEA citzen, she/he is not allowed to accept any other job or employment in Austria.
Working hours
Maximum 18 hours per week.
Age
Age: The au pair has to be between 18 and 28 years old.
Duration
For non–EU/EEA citzens initially 6 months, but the period can be extended to 12 months in total. For EU/EEA citizens, the maximum period is 12 months.
Salary
At least € 475.86 per month (status: 2021), in addition to free board and lodging.
Insurance
Accident insurance is declared and paid by the host family.
Au pair health insurance is required for the whole stay of the au pair and also required to obtain a visa. Health insurance is paid by the au pair and can be taken out either in Austria or in a different country, but it needs to be valid in Austria. For suitable cover we recommend our au-pair health insurance in Austria.
“Working as an au-pair in Austria was the best experience of my life!”
Support
If there are any issues, the au pair and the host family should try to resolve them together first. Serious problems should be documented if possible. What happened? Where did it happen? When did it happen?
Do you need help? Please contact one of the organizations mentioned below!
Contract
Contract: The contract is concluded between the host family and the au pair. The most important conditions of the contract must be recorded in writing. This includes in any case working hours, leisure time, leave, tasks, salary, accommodation,
language course and insurance.
A model contract is available on the internet using the key words “Au–pairs–Mustervertrag” at: www.oesterreich.gv.at. The website also provides answers to other legal questions (in German).
Host family, board & lodging
At least one child (below the age of 18) has to live in the household of the host family.
Accommodation is provided free of charge in a separate room in the household of the host family. The au pair must be able to lock the room from the outside and the inside. The host family provides food/beverages free of charge for the au pair. Free board and lodging is provided even when the au pair is sick or on leave.
Arrival / departure
Arrival/departure: If there is no pre–arranged agreement, the au pair has to pay the travel costs (even if the host family cancels the au pair contract earlier than initially agreed).
Language–course
The host family has to enable the au pair to attend a German–language course. The host family has to pay at least half of the costs of the language course. For non–EU/EEA citizens, the au pair contract can be extended to 12 months in total. This only applies if the au pair attends a German–language course.
Free-time
The au pair decides how to spend her/his free time. The au pair has at least one fixed day off per week and additionally is entitled to two days leave per month. The host family and the au pair agree on the terms of the au pair’s free time.
Registration
For EU/EEAcitizens, the registration certificate is issued upon application by the au pair by the competent settlement authority (provincial governor or district administration) within 4 months after arriving in Austria.
For Non–EU/EEA citizens, the following procedure applies:
- Signing of the au pair contract and taking out health insurance
- Notification of the Austrian Public Employment Service (AMS) by the host family and confirmation of notification by the AMS
- Applying for a residence permit/visa (at the competent Austrian representation authority – embassy/consulate)
- Collecting the residence permit (plastic card) at the authority after arriving in Austria
Termination
The au pair contract generally ends after 6 or a maximum of 12 months. Both the au pair and the host family can terminate the contract at any time without giving any reasons (period of notice: 2 weeks).
Important information for au pairs in Austria + checklist
Prior to your arrival in Austria
- You need an au pair contract and health insurance. If you are a non–EU/EEA citizen, you also need a confirmation of notification by the Austrian Public Employment Service (AMS).
- Try to arrange all agreements with the host family regarding your German language–course, salary, working hours, tasks, insurance etc. in writing. If you only have verbal agreements with the host family (via phone or online), write everything down afterwards and send your notes to your host family.
- If you are a non–EU/EEA citizen, you have applied for a residence permit. Either you have received a “visa D” or your citizenship allows you to enter the country without a visa.
After your arrival in Austria
- The host family provides you with accommodation and sufficient food for free.
- Your room is located in the host family’s apartment or house. The room is equipped with heating and you can lock the room from both sides.
- The host family has 3 days to register your new address after your arrival. Afterwards, you receive a confirmation of registration.
- If you are a non–EU/EEA citizen, you apply for a residence permit (only if you did not already have to apply for a residence permit in your home country).
- If you are a non–EU/EEA citizen, you personally receive your residence permit from the authority. The residence permit looks like a plastic card. You must not start working as an au–pair until you have received your residence permit!
- Your host family has taken out accident insurance for you.
- You attend a German language–course. The host family pays at least half of the costs.
- Your main tasks are childcare support and help with light daily household chores. Take notes of your tasks and working hours!
- You receive your salary on time (at least once a month) and you do not work more than 18 hours a week (including times in which you have to stand by, meaning times in which you do not actively work but the host family could give you an assignment during this time).
- Au pairs receive 15 months’ salary per year. This means that at the end of each month you receive your monthly salary and additionally at the end of May a 2–month salary as vacation bonus and at the end of November a 1–month salary as a Christmas bonus. If you stay less than a year, the host family will have to pay your bonus salaries proportionately to the duration of your stay.
- You have at least one day off each week. You should arrange the specific day with the host family. Outside of the agreed working hours, you have the opportunity to get to know the culture and the country. In your time off, you are free to do whatever you want.
- In addition, you are entitled to a paid holiday of two days per month of stay (i.e. around four weeks for a 12 month stay). You could also save up (some of) your paid vacation days and take a longer holiday.
Useful links and organizations
- For general questions please contact your own au pair agency
- Arbeitsmarktservice (AMS) – Public Employment Service, https:// www.ams.at (search term: „au–pair“)
- Austrian Chamber of Labour (questions regarding labour law): phone: +43 1 50165 1201, arbeitsrecht@akwien.at
Austrian Chamber of Labour (questions regarding social security): phone: +43 1 50165 1204, sv@akwien.at - Austrian Trade Union Federation (ÖGB) – Trade Union vida: phone: +43 1 534 44 79, info@vida.a
In case of an emergency:
- Emergency ambulance – medical emergency phone: 144 (only call in case of an emergency)
- Police phone: 133 (only call in case of an emergency)
- The single European emergency number: phone: 112 (only call in case of an emergency)
- Federal Criminal Police Office Vienna – Central Office against Human Trafficking; phone: +43 677 61343434 (anonymously and 24/7), humantrafficking@bmi.gv.at
- Women’s Emergency Hotline: phone: +43 1 71 71 9
- LEFÖ / IBF (Intervention Centre for Trafficked Women): phone: +43 1 79 69 298, ibf@lefoe.at
- MEN VIA (victim support for men affected by human trafficking): phone: +43 699 17 48 21 86, kfn.via@gesundheitsverbund.at
