Au-pair-Lexicon

Read about Au-pair and our portal Aupair-Ocean.de here!

A
Au-pair, au-pair in Germany, au-pair-changer,

advantages of being an au-pair, advantages of being a host family,

advantages of the Aupair-Ocean.de membership,

age of au-pairs, application, au-pair´s duties, au-pair-agency, au-pair´s checklist,

au-pair insurance, au-pairs money supply, Aupair-Ocean.de,

au-pair´s travel expenses, Au-pair-variations, au-pair visa,

au-pairs´ work time, aliens department

(department for visa und registration of foreign citizens), au-pair contract,

au-pair-meetings, au-pair-trips, au-pair´s arrival, au-pairs´ admission,

abroad experience, application photos, au-pair´s room

B

Babysitter, Babysitter´s certificate, Babysitting,

Basic and Premium membership of Aupair-Ocean.de

C

Changing a hostfamily, childcare, children´s rights,

contact on Aupair-Ocean.de
D
Doctor´s certificate, driving license
E
Embassy, EU and EFTA countries
F
Federal Employment Office, Federal administrative department,

forms for aupair residence, free time and days off
G
Germany (your way to visa), guarantee, the guidelines of public authorities
H
Host family, a host family changer, hours per week, help about the house,

host families´ checklist
I
Integration into a family, international Internet platform, Internet promotion,

invitation, invitation letter
L
Language knowledge, language course,

language test for the au-pairs who go to Germany and are not from EU/ERW countries
M
Mediation-own Mediation, mediation, member of Aupair-Ocean.de,

monthly ticket for

public transport
N
New host family, notice board
O
Obligation, own Mediation, own promotion
P
Prozess of own mediation, paid services, price list, paperwork assistant,

phone call to the future au-pair, photos, poket money, premium program,

procedure of own promotion, profile on Aupair-Ocean.de, prospects
R
Receipts for au-pairs, requirements for host families
S
Safety, safety für an au-pair, safety for a host family, salary, seeker,

studies in Germany, start date, start date of an insurance, summer au-pair,

sympathy sign(mark)
T
Tax, termination, TV set and computer
U
USA
V
Vacation
W
Work permits in Germany and Austria

A

Au-pair
"Au-pair" means "mutual help". An au-pair is a young person who goes to a foreign country and learns there its language and culture. As a countermove for food and accommodation as well as other facilities like assurance, monthly pocket money and monthly ticket for the public transport, the au-pair looks after the host family's children and helps with household. Some host families pay for language courses.

The au-pair program gives an opportunity not only learn how to speak a foreign language fluently or understand it, but also can become a bridge to further education or help to clarify own life goals. The au-pair relationships are based on mutual understanding and ability to have compromise.The admission of au-pair in a host family has a lot of advantages for you and your au-pair.

More about  Au-pair-Variations:

Free registration now!

top of page

Advantages of being an au-pair

1. You can learn a foreign language of a country fast and effective
2. You can learn more about other cultures and countries
3. You can find new interesting contacts which can be developed into the lifelong friendship
4. You acquire the experience in the child care and housekeeping
5. The foreign experience is always valuable for employers
6. You earn you own money and have your may be first job!
7. The au-pair year is a good opportunity for self-test in a foreign country before you start to work or study!
8. You can receive a language certificate and some experience for your future job!
9. When you receive the certificate with the assumption, you can have an opportunity to study in Germany.

Advantages of being a host family

1. You get necessary help about the hose and relief from the child care
2. You can come back to your job and be more flexible!
3. You and your children can learn a new culture  with your new family member!
4. You acquire a new friend for your family and help a young person in his formation!

Free registration now!

top of page

Advantages of The Au-pair Ocean membership

As a member of The Aupair-Ocean.de you have to an opportunity to look for au-pairs and with the help of some functions and services of the site manage your own mediation. We have free and paid services for you.

The Au-pair Ocean membership

Price list

Free registration now!

top of page

Age of Au-pairs

For every country which has the au-pair program there are regulations about the admitted age of au-pair.
How old is au-pair?
Usually the age of au-pair is between 18 and 30 years old. Below is a required au-pair rage in different countries having the au-pair program:

Free registration now!

top of page

Au-pair Agency

It is an organization (in this case an au-pair agency) which pursues the interests of au-pairs and host families. Classical au-pair agencies provide applicants for host families and represent the interests of au-pairs and host families within the au-pair program of the certain country.
Because of the new Internet platforms' development for the last several years, today a lot of au-pairs/hostfamilies can find each other without the using agency.
Such things like the invitation and the au-pair contract, assurance, choosing language courses, going through the entry formalities and organization of arrival / departure of au-pairs were earlier expected from an au-pair agency. Now it will be organized and executed by host families.
Furthermore, the classical au-pair promotion along with personal promotion is still topical and important for many host families.

Free registration now!

top of page

The Aupair-Ocean.de is an innovative on-line au-pair agency with the international Internet platform which helps to look for a suitable host family or an au-pair without the using an agency. Aupair-Ocean.de has a lot of attractive functions for its users. It allows host families and au-pairs from the whole world to register for free and create their individual profiles with a photo, information about themselves and opportunities to carry out their own promotion successfully.

Free registration now!

top of page

Au-pair-Variations

Classical au-pair (e.g., in Germany) maximum 30 hours per week or from five to six hours per day of help with children and in housekeeping, babysitting 2-3 times per week. But there are different special features for a certain country.

Demi Au-pair (half au-pair) from 16 to 20 hours per week, housework is maximum three hours per day, two-three times babysitting (in England), in France there is no babysitting. Otherwise, it is like the classical au-pair.
Au-pair Plus (mainly England): From 36 to 42 hours per week, from three to four evenings babysitting, pocket money is usually at least 75 pounds per week.
Otherwise, like the classical au-pair. In this kind of program host parents usually are absent for the whole day because of work.
Mother´s Help (family assistent): eight hours per day for housework plus looking after children is 5,5-6 days per week. Generally this kind of program is spread in the Anglo-Saxon countries.
The activity is more aimed at housework as a full-time job. Fifty pounds per week is usual pocket money, from at least seventy to hundred pounds is for applicants with experience.
Sommer -Au-pair is au-pair who look for a host family for one-three months somewhere from July to September. As a countermove for the pocket money, food and accommodation they take care of children and help about the house. Sometimes the summer au-pair spends holidays with his/her host families. Per one forty-hour week summer au-pairs - in England "Summer au-pairs" or "Holiday au-pairs", in France "Au-pair d'e'te'" - receive lower amount of pocket money than classical au-pair. The attendance of language courses is not always possible.

Au-pair and „work experience"
You work 20 hours per week as an au-pair and help from 10 to 15 hours per week in the company/Firma/office of your host parents. Weekly you receive at least 100 pounds. This program is offered only in Great Britain.

Room for work: an au-pair helps from ten to twelve hours per week in all kinds of housework (kitchen and cleaning work, taking care of children) and receives free lodging as the compensation. No pocket money, no babysitting in the evenings, no monthly ticket for the public transport. The health insurance must be also paid by an au-pair. Usually this kind of program is suitable for those who would like to spend more time for education or other activities. It is basically offered in Paris and other big cities with possibilities for studying.

Free registration now!

top of page

Au-pair's money supply

The pocket money and the usual services of a host family (free food and supply) cover only basic costs. Those, who plan to visit an expensive language school or travel a lot, should think of additional finances. An au-pair also pays for his/her arrival and departure. So, it is recommended for au-pairs always to have certain sum of money in reserve, in order to avoid difficult financial situations.

Free registration now!

top of page

Au-pair's travel expenses

Au-pair's travel expenses are taken by an au-pair.
If you want to support your au-pair financially anyway, you need to know that it can lead to some problems.
For example, because of some reasons an au-pair decides to change a host family. In this case, she can not receive money for the ticket back. Another problem: You transfer money for the ticket, bur an au-pair does not come at all. 
So the decision about the financial support is up to you.

For Au-Pairs

You should pay for your journey and language courses by yourself!
Please remember about it if you plan to participate in the au-pair program!!!

Free registration now!

top of page

Au-pairs' work time

Working hours of an au-pair are different in every country. The length of work is usually stated in the au-pair contract. Work time is defined as the time from the beginning till the end of the whole au-pair's work without rest. Here is recommended amount of working hours in the following countries.  
Babysitting in the evening is established by a host family.
From 1 to 3 times per week is desired.
In Germany 30 hours per week
How many hours per week should an au-pair work?
The recommended amount of working hours per week is listed below:

Free registration now!

top of page

Au-pair in Germany

Conditions
- Stay duration: usually between 6 and 12 months. With the so-called summer au-pair program (EU au-pair) the residence can also be less than 6 months. However, a renewed employment as an au-pair in Germany is not possible
- Age: between 18 and 25 years old (au-pairs from EU countries and Switzerland can start from 17 years).
- Language skills: basic knowledge of German is required. It is not necessarily for the au-pairs who stay longer than 3 months and are from EU countries and countries having special status (Poland, Latvia, Estonia, Lithuania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Czech, Hungary, Malta, the USA, Canada, Israel, Japan, Australia, and New Zealand).
- Experience: taking care of children, household keeping
- Work time: No more than 30 hours per week, 5 - 6 hours per day, at least one day off per week
- Costs: An au-pair is responsible for his/her arrival and departure. Some host families take part in payment of journey tickets for coming into the country or/and leaving it
Conditions for the au-pair in a family
- Own room and support
- Pocket money: at least 260 euros per month
- Vacation: An au-pair whose residence is 1 year can have 4 weeks of vacation or 2 work days off per month. The vacation is decided between the host family and the au-pair. The au-pair can be taken to the vacation by the family. In this situation, the au-pair has to do only inessential work, and constant presence is not a must. Also, he/she should have at least four free evenings per week
- Opportunity to visit a language school (optional). (Usually an au-pair pays for the courses)
-A host family pays for the month ticket or provides transportation to a language school. (Visit of the language school is optional)
- A family's car can be also used by an au-pair by agreement
- A host family usually pays for au-pair's medical, accident and guarantee insurance.
Residence and entry conditions
- An au-pairs from EU countries (visa is not necessary):
(France, England, Benelux countries, Austria, Spain, Italy, Portugal, Denmark, Greece, Ireland, Finland, Swede, Norway, Cyprus). Au-pairs from these countries can enter Germany with the valid passport without visa and work permit. After arrival an au-pair must be registered at the police (registration) department by his/her host family during a week
- The au-pairs from new member-countries of the EU and the countries with the special status
(Poland, Latvia, Estonia, Lithuania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Czech, Hungary, Malta, the USA, Canada, Israel, Japan, Australia, New Zealand). Au-pairs from these countries can enter Germany with the valid passport and without visa  
- Within one week after arrival an au-pair must
- be registered at the police (registration) department by his/her host family
-apply for work permit at the responsible job agency
- apply for stay permission during 12 months in the responsible authorized department
- The au-pairs who are not from the EU countries (visa is necessary):
 An au-pair candidate must apply for the au-pair visa in German embassy of his/her home country.
- In addition an au-pair candidate should have the following documents:
- The original au-pair contract.
It has to contain amount of the pocket money, work time, vacation in compliance with regulations, free lodging and costs for the living according to § 84 of the law about foreigners' state.
- The assurance of a host family about registration and reimbursement of costs for medical, accident and guarantee insurance.
- The au-pair contract is signed by an au-pair and his/her host family. Both sides get a copy.
- With the necessary documents (more information by the paperwork assistant an au-pair goes to the German embassy and applies for the au-pair visa. Though the documents are usually the same in many countries, they can still contain some differences. You can find more information in paperwork assistant.
The embassy will make an "au-pair visa inquiry" at the responsible department for visa and registration of foreign citizens in your administrative districts. Besides, the embassy sends the inquiry firstly to the national department in Cologne and only then it goes to the responsible administrative districts.
After receipt of an au-pair's inquiry in the department for visa and registration of foreign citizens, you will receive an inquiry form and have to sign the explanatory note about your duties relative the au-pair. (The fee is circa 20 euros and is not required in every department). The foreign department can also require salary and residence certificates (e.g., a contract of tenancy).
From the department for visa and registration of foreign citizens you get a blank form about the work permit. The form plays an important role in authorities' decision and should be filled carefully. You can find the example of the blank form in the office assistant.
After approval of by the department for visa and registration of foreign citizens the application goes through the national department in Cologne back to the embassy, which informs the au-pair and makes a record (temporary visa for 3 months) in the passport.
After arrival at Germany the au-pair must apply for the extension of visa for 9 months at the department for visa and registration of foreign citizens. Also, the au-pair should take his/her passport, 3 photos, perhaps the au-pair contract, the insurance certificate and sometimes medical certificate.
A host family pays for the visa's extension, which costs about circa 40 euros.
When an au-pair comes to Germany, this/her host family should make the following steps:

1. To announce about arrival at the responsible police (registration) department within 3 days.                                                                                                                                        2. To execute the insurance and inform the insurance company about an exact date of arrival.
3. To inform the department for visa and registration of foreign citizens about arrival, if there is no registration from the address bureau yet, and extend the entry visa within 3 months.
4. At the end of au-pair's residence (with his/her leaving) to go to the police (registration) department and cancel the au-pair's registration at the host family's house!

Frequently asked question: can an au-pair enter Germany as a tourist and then receive and extend the visitor's visa there? No! There are no possibilities for this! An au-pair can enter the country only having the au-pair status, which is different from the tourist's status and is also strictly regulated by the law!

More information:

http://www.arbeitsagentur.de/zentraler-Content/Veroeffentlichungen

/Sonstiges/Au-pair-Info-fuer-dt-Gastfam.pdf

Free registration now!

top of page

Au-pair's duties

Au-pair's duties can be different every day and depend on a host family's daily routine. An au-pair looks after children and does easy housework. A host family undertakes for its au-pair, provides him/her with his/her own room and does not use him/her as a cheap housemaid.

Basic duties:

-Cooking for a family

-Taking care of the children

-Changing children's clothes

-bathing

-playing with children

-reading to children

-helping with children's homework

-bringing and taking children to/from kindergarten, school and other kinds of activities

-washing and ironing children's clothes

- cooking and warming up food for children

-doing easy housework

-cleaning children's and his/her own rooms

Free registration now!

top of page

Aupair-Ocean.de is an innovative on-line au-pair agency with the international Internet platform which helps to look for a suitable host family or an au-pair without the using agency. Aupair-Ocean.de has a lot of attractive functions for its users. It allows host families and au-pairs from the whole world to register for free and create their individual profiles with a photo, information about themselves and opportunities to carry out their own promotion successfully.
Aupair-Ocean.de informs future au-pairs' and host families'   about "Au-pair" topic.
You can search for an au-pair or a host family by yourself and carry out your own promotion. At the Aupair-Ocean.de host families and au-pairs from all over the world can find each other! The Aupair-Ocean.de has the paperwork assistant who will help you to go through the documents' difficulties during the whole process starting from the invitation till the au-pair's journey.

Also, in our paperwork assistant you can find the au-pair contract and some recommendations for the visa procedure (e.g., interview questions in the embassy). You can fill in the au-pair contract on-line after free registration. The office assistant is developed for your own promotion.

The registration and search for an au-pair or a host family are for free.

The contact establishment is paid and possible only for members of The Au-pair Ocean's Premium program. The first contact establishment is created for free and through a sympathy sign. The sympathy sign shows if candidate you have chosen is interested. If your sympathy sign is accepted, you get confirmation in your profile.

For the continual contact establishment you should be a member of the Premium program.

It is enough when only one side is a premium member. Usually it is a host family.

At the Au-pair-Ocean you can also insure your future au-pair per our partner.

If you have any questions or suggestions you can write them on-line. You can also find more information about functioning of Aupair-Ocean.de in our Au-pair-Lexicon and Information.

Free registration now!

top of page

Au-pair Visa

Visa, a record in the passport, is a registration in the international passport which permits to travel or stay in a foreign country for a certain period of time. There are different kinds of visa.
The au-pair visa to Germany, the record in the passport, is applied by an au-pair candidate at the German embassy in a home country. This is valid for the candidates from the countries which are not a part of EU / ERW.
The au-pair should apply for a visa personally; the application for the au-pair visa by post or through another person is impossible.
The application for the au-pair visa at the German territory is also impossible.

After the application for the visa, its consideration starts.

This consideration includes some steps, which require the assistance of host parents in filling up and sending back a blank form with the diligent test, as well as signing the essential Obligation (Verpflichtungserklärung).

You can find more information about it in the paperwork assistant.

In paperwork assistant you can also fill up and immediately print out the au-pair contract and the invitation letter. This function is at no cost and only for registered users of Aupair-Ocean. de.

The consideration of the entry visa for au-pairs can take about 10 weeks. But host parents can accelerate the process by visiting the authorities personally.

An au-pair should take the visa personally at the local German embassy.
The acquisition of the au-pair visa by post or another person is impossible.

The au-pair visa is issued for 3 months and within this period it must be extended at the local aliens department for the next 9 months.
Though this is a little bit complicated, it serves for your protection.

The obligation which you sign is valid during the au-pair visa. If your au-pair needs to depart earlier, it is usually happens during first three months. Please, remember that the extension of the au-pair visa should be done during initial period of validity. Only one day late can lead to rejection of the visa's extension.

Free registration now!

top of page

The aliens department (department for visa and registration of foreign citizens)

It has great amount of administrative duties concerning foreign citizens. The department for visa and registration of foreign citizens is responsible for giving or refusal of stay permissions according to the law about stay purposes. Also, if necessary, it can make a decision about expulsions or deportation. This department is involved in visa issue.

Free registration now!

top of page

The au-pair contract

The contract which is made between a host family and an au-pair candidate and regulates the au-pair relations between both.
Majority of German embassies accept the au-pair contract in the capacity of the invitation. You can fill the au-pair contract on-line in The Au-pair Ocean's office assistant and then receive it at no cost. Also, the contract can be immediately sent at your e-mail address. You can find necessary information about the au-pair invitation and the au-pair contract in the office assistant. 
To get the au-pair contract without registration on The Au-pair Ocean is also possible! Further to the free service for the au-pair contract.

Free registration now!

top of page

Au-pair meetings

It is specially organized meetings for au-pairs and young people from different countries with the purpose of international communication and fellowship.

Where can au-pairs meet each other?

The answer is: at language courses, in sport clubs, during organized journeys or trips for au-pairs.

In Germany the majority of au-pairs visit language courses at the local language schools which can offer a suitable course price. You can learn more about services of language schools by phone or in the Internet and register for the classification test. Beside the language schools there are other language organizations who also offer language courses (private linguistic schools, cultural and integration centers).

Free registration now!

top of page

Au-pair trips

Au-pair trips are the organized journeys for au-pairs. The most popular au-pair's trip is to Paris.

Free registration now!

top of page

Au-pair's arrival

For the proper arrival of your au-pair, you need to pay your attention at the following issues:

1. It is not reasonable to book a flight ticket if the visa is not yet issued.
2. The au-pair pays for the tickets personally.

If you still want to pay for your au-pair's tickets, you should know that it may cause problems.
For example, because of unforeseen circumstances you are not able to take an au-pair or the au-pair changes the host family. Anyway, the money for the ticket cannot be paid back. Another example, you transfer money for the journey in the au-pair's home country and the au-pair does not come at all.
 That's why paying for your au-pair's journey is up to you.

For host families!

If the process with documents is succeeded there will be a day when your au-pair comes.

Please remember that the new member of your family has a very long trip and can feel tired. Arrival can be also excited and at the same time nervous. Please try to understand and give the au-pair time to get used to a new situation. You should also understand that at first it is hard for the au-pair to be among unknown people. Show your au-pair that that he/she is welcomed. One picture painted by your children or a few candies often make a miracle. Tell her that he/she can ask you any questions freely. Give your au-pair to understand that he/she can turn to you with all questions openly. Everything is new and different for the au-pair, and of course he/she has thousands of questions even about something what for you seems as an absolutely evident fact. Tell your new family member about your expectations, discuss freely different situations and gradually bring the au-pair in him/her duties about the house.

For Au-pairs!

Please inform your host family about the time of arrival!
Do not ask the host family to take your travel expenses. An au-pair should pay for his/her journey personally!
Also, you should prepare some presents for your host family. First of all think about your new little friends, children, who impatiently wait for you!

Free registration now!

top of page

Au-pairs's admission

Requirements according to the law of the Federal Employment Department

Ø      An au-pair pays for journey's tickets.

Ø      A host family buys the month ticket or provides transportation to the language school.

Ø      A host family pays for the medical, accident and guarantee insurances.

Ø      Sometimes it is requiered by athority or desired by the host parents to pay for individual medical examination.

Ø      A host family pays an au-pair a monthly pocket money at the rate of 260 euro.

Ø      The work by a host family should not be more than 30 hours per week (Germany)

Ø      Over time work should be timely compensated.

Ø      An au-pair should have at least one and a half days off per week.

Ø      At least once a month Sunday should be free.

Ø      An au-pair should have at least four free evenings per week.

Ø      An au-pair, who stays in a host family for one year, should have a vocation which is equal to 24 days per year or 2 working days per every month. An au-pair is entitled to visit language courses and should be released from work for this period of time. (Usually an au-pair pays for the course).

Ø      An au-pair should have an opportunity to exercise his/her religion.

Requirements for host families:

Ø      Spouses with and without children, as well as singles with a child.

Ø      At least one parent must have the German citizenship or a host family should prove that in the family they speak German.

Ø      Furnished and lockable room should be prepared for an au-pair in the family's apartment or house.

Ø      If can au-pair can use family's bath, personal bath and WC is not necessary.

Free registration now!

top of page

Au-pair-changer

An au-pair changer is an au-pair who was admitted to the country as an au-pair and looks for a new host family.
Sometimes there are some difficulties between a host family and its au-pair.
Are you already in Germany or in another au-pair country and not happy with your host family? Do you need a new one?
Register at the Aupair-Ocean.de as an au-pair changer and look for a new host family.

-If you come from the country where visa is liable, please remember that after ending of your registration as resident by your first host family you can remain in the country only for 3 days. Then your status is not legal in Germany. Usually a host family gives 2 weeks for looking for a new one. However, majority of European countries usually give only one week for the termination.
-The visa or stay permission should be made under a new host family.
-You can find recommendations and information about how to change a host family in our paperwork assistant.

Free registration now!

top of page

Abroad experience

Abroad experience is skills in social and language competence which is acquired during the stay in another country.
Those who live abroad for a while always make a profit on it!
It functions even if a person works later in completely different areas! One day big markets and medium-sized companies become global!
Keeping in touch with business partners or establishments in other countries often becomes hard only because of language barrier.
For those who have lived abroad it is much easier.
Also, those who go abroad look at some things in a new way.
Moreover, the one who has courage has also respect!

Free registration now!

top of page

Application

What should you do for the au-pair's application?
- to learn about the au-pair program in a desired country and your duties.
- to write only reliable information about yourself in your profile or cover letter.

More detailed your application is, more successful will be your own promotion! Write honesty about your experience with children, estimated activities in the host country and expectations from your host family during an au-pair year. 

- to prepair all the documents for the visa application or for the registration in a host country!

- to take doctor's certificate in your country and let your host family know about your chronic diseases.

- to register on the Aupair-Ocean.de

- to find a host family and contact with it.

- to discuss with the selected host family your au-pair duties.

- by the instrumentality of the office assistant to learn about process of getting the visa.

- to apply for the visa at the local embassy. (For the countries who are liable for visa)

- after receiving the visa and arrangement with your host family to plan the journey and buy the ticket for transportation (by bus or by plane).

-  to depart on time!

-  to inform the host family about your exact arrival. Please, remember about the telephone number of the your family!

Free registration now!

top of page

Au-pair's checklist

Answer the following questions and look if it is possible for you be an au-pair!
- Do I know the language of the desired country good enough?
- Do I have experience in working with children?
- Can I rationally occupy children and be responsible for them?
- Do I have enough language skill to talk about problems arrised in everyday situations or call an ambulance?
- Am I healthy to go abroad?
- Am I ready to help about the house and clean my own room?
- Am I ready to be flexible and integrate in a host family?
- Have I understood all the information relating to the au-pair residence?
- Do I have money for round-trip ticket?

If you answered the questions with Yes, then register on our website and take your first steps in own promotion. Start to look for a suitable host family!

Free registration now!

top of page

Application photos

Application photos are the pictures which you have in your profile on Aupair-Ocean. de. These pictures should serve for the purpose of your own promotion and carry a suitable image. On Aupair-Ocean.de you get your own ID number and in your profile people can see only the first letter of your last name. It helps to protect your data. Requirements for photos:

-  In jpg or png format. The size is 5 MB. Only the pictures with you and your family. You should be recognizable.

Highly forbidden the pictures which:

-    have an amoral images.

-    have any contact information or look like your buisness card.

Free registration now!

top of page

Au-pair insurance

According to regulations of the federal job agency after au-pair's arrival a host family should immediately insure its au-pair at private and/or public insurance company against accident, illness, pregnancy and birth.

In case of duty's dereliction of compulsory insurance a host family pays for its au-pair's ambulant or stationary treatment untill the au-pair's complete recovery or transportability.

In addition, you should have public accident insurance, which is not covered by private insurer. Though, some private insurance companies meet the case of the au-pair insurence and can offer you an insurance combination (health, guarantee and accident insurances) at reasonable prices.

You can get the information about the au-pair insurance directly from an insurance company or you can execute the insurance on-line following the links below!

Au-pair Versicherung

If you want an au-pair to drive your car, it is also better to insure your car before you leave it under your au-pair's control. For some au-pairs, who have foreign driving license,  have difficulties with driving at the beginning of their stay in Germany. We advice you to check how confidently your au-pair drives.

Free registration now!

top of page

Au-pair's room

A lockable heating room with the window and size at least 8-10 square meters should be prepared for an au-pair.

Free registration now!

top of page

 
B

Babysitter

A babysitter is a person who looks after someone's babies and kids. While the parents are away, a babysitter takes care of their children several hours per day, usually it is in the evening and at night, but sometimes also during the day. Generally, babysitters are young people (pupils or students) who look after children for earning some money. But there are also a lot of elderly people who are engaged in babysitting process. Sometimes family members or friends can be a babysitter. Working hours, active time and the salary are subject to negotiation. A written contract is not usually concluded. Babysitter is not a profession. A person who takes care of babies and toddlers in the parents' place as a full-time job is called a child minder. A person who takes care of children in his own place is called a home kindergartener.

Free registration now!

top of page

Babysitter's certificate

The "baby sitter's certificate" is a certificate which says that a person has passed a babysitting course. The caurse can be taken at a local family educational center (FEC) or Red Cross (RC). The certificat allows parents to see that a person can work with children. Contents of such education are an eighthour preliminary course about working with a toddler / baby. Moreover, a student learns something about nourishment, behaviour patterns, swaddling, employment and legal matters of a babysitter.

Free registration now!

top of page

Babysitting

Two-three times of babysitting per week are expected from an au-pair.
It means that an au-pair puts children to bed after supper and stays at home till midnight. The families are asked to consider babysitting beforehand.
To avoid problems, babysitting should be clear and timely planed, and the schedule of babysitting should also come to agreement.

Free registration now!

top of page

Basic and premium membership of Aupair-Ocean.de

To become a basic member, just register on Aupair-Ocean.de and use some services of the site.

Free registration now!

top of page

C

Changing a host family

Sometimes there are some difficulties between a host family and its au-pair.
Are you already in Germany or in another au-pair country and not happy with your host family? Do you need a new one?
Register at the Au-pair Ocean as an au-pair changer and look for a new host family.
If you come from the country where visa is liable, please remember that after ending of your registration as resident by your first host family you can remain in the country only for 3 days. Then your status is not legal in Germany. Usually a host family gives 2 weeks for looking for a new one. The visa or stay permission should be made under a new host family. However, majority of European countries usually give only one week for the termination.

Free registration now!

top of page

An au-pair changer

These are au-pairs who are already in Germany and look for a new family, because of difficulties between them and their host families. An au-pair can stay for a short period of time in your family.
It does not mean that the au-pair is not suitable for the au-pair activity. There are a lot of different reasons for changing which are not always easy to explain. If you decide to take an au-pair changer, you also have an advantage: you can get to know the au-pair personally, before she starts to work in your family.
The information about changing a host family and recommendations you can find in our paperwork assistant.

Sometimes there are some difficulties between a host family and its au-pair.
Are you already in Germany or in another au-pair country and not happy with your host family? Do you need a new one?
Register at the Aupair-Ocean.de as an au-pair changer and look for a new host family.

If you come from the country where visa is liable, please remember that after ending of your registration as resident by your first host family you can remain in the country only for 3 days. Then your status is not legal in Germany. Usually a host family gives 2 weeks for looking for a new one. The visa or stay permission should be made under a new host family. However, majority of European countries usually give only one week for the termination.

Free registration now!

top of page

Childcare

The care for children is one of the main duties of an au-pair.
Examples of the childcare:
Treating children as your own brothers or sisters, respecting child's rights, playing, changing their clothes, helping with bathing preparation or even bathing children, washing, watching, going for a walk, handcrafting, painting, reading, singing, bringing them to the kindergarten / to school / to certain events (e.g., gymnastics, music lessons etc.) and taking them back, putting to bed. An au-pair should be occupied with children and be responsible for them!

Free registration now!

top of page

Children's rights

In the capacity of children's rights, the rights of children and teenagers are described below. These are the rights which are written down in the convention of UNO about children's rights. The convention was accepted by the UN General Assembly in November 1989, and today it is ratified by majority of countries in the world.
Some fundamental children's rights:
-  Right to free upbringing (according to the German law described in §1631, sub-paragraph 2 of the civil code)

-  Protection from exploitation

-  Right to education

-  Right to personality development (according to the German law described in §1 of the civil of the social laws VIII)

-  Family rights to protection

-  Right to state support in education problems

-   Right to participation in their decision-making process

-   Right to social security

-   Right to maintenance of family

-   Right to participation

-   Right to expression of opinion

-   Right to protection from physical, mental or sexual violence

-   Right to community and friends

-   Right to education and independence

-   Right to property

-   Right to freedom
(Wikepedia)

Free registration now!

top of page

Contact on Aupair-Ocean.de

After the registration on Aupair-Ocean.de you can get in touch with desired au-pairs or host families. The searching machine will help you to find a suitable au-pair or a host family. When you find somebody suitable for you, you can click on the photo and learn more about the user.

You can establish the first contact by the sympathy sign for free or become a premium member straight away and have access to the whole contact data.

The sympathy sign shows you that the other side is interested in you and the contact can be continued. How does it work?

For free you send the sympathy sign (Smile) to an au-pair or a host family which is suitable for you. If the sympathy sign is accepted by the other side, it is better for you to become a premium member.

As a premium member you have a lot of advantages like free access to the whole contact data, opportunity to advertise at the black board (can be read by the members of the basic program) and use the paperwork assistant. Also, you can communicate with each other by message system on Aupair-Ocean.de so often and as long as you want. Remember that close communication helps to avoid misunderstandings and problems in the future.

Free registration now!

top of page

D

Doctor's certificate

Doctor's certificate is confirmation of candidate's vocational aptitude for au-pair job. The certificate is given by a doctor in candidate's home country. After arrival of an au-pair a host family can also check his/her vocational aptitude on own account by a German doctor.

Free registration now!

top of page

Driving license

How long can the driving license of an au-pair from non-EU country be valid?
According to the present law situation driving license of an au-pair from non-EU country is valid only 6 months. However, you can try to make an application for the validity lengthening at the special place for driving license. In the application it should be pointed that an au-pair stays in Germany only for a certain period of time, and driving license is necessary for his/her activity. Nevertheless, freedom of choice functions here which means that decision making is up to a specialist or driving license company.
Everything depends on how confidently an au-pair drives. It is also important to talk to your vehicle insurance company, before you leave your car under au-pair's control.

Free registration now!

top of page

E

Embassy

If the diplomatic representative office of a country is located in another country, the embassy takes upon itself contact issue and the realisation of duties of administrative authorities.

Free registration now!

top of page

EU and EFTA countries

EU  

Accession before 2004- Belgium, Germany, Denmark, Finland, France, Greece, Great Britain, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Austria, Portugal, Spain and Sweden.
Accession in 2004-
Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia, Czech Republic, Hungary and Cyprus.
Acession in 2007
Bulgaria and Romania

EFTA
Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Switzerland

Free registration now!

top of page

F

Federal Employment Office (since 2004 in Germany known as a federal job agency, in Austria as working service) has deal with the issue of work permits. Also, it has other duties like job placement, employment managing, employment stimulation, occupational consulting and payment of the unemployment benefit.

Free registration now!

top of page

Federal administrative department

It is a central service provider of federation. It executes more than 100 different duties for the federal minister and his field of activity. By the application of the most modern technologies in the foreign central register and visa procedure the network knod's functioning of the national department in the national and European security architecture has great meaning. More information about the national department at www.bva.bund.de or www.bundesverwaltungsamt.de

Free registration now!

top of page

Forms for au-pair residence

At the moment only for Germany
The au-pair contract (you can use our free service "au pair contract"! Further to the contract)
The termination form
The invitation letter
Forms of the federal job agency
The blank forms for a host family
The form for the registration in Germany
The form for ending the registration in Germany
All the forms and more you can find in our paperwork assistant after the registration.

Free registration now!

top of page

Free time and Days off

Free time is an elastic notion. For example, an au-pair has nothing special to do, and a child constantly wakes up and cries. In this situation someone can say that an au-pair has his/her free time, but he/she must be with the child. This demarcation of free time and work often can be difficult, and sometimes even impossible.  
An au-pair should have at least two-three uninterrupted free hours per day. Free time should be planned so, that an au-pair could leave the house and go somewhere, if he/she wants to. Visiting language courses or some social events is included in this time. Also, an au-pair should have at least one day off per week, spending it for his/her own goals, making some activities and exercising his/her religion.  Any kind of changes should be discussed with the family.
It often happens that au-pair should also work during the weekends. It means that au-pair does usual work not only during one-two hours per day, but also on Sundays and holydays. In this case it is obvious that Sundays should become days off or another day of the week, but only if Sunday is not possible. On the other hand, for some people it is an advantage to have free weekends, because shops are opened and it is less overloaded days. But anyway, a host family must give its au-pair one uninterrupted day off per week.

Free registration now!

top of page

G

Germany (Behoerdenwegweiser)

An au-pairs from EU countries (visa is not necessary):
(France, England, Benelux countries, Austria, Spain, Italy, Portugal, Denmark, Greece, Ireland, Finland, Swede, Norway, Cyprus).
Au-pairs from these countries can enter Germany with the valid passport without visa and work permit.
After arrival an au-pair must be registered at the police (registration) department by his/her host family during a week
The au-pairs from new member-countries of the EU and the countries with the special status
(Poland, Latvia, Estonia, Lithuania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Czech, Hungary, Malta, the USA, Canada, Israel, Japan, Australia, New Zealand).
Au-pairs from these countries can enter Germany with the valid passport and without visa. Within one week after arrival an au-pair must be registered at the police (registration) department by his/her host family. Then he/she should apply for work permit at the responsible job agency. The length of au-pair's stay in the country is maximum 12 months. The age of an au-pair is from 18 till 25 years old.
The au-pairs who are not from the EU countries (visa is necessary):
An au-pair candidate must apply for the au-pair visa in German embassy of his/her home country.
In addition an au-pair candidate should have the following documents:
The invitation letter and the au-pair contract which should be signed by a host family. It has to contain amount of the pocket money, work time, vacation in compliance with regulations, free lodging and costs for the living according to § 84 of the law about foreigners' state.
The confirmation from a host family about registration and reimbursement of costs for medical, accident and guarantee insurance.
An au-pair receives the invitation and 3 copies of the au-pair contract by post.
The au-pair contract should be signed by an au-pair and sent back to her host family. With the au-pair contract and other necessary documents an au-pair goes to the German embassy and applies for the au-pair visa. You can find the instructions for visa application at the website of German embassy of your country or in our office assistant.
The embassy will make an "au-pair visa inquiry" at the responsible department for visa and registration of foreign citizens in your administrative district. Besides, the embassy sends the inquiry firstly to the national department in Cologne and only then it goes to the responsible administrative districts.
After receipt of an au-pair's inquiry in the department for visa and registration of foreign citizens, you will receive an inquiry form and have to sign the explanatory note about your duties relative the au-pair. (The fee is 20 euro and is not required in every department). The foreign department can also require salary and residence certificates (e.g., a contract of tenancy).
From the department for visa and registration of foreign citizens you get a blank form about the work permit. You should fill the form and sand back to the department. After its approval by the department for visa and registration of foreign citizens the application goes through the national department in Cologne back to the embassy, which informs an au-pair and makes a record (temporary visa for 3 months) in the passport.
After arrival in Germany an au-pair must apply for the extension of visa for 9 months at the department for visa and registration of foreign citizens. For this an au-pair should take his/her passport, 3 photos, perhaps the au-pair contract, the insurance confirmation and sometimes the doctor's certificate.
A host family pays for the visa's extension, which costs about 40 euros.
When an au-pair comes to Germany, he/she should:
1. Announce about arrival at the responsible police (registration) department within 3 days.                                                                                                                                       
2. Execute the insurance and inform the insurance company about an exact date of arrival.
3. Inform the department for visa and registration of foreign citizens about arrival, if there is no registration from the address bureau yet.
4. At the end of au-pair's residence (with his/her leaving) to go to the police (registration) department and cancel the au-pair's registration at the host family's house!

More information you can find in our paperwork assistant!

Free registration now!

top of page

Guarantee

Our guarantee is our sympathy sign. You should not become a member of the Premium program if you are not sure whether the other side is interested in you. The sympathy sign is the first free contact between a host family and an au-pair. If the sympathy sign was accepted, then it is better to become a premium member and pay the membership fee.
You can also get the au-pair contract without previous registration.
More about the free au-pair contract.

Free registration now!

top of page

The guidelines of public authorities

Au-pairs from EU countries (the visa is not necessary):
(France, England, Benelux countries, Austria, Spain, Italy, Portugal, Denmark,Greece, Ireland, Finland, Swede, Norway, Cyprus).
Au-pairs from these countries can enter Germany with the valid passport without visa and work permit.
After arrival an au-pair must be registered at the police (registration) department by his/her host family during a week.

The au-pairs from new member-countries of the EU and the countries with the special status:

(Poland, Latvia, Estonia, Lithuania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Czech, Hungary, Malta, the USA, Canada, Israel, Japan, Australia, New Zealand).
Au-pairs from these countries can enter Germany with the valid passport and without visa. Within one week after arrival an au-pair should be registered at the police (registration) department by his/her host family and apply for work permit at the responsible job agency. Stay permission for au-pairs is maximum 12 months.
The age of an au-pair is from 18 to 25 years old.

The au-pairs who are not from the EU countries (visa is necessary):

An au-pair candidate must apply for the au-pair visa in German embassy of his/her home country.

In addition an au-pair candidate should have usually the following documents:

-The invitation and the au-pair contract, which are signed by a host family.

It has to contain amount of the pocket money, work time, vacation in compliance with regulations, free lodging and costs for the living according to § 84 of the law about foreigners' state in Germany.

-The assurance of a host family about registration and reimbursement of costs for medical accident and guarantee insurance.

-The invitation letter and three copies of the au-pair's contract are received by an au-pair in the original by post.

The au-pair contract is signed by an au-pair and is sent back to his/her host family. With the au-pair contract and other necessary documents an au-pair goes to the German embassy located in his/her homeland.  Usually you can find the instructions for the visa application on the web page of the German embassy in every country or in our paperwork assistant.

The embassy will make an "au-pair visa inquiry" at the responsible department for visa and registration of foreign citizens in your administrative districts. Besides, the embassy sends the inquiry firstly to the national department in Cologne (das Bundesverwaltungsamt) and only then it goes to the responsible administrative districts.

After receipt of an au-pair's inquiry in the department for visa and registration of foreign citizens, you will receive an inquiry form and have to sign the explanatory note about your duties relative the au-pair. (The fee is ca. 20 euros and is not required in every department). The foreign department can also require salary and residence certificates (e.g., a contract of tenancy).

From the department for visa and registration of foreign citizens you get a blank form about the work permit. The form should be filled and returned to the department for visa and registration of foreign citizens.

After approval of the application by the department for visa and registration of foreign citizens it goes through the national department in Cologne back to the embassy, which informs the au-pair and makes a record (temporary visa for 3 months) in the passport.

After arrival at Germany an au-pair must apply for the extension of the visa for 9 months at the department for visa and registration of foreign citizens. For this an au-pair should take his/her international passport, 3 photos, the au-pair contract (a copy) and sometimes medical certificate.

A host family pays for the visa's extension, which costs about ca. 40 euros.

When an au-pair comes to Germany, this/her host family should make the following steps:

1.      To announce about arrival at the responsible police (registration) department within 3 days.

2.      To execute the insurance and inform the insurance company about an exact date of arrival.

3.      To inform the department for visa and registration of foreign citizens about arrival.

4.      At the end of au-pair's residence (with his/her leaving) to go to the police (registration) department and cancel the au-pair's registration at the host family's house!

You find more information in our paperwork assistant!

Free registration now!

top of page

H

Host family

The host family is a family which takes to itself an au-pair for a certain period of time. As an au-pair, a host family has rights and duties. Would you like to become a host family?
Requirements for host families
For Germany:
- A spouse with and without children, as well as single people with a child
- At least one parent must have German citizenship or a host family should prove that in the family they speak German.
-  Furnished and lockable room should be prepared for an au-pair in the family's apartment or house.
-  If an au-pair can use family's bath, personal bath and WC is not necessary.
- More information about conditions and requirements for Germany you can read at the
Au-pair in Germany

Free registration now!

top of page

A host family changer

Sometimes it happens that relationships between an au-pair and his/her host family can lead to the conflict and both sides see no chance to continue them. It brings to the cancellation of the contract.
In this case we recommend executing the cancellation with your au-pair in writing.
You can find the form in our paperwork assistant.

Free registration now!

top of page

Hours per week

How many hours per should an au-pair work?

The recommended amount of working hours per week is listed below:

In most countries from one to three evenings of babysitting per week is expected.

Free registration now!

top of page

Help about the house

One of the au-pair's duties is helping a host family about the house.
This help may include following issues:
- laying the table
The assistance with laying the table and cleaning it after main meals and also au-pair's own meal is not a part of the au-pair's work time! This should be natural!
- washing dishes and taking it out of a dishwashing machine
- buying food
- preparing breakfast and cooking easy meals for a family
- cleaning the kitchen after the meals
- looking after the house / flat and domestic animals
- watering plants
- vacuuming and dust wiping
- throwing out garbage
- making children's rooms in order. For example, to make children's beds or change bedclothes
- doing simple housework and helping to keep a flat clean and in order, do the laundry and iron
- keeping clean au-pair's own room and the bathroom is also an au-pair's duty, which should be self-evident
Some of the house works you can make together. For example, vacuuming and cleaning of common rooms.
Your help depends on the life style of a host family and should be discussable, but not fixed as a rule.

Duties which are not usual au-pair's work.
- cleaning windows

- washing a car

- heavy work in the garden

- executing duties connected with spring works

- cleaning the family's office room

- cleaning the host parents' shoes

- making a repair work in a flat / house of a host family (painting the walls, varnishing and hanging wallpaper)

- cleaning after the repair work

- help in a host family's business (in Germany it is forbade)

- being the only one who is responsible for taking care of domestic animals

Free registration now!

top of page

Host families' checklist

Answer the following questions and look if it is possible for you to have an au-pair:

· Do you have an individual room for an au-pair?
· Is it possible for you to endow an au-pair and pay him/her pocket money?
· Do all your family members want to take an au-pair?
· If your au-pair is, for example, sick, would you be able to cope with one weekday without him/her?
· Are you ready to integrate an au-pair into your family?
· Are you ready to let an au-pair go to above mentioned language courses?
· Can you pay for the au-pair's insurance? Approx. 30-40 euros per month?
· Do you know that an au-pair would like to be treated as a family member and not like a housekeeper?

If you answered the questions with Yes, then register on Aupair-Ocean.de and take your first steps in own promotion. Start to look for a suitable au-pair!

Free registration now!

top of page

Hours per week

How many hours per should an au-pair work?
The recommended amount of working hours per week is listed below:

In most countries from one to three evenings of babysitting per week is expected.

Free registration now!

top of page

I
Integration into a family

An au-pair is not a cleaner or experienced nanny.

A host family and an au-pair work together, live together in a house or a flat and also spend some au-pair's free time with him/her.

It is very important that an au-pair could get a possibility to be involved in a host family's activities and is not felt as a foreigner.

A host family should allow an au-pair to participate in their family life. An au-pair should not be sent away in his/her room after the work is made!!!

The au-pair means not only living and working together, but also adaptation to the habits of a host family.

An au-pair should show the readiness for the integration into a host family as well.

The sense of the au-pair's stay is the integration into a host family.

There are many things which draw an au-pair and a host family together or estrange them. But the most important is that both feel comfortable with each other.

Free registration now!

top of page

International Internet platform

It is an international data bank which is developed for the communication or an on-line market of au-pairs and host families who registered on Aupair-Ocean.de and applied for search.

Free registration now!

top of page

Internet promotion

Today besides promotion through different au-pair agencies there is an opportunity to look for an au-pair or a host family in the internet.
Aupair-Ocean.de informs about the au-pair program and helps you to organize your own promotion. Some of our services are available for you and can make your promotion more successful: the on-line data bank, the free au-pair contract per sympathic sign, the notice board for advertising, the paperwork assistant, unlimited establishment of contacts and control of your visa procedure. Moreover, you can have your own profile on Aupair-Ocean.de.

Free registration now!

top of page

Invitation

The invitation documents are required if the au-pair visa should be extended. With the invitation documents and the au-pair contract a host family confirms that it is able to supply an au-pair with financial and social support. In our paperwork assistent you can find necessary invitation documents for the application to the embassy.

Free registration now!

top of page

Invitation letter

The invitation letter for your future au-pair should contain exact details about your family situation. You can find an example of the invitation letter in our office assistant. The invitation letter is added to the au-pair contract and not required in every embassy. The au-pair contract can be accepted by the authorities as the invitation. The invitation letter with the au-pair contract is private confirmation of your concern for au-pair.

Free registration now!

top of page

L
Language knowledge

For every candidate it is important to have basic knowledge of a host country.
Without sufficient language knowledge it is risky to go abroad and look after children. Every au-pair should be aware about it. An au-pair should be able to answer simple questions and easily come to an agreement with children and a host family. It is very important that the au-pair could call for help or the emergency service when parents are absent.
Low language skills are often can be a problem in communication between members of a family. Instead, the host family should be patient and if possible help the au-pair in language learning.

For au-pairs!

Try to learn the language of a host country; it will help you to avoid a lot of problematic situations!!!!
For receiving the visa au-pairs must prove their good language skills during the interview with a specialist in the German embassy located in her home country. University and college students who study at the linguistic faculties or candidates having Goethe's certificate (at least level A1) have an advantage. For au-pairs who go to Germany from the countries liable for visa we have a list of approximate questions which can be asked in the embassy. You can find them in our paperwork assistant.

Free regsitartion now!

top of page

Language course

According to the European au-pair regulation linguistic courses are a part of an au-pair's stay.
After discussion a host family allows au-pair to visit a language course. An au-pair is not a language student that is why the linguistic courses can usually be visited maximum 4 times per week. There is no exact regulation. But it is clear that visiting of the linguistic course depends on everyday occupation of a host family and should be chosen after discussion with the family.
A host family usually supports its au-pair in choosing the course.
We advise to clarify beforehand how often your au-pair would like to visit the language courses and what expectations she has about them.
In Germany majority of au-pairs visit the language courses in Volkshochschule which is known by its prize. You can find the information about Volkshochschule's offers in the Internet and register for the classification test. www.volkshochschule.de Besides the Volkshochschule there is other language schools: private language schools, cultural centers and integration centers which are specialized in German lessons for foreigners.

Free registration now!

top of page

Language test for the au-pairs who go to Germany and are not from EU/ERW countries

There is no prescribed language test for an au-pair. According to the law au-pair must have basic knowledge of German. Some consulates make the language test through long conversations about one topic. Other embassies or consulates require the Start-Deutsch-I-Zertifikat of Goethe-Institute to prove basic skills of German. As alternative: "Kleines Deutsches Sprachdiplom" or certificates of other Goethe-Institute's tests or language schools' in Germany.
You can find more information about the opportunities to have Goethe-Institute language test being abroad here:

http://www.goethe.de/lrn/wwt/deindex.htm

There are no difficulties with the au-pair visa for those who have already studied German or were connected with language at work.
A host family also can check your German skills by phone-call and figure out if you meet the case of the family. This happens before the invitation process. Aupair-Ocean.de has written approximate questions which can be asked.
The list is constantly improved. You can find the questions in our paperwork-assistent off after you register in Aupair-Ocean.de.

Dear au-pairs! Please note that good basic knowledge of German is a required condition for being an au-pair in Germany. Your German skills will be checked during the interview in the embassy.

Free registration now!

top of page

M

Mediation - Own mediation

In the au-pair system there are 2 ways of how au-pairs and host families look for each other:
Classical mediation by au-pair agencies and own mediation.
The classical mediation is when you turn to an agency which helps you to choose an au-pair or a host family, come over the entry formalities and also it partly takes care of an au-pair after her arrival. In this case you pay the commission fee for the mediation to an agency.
The own mediation is when you search for an au-pair yourself, inform yourself, provide the au-pair contract and organize the whole process from choosing an au-pair till her arrival. Recently the own mediation has started to be more and more popular. You personally become an au-pair mediator! Our information on this side can help you a lot with your own mediation.
You can start now and begin your own mediation process on  Aupair Ocean.de!
The registration, search, and establishment of the first contact through the sympathy sign are free!
If you want to have constant contact with a host family or an au-pair and actively participate in the Premium program, you should pay the membership fee.

Read about the prices now!

As a participant of the Basic program you can also do a lot and search for au-pairs or host families, print the contract, execute the insurance, and send the sympathy sign to the suitable au-pair or host family. Was your sympathy sign accepted?
Then you should immediately become a Premium member! You can establish the direct contact with the au-pair or host family now!
Aupair-Ocean.de helps you on the way of your own mediation with the data bank of au-pairs and host families. It supports you with the information how to come over the entry formalities on-line. On  Aupair-Ocean.de you can find answer on important questions, all necessary documents for the invitation process and work with the data any time during the day. Look in our paperwork assistant and make sure how easily you can come over the procedure of the entry formalities.

Free registration now!

top of page

Mediation

Aupair-Ocean.de is an on-line agency with the international data bank. We provide NO classical mediation on Aupair-Ocean.de. You become a self seeker and organize your mediation yourself. We offer only the services for making your own mediation successfully! You do not pay any commission fee. The only costs which can be paid on Aupair-Ocean.de are the costs for the Premium membership. Only for 19.90 euros you can use the whole advantages of the Premium program: search, make contacts, advertise and manage the visa process.

Free registration now!

top of page

Member (user) on Aupair-Ocean.de

is a user of Aupair-Ocean.de. There are two kinds of membership: BASIC and PREMIUM. To become a BASIC or PREMIUM member, you must  register free on Aupair-Ocean.de.
To become a premium member, you should pay for charged services.
You can read about the functions of Aupair-Ocean.de and your possibilities as a user of  Aupair-Ocean.de in the Basic and Premium sections of the site.

Free registration now!

top of page

Monthly ticket for public transport

By arrangement a host family takes over the costs for the public transport to the language course and back. However, it is not a must for a host family, but usually it is practiced, especially in the big cities of German. A host family gives an au-pair an opportunity for the mobility to get to a language course.

Free registration now!

top of page

N

New host family

Sometimes there can be difficulties between a host family and its au-pair. Are you already in Germany or another au-pair country? Are you not satisfied with your host family? Do you need a new one?
Register at  Aupair-Ocean.de s a family changer(au-pair switching a hostfamily) and look for a new host family.
But be careful if you came from a country liable to visa.
When you receive the notice of departure from your first host family you can stay in the country without registration only during 3 days. Then your status is not legal in Germany. But usually a host family gives about two weeks for searching for a new host family.
The visa or stay permission should be made under a new host family. However, majority of European countries usually give only one week for the termination.

Free registration now!

top of page

Notice board

The notice board is available for host families and au-pairs.
The notice board is read by au-pairs and other host families (Basic too).
Only premium members can advertise at the notice board. Examples of advertisement can be: "My new au-pair is looking for friends in Berlin", or "My au-pair has decided to go home. We are looking for a new one now! ". In this case it is up to you whether you give your e-mail address or your phone number in your advertisement. By the instrumentality of the notice board you draw attention of the Aupair-Ocean's users to your offer one more time and also emphasize your advertisement.

The use of the notice board does not cost extra money, but is accessible only for premium members.

On the notice board it is not allowed to write criticism about its users, but only objective information. If you see something illegal or not mentioned in our AGB, please write by e-mail. The abuse of the notice board leads to user's deactivation.

Free registration now!

top of page

O

Obligation

The obligation for taking care and costs for a foreigner shows an opportunity to help the foreigner to have a stay permit if he does not have enough financial support. The obligation giver can be a natural or legal person. The legal effect of such obligation, which is given by the foreign department or the representative office located abroad, is regulated in §68 of the stay law. The obligation based on the view of the law literature is not the obligation in relation to an invited foreigner, but it opens for the state departments a possibility to address the foreigner in case, when he must pay the stay costs, which are not included in the fee of social insurance, and also the costs for the hardship allowance, but not for pension or unemployment benefit if he already paid for them. Depending on kind of stay and its length different financial requirements are demanded from an obligated person, so that sufficient amount of livelihood could cover the costs. The obligation, which is certified according to the general federal and secured form of the receiving authority, can be also used in the invitation process for the visitor's visa (Shengen visa). (Wikepedia)

Free registration now!

top of page


Own mediation

It is organized self search for an au-pair or a host family and the organization of the mediation process according to your time and costs. Our on-line agency with the international Internet platform can help you to make the procedure of the own mediation easier and more successful. As a member of the Basic program you can use some services of Aupair-Ocean.de for free. As a premium member, who pays the membership fee, you get an access to all contact data and can manage the invitation procedure of an au-pair using the paperwork assistant. The function of "the notice board" is also available to host families and au-pairs!

Free registration now!

top of page

The process of own mediation

After successful registration you can find the information about the process of own mediation in our paperwork assistant. The most important steps for the invitation of au-pairs from countries liable to visa are also described there. You can get the invitation documents and the au-pair contract directly on the web-page of Aupair-Ocean.de.  After filling the contract you receive it on your e-mail address. The au-pair contract service is for free.

Free registration now!

top of page

 
Own promotion

It is organized selfsearch for an au-pair or a host family which develops your promotion and saves your time and money. Our on-line agency with the international Internet platform helps you to make your own promotion easier and results more favourable.
As a basic member you can use some services of Aupair-Ocean.de at no cost. As a premium member you pay the membership fee and get free access to the contact information and use the notice board.  In addition, you can make yourself known in the paperwork assistant and administer the process of your own promotion. „The notice board" service is also available to premium members! Here you can put up your announcements relating to an au-pair topic.

Free registration now!

top of page

P

Paid services

What are paid services for?
Aupair-Ocean.de is an international data bank of the au-pair and host families' contacts, and has function of an on-line agency.
Our concern is to support our clients in searching for an au-pair or a host family and help them with their own promotion and achievement of successful results. You can use services of Aupair-Ocean.de any time during the day, and hopefully you will soon.
To be able to offer the services of the on-line agency, we have to have some expenses:
Our time and costs for hosting, advertisement, service and staff.
Also, the work with the data bank is included in our everyday duties.
We hope that those of you who pay the membership fee have successful own promotion. Thanks for your support! Only with your help we can grow and develop in a harmonious and modern way!

Free registration now!

top of page

Paperwork Assistant

The paperwork assistant is a section at Aupair-Ocean.de which is available only after the registration. Unlimeted use of the paperwork assistant is possible only for the premium members. In the paperwork assistant you can find the information and some tips about how to do the invitation process and registration of an au-pair. Also, there you find some information how to come over the formalities related to the au-pair's entry and the responsible authorities. In the paperwork assistant you can see where you are in your future au-pair's entry process and what else you need to do. Also, straight in the paperwork assistant you can execute the invitation, receive the au-pair contract, insure your au-pair and find tips for the phone with your au-pair or host family.

There you can also see what documents your au-pair needs for the embassy. The paperwork  assistant has a list of the most frequently asked questions which are put to au-pairs in the embassy. You can find questions for the phone call with au-pair candidates too. As well as au-pairs, host families can also find a lot of useful information about the entry formalities in our paperwork assistant.

We try to gather all possible information about the visa application, but we do not give any guarantee. The paperwork assistant of Aupair-Ocean.de is created as a quick and convenient tips giver for the document process. At the moment the paperwork assistant is active only for Germany.

Free registration now!

top of page

Phone call to the future au-pair

It is important to call your future au-pair or host family! Not all candidates have telephone. Many of them write their cell-phone numbers in their profiles and can be reached only by e-mail or cell-phone.

Using special prefixes you can call in many countries. Here is www.teltarif.de. Through the phone call you can establish the first contact and learn more about your new family member. Your candidate can be a little bit nervous. Please do not be disappointed! It is difficult to speak on the phone, especially in foreign language. Please tell about your family and your expectations, start with simple questions.

We recommend the phone call, because we think that only by phone you can get a full picture about the candidate. Through such short conversation with your future au-pair you can check her knowledge of German and have impression about her. If the phone call satisfies you, you can clarify all mutual questions by e-mail. The list of questions you can find in our paperwork assistant.

Free registration now!

top of page

Photos

Application photos are the pictures which you have in your profile on Aupair-Ocean.de. These pictures should serve for the purpose of your own promotion and carry a suitable image. On  Aupair-Ocean .de you get your own invisible ID number and in your profile people can see only the first letter of your last name. It helps to protect your data. Requirements for photos:

- In .jpg or .png format. The size is 1 MB. Only the pictures with you and your family. You should be recognizable. Highly forbidden the pictures which:

-    have amoral images.

-    have any contact information or look like your business card.

Participant with photos has more contacts and better chances for his own promotion.

Free registration now!

top of page

Poket money

Au-pair are not paid according to a firm rate. They do not receive salary on which they can live and freely dispose. Nevertheless, there is a certain sum of money they receive. It is important to know beforehand how much your host family is ready to pay you. How much pocket money does an au-pair receive?
Here is some information:

Free registration now!

top of page

Premium program

Paid services of  Aupair-Ocean.de are available for members of the Premium program.

As a member of the Basic program you can use only some services of Aupair Ocean.de, but as a premium member you can use more!

The Au-pair Ocean membership

Free registration now!

top of page

Procedure of own promotion

The procedure of own promotion is described in our paperwork assistant and can be available after successful registration. The most important steps for the invitation process of au-pairs from the countries liable to visa are also given in the paperwork assistent. You can get the invitation and the contract for free directly on the Aupair-Ocean.de website.

Free registration now!

top of page

Profile on The Au-pair Ocean

It is your small web-page on  Aupair-Ocean.de, which you can create and easily manage after the registration. The functions of the profile serve for the purpose of own mediation and au-pairs' informing. The profile helps you easily organize the search for a suitable au-pair and control the news access. The profile is provided only for a user or a host family.

Free registration now!

top of page

Prospects

Prospects for an au-pair in Germany:
For many au-pairs an au-pair year in Germany is the time of preparation for study at the university or college. The most popular ones are state and private language universities. It is impossible to study or work in Germany during an au-pair year. At this period of time an au-pair can only  acquire necessary language knowledge and learn more about the country and its people. The au-pair visa is the only German visa which can be changed into another kind of visa (e.g., the student visa), and it is not necessary for a person to leave Germany. This so-called "purpose change" of the stay is impossible for other kinds of visa. The au-pair visa can be changed only into the "language student visa for the study preparation" or the "student visa".
A candidate should find out (in the Internet) what schools have a desired faculty. The application can take time and some expenses for university assistance. This is an official service which is practiced in many schools. Besides the fee, the documents for application must be handed only once and is automatically checked by colleges, and it raises entering chances. If necessary a course of lectures should be finished before the study begins. For that your application should be admitted for studying a certain subject. If an au-pair has not enough language knowledge, she should visit required intensive language courses. For the extension of visa, the courses should be at least 20 hours per week. There are a lot of language schools which offer such courses.
A lot of au-pairs go from Germany to Austria for the au-pair year.
Voluntary Services in Germany are also a way to a career for many au-pairs. In Germany there are a lot of possibilities for voluntary service as an educational and orientation year. The employment is insuring work environment which gives an au-par an opportunity to get to know the occupational world of Germany. The participants can use their abilities as an au-pair and find out new borders. It can be done through the voluntary social year (VSY) as well as the voluntary ecological year (VEY).

A lot of au-pairs who come back to their own country can apply their knowledge of German to their studying or work.

Free registration now!

top of page

R

Receipts for Au-pairs

Receipts for au-pairs are usually easy receipts for cooking which au-pairs can make for your children.

Free registration now!

top of page

Requirements for host families

For Germany:

·  Spouses with and without children, as well as singles with a child.

·  At least one parent must have the German citizenship or a host family should prove that in the family they speak German.

·  Furnished and lockable room should be prepared for an au-pair in the family's apartment or house.

·  If an au-pair can use family's bath, personal bath and WC is not necessary.

·  More about conditions and requirements Germany read in Au-pair in Germany

Free registration now!

top of page

S

Safety

Is it safe to use the portal Aupair-Ocean.de ?
The search for an au-pair or a host family is as safe as if you put up an advertisement in a newspaper and receive the offers.
Our team pays a lot of attention to the fact that the data is used confidentially by our users. Only registered users can look at your profiles. The participants of the Basic program can see only your name and the first  letter of your surname. Your e-mail address and phone number can see only members of the premium program.
Every day we work on the data bank of Aupair-Ocean.de and check regularly whether the users' profiles have indecent or illegal material, including pictures. Also, we welcome different tips of our users who inform us about finding something what does not demonstrate Aupair-Ocean.de correctly.
You can immediately get in touch with us on-line.
Creating this site we would like to offer transparency, security, quality and convenience for suitability of our users. 
Aupair-Ocean.de is not a regular au-pair agency, but a data bank which has some functions of an on-line au-pair agency. On Aupair-Ocean.de you can look for a host family personally and carry out your own mediation successfully. In the paperwork assistant you can find a lot of important information about the au-pair visa in Germany or about the au-pair's entry. You can learn about the entry formalities personally.
You can look at the most important steps in getting the au-pair visa and be prepared. For example, you can read  some questions which are usually asked in the embassy and prepare the answers. You can also find information  about your rights and duties as an au-pair or a host family. The use of the paperwork assistant is possible only for Premium members.

AS a member of the Basic program you can look at profiles of host families/au-pairs and make a contact with them through the sympathy sign. You can manage your own profile: to load your pictures, to search for families, to send the sympathy sign to a host family for free. You can read the notice broad for free! For looking the whole contact data of a host family you should become a member of the Premium program. As a Premium member you can use the paperwork assistant without any limit.

What kind of security can we offer you?

Every day we control our data bank and exclude the members who put illegal information on The Aupair-Ocean.de. The profiles of such users are deactivated. In this case, we are free not to explain the reasons. We support only honest and proper behavior of our users. Only in this way we can make the process of own promotion successful.
We check the profiles according to the points described in our AGB and in terms of the data protection.
We assume the fact that information of profiles should be reliable. It works the same way as if you search for a host family or an au-pair through an agency. Only in several cases the agency can be personally acquainted with a host family or a au-pair. The agency gets the data of host families and au-pairs on-line and trusts the information which was written during the Internet registration. The agencies which have partners abroad are excluded. Instead, it is such mediation where the personal contact with an au-pair candidate takes place. One more time we would like to stress that we are not against the classical au-pair mediation. For many host families and au-pairs it was and still remains the right and honest way of connection. Aupair-Ocean.de gives its users an opportunity to carry out their own mediation successfully.
You decide whether you search for a host family or an au-pair with the help of agency or by yourself. The exception is the USA. Participation of an au-pair agency is a must there! In other countries the participation of an agency is not necessary!!!

Free registration now!

top of page

Au-pair's safety

How can you find a good family?

We would recommend you to get more information about the family. Only detailed information can help you to find a suitable host family. If you decide to change your family we would recommend you to visit a new host family if this is possible. Of course it is important to call the host family. If your new host family had already an au-pair, it would be good to connect  with her. You should avoid attractive and unrealistic offers because they are often not true. For example, such offers like very well paid job in Germany or high pocket money.
These offers have nothing in common with the real au-pair job and the work permit in Germany.
Also, be careful when some pre-payments are required, for example, for insurance, registration and etc.
If someone goes abroad as an au-pair, it is important to have all phone numbers of the host family, its address and the whole data. This is necessary for all mediation: classical one which is made through an au-pair agency and also for own mediation. Please, leave the information about your place of residence during the au-pair year to your parents or friends. Please, look after your passport and other important documents.
You can give a copy of your passport to your host family and never the original! Please enquire about your insurance abroad! If your host family does not insure you, you can make the insurance for the first 3 months in your home country. The insurance (medical, guarantee, and accident insurance) is very important! If you have problems with your host family, try to discuss them openly. If it does not help, you can search for a new host family or go back home. You can start your search on Aupair- Ocean.de as a family changer and get the information about host families. Cost saving means a lot. It is important for every kind of mediation which you choose: with agency's help or without it!

Free registration now!

top of page

Host family's safety

How can I find a good au-pair?

If you decide to choose the own mediation, the information exchange between you and your future au-pair is very important! Tell more about your everyday family life, your requests and hopes for the au-pair. Only detailed information can help you to find a suitable au-pair. When you decide to change your au-pair we would recommend you to invite a new au-pair to yourself if it is possible. Of course it is important to call the au-pair. If your new au-pair already worked in a family, it would be good to ask her for a phone number of that family and call it.
The references play an important role in choosing an au-pair. Try to hold objective assessment of a candidate!
The insurance of an au-pair (medical, guarantee, and accident insurance) is very important!  You can find necessary information about the au-pair insurance in our paperwork assistant or on the homepage.

Do not make any pre-payment. And it does not matter what reasons a candidate names: expensive flight costs, sick parents or visa fees. If you already made the prepayment, it is on your own hook! It is valid for the process of own promotion and the mediation of an agency. Demand a copy of your future au-pair's passport. You should know the validity of the passport, exact names, the address for the au-pair contract and the invitation documents.

Choosing an au-pair you should also ask for the loyalty certificate, references, copies of the education documents, and the doctor's certificate. Work as an experienced au-pair agency and make your own promotion confidently! Be careful if an au-pair offers something too attractive, has super qualification, is ready for everything and asks not enough questions. We also recommend you to call your future au-pair!

When your au-pair comes, please explain her how to behave in the emergency situations. Give her the emergency phone numbers: your cell-phone number, the work telephone number, the number of an emergency doctor. Be sure that your au-pair is able to get the emergency help. At the beginning after the au-pair's arrival it is important to spend a lot of time with her just to be sure that she is able to take care of your children. Explain to the au-pair your education models, show the surrounding, the way to the kindergarten, sport clubs, school and other important places, so that the au-pair could freely do her everyday duties. Integrate the au-pair in your household! When you are sure that your au-pair can independently take care of your children and be responsible for them, you can leave her with your children! Give your au-pair an opportunity to be easily accessible.

If you have any questions about the visa and visa extension, please call the foreign department. If you have any questions about the insurance, please call an insurance company. Thus, you are better informed and receive the information straight from the responsible authority or institution.

We would like to point out that both sides, an au-pair and a host family, are responsible for au-pair relations, and for both sides it can be uncertain. Try to trust to each other. Having the problems with the au-pair relation you almost always depend on yourself, even if you allow an au-pair agency to be your mediator! Organization of your own mediation is certainly possible! If you have serious problems, call the police!
We are thankful for every tip which serves for the security on Aupair-Ocean.de!

Free registration now!

top of page

Salary

Au-pairs are not paid according to a firm rate. They do not receive salary on which they can live and freely dispose. Nevertheless, there is a certain sum of money they receive. It is important to know beforehand how much your host family is ready to pay you. How much pocket money does an au-pair receive?
Here is some information:

Free registration now!

top of page

Seeker

Seekers / individual mediators are host families and au-pairs who look for each other through friends, in the Internet and do not need help of an au-pair agency. For such independent host families and au-pairs Aupair-Ocean.de provides the international data bank of candidates and information about the entry visa's formalities. On Aupair-Ocean.de you can look for an au-pair and clarify and manage the entry formalities beginning with choosing till arrival of your au-pair. On Aupair-Ocean.de we also have the paperwork assistant which will help you to execute the au-pair contract easily and fast. You can fill and print it straight on Aupair-Ocean.de. Thus the necessary documents can be finished fast before registration or invitation of your au-pair! Make it sure for yourself!

Free registration now!

top of page

Studies in Germany

For many au-pairs an au-pair year in Germany is the time of preparation for study at university or college. The most popular ones are state and private language universities. It is impossible to study or work in Germany during an au-pair year. At this period of time an au-pair can only acquire necessary language knowledge and learn more about the country and its people. The au-pair visa is the only German visa which can be changed into another kind of visa (e.g., the student visa), and it is not necessary for a person to leave Germany. This so-called "purpose change" of the stay is impossible for other kinds of visa. The au-pair visa can be changed only into the "language student visa for the study preparation" or the "student visa".

A candidate should find out (in the Internet) what schools have a desired faculty. The application can take time and some expenses for university assistance. This is an official service which is practiced in many schools. Besides fee, the documents for application must be handed only once and is automatically checked by colleges, and it raises entering chances.

If necessary a course of lectures should be finished before the study begins. For that your application should be admitted for studying a certain subject.

If an au-pair has not enough language knowledge, she should visit required intensive language courses. For the extension of visa, the courses should be at least 20 hours per week. There are a lot of language schools which offer such courses.

Free registration now!

top of page

 
Start date

The entry date is fixed by a host family and an au-pair. Ususally it is the date of entry which is planed by the family and the au-pair, but the actual entry date of an au-pair who is from the country liable to visa depends on following factors:

-  the visa application at the embassy in the au-pair's home country

-  issue of the entry permit / visa by the federal employment department and the department for visa and registration of foreign citizens.

-  Self-organization and planning of journey

-  More information you can find in our paperwork assistant.

Free registration now!

top of page

Start date of an insurance

The entry date is indicated when the insurance au-pair contract is made. The insurance original is  required in the department for visa and registration of foreign citizens.

What entry date should you have in your insurance if the entry date is not often fixed yet, a bus or flight ticket is not bought yet, the visa is not given ...?

You should write a planned entry date in a temporal insurance. If  your au-pair is not able to come because of unexpected reasons, please immidiately inform the insurance broker about it, and the insurance will be cancelled.
If the au-pair comes earlier or later, please inform in this case the insurance company about the exact entry date.
Here you can make an insurance for your au-pair

Free registration now!

top of page

Summer au-pair

It is an au-pair who looks for a host family for 2-3 months in summer.

Free registration now!

top of page

Sympathy sign

The sympathy sign is our guarantee that you can continue to have contact with the desired user.

Sending of the sympathy sign on Aupair-Ocean.de is free.

Sending of the sympathy sign is possible only after the registration and finding an au-pair or a host family.

Free registration now!

top of page

T

Tax

Host families in Germany can execute au-pair expenditures as taxable costs for the child care.
Remember that the monthly pocket money of an au-pair is deductible only if they are transferred to the au-pair's bank account.
Cash payment is not recognized any more.

The literal text of the Federal Ministry of Finance IV C 4 - p. 2221 - 2/07:
Expenditures
Having an au-pair usually leads to the family expenditures for the child care and easy housework. In the case when amount of the child care is not proved (e.g., according to amount of activity described in the contract and proper division of compensation) 50 percent of total costs for the child care can be taken into consideration.

More information at www.steuerzahler.de

Information without guarantee

Free registration now!

top of page

Termination

Sometimes there can be difficulties between a host family and its au-pair.
It can lead to the termination of the contract.
In this case we recommend we recommend executing the termination in the written form.
Do you look for a new host family? Or do you look for a new au-pair?

Register yourself on Aupair-Ocean.de as an au-pair changer and look for a new host family.

If you come from the country where visa is liable, please remember that after ending of your registration as resident by your first host family you can remain in the country only for 3 days. Then your status is not legal in Germany. Usually a host family gives 2 weeks for looking for a new one.

The visa or stay permission should be made under a new host family. However, majority of European countries usually give only one week for the termination.

Free registration now!

top of page

TV set and Computer

Au-pair should discuss with his/her host family if children are allowed to watch TV and/or play computer games. The au-pair's main duty is to be occupied with children.

At this case it is important to draw the line beforehand!

Free registration now!

top of page

U

The USA

The process of own promotion in the USA is not possible. You should use an experienced au-pair agency.

Free registration now!

top of page

V

Vacation

Every au-pair has the right to vacation. Depending on a country vacation time is fixed in the contract or discussed with the host family. An au-pair can spend the vacation in her host family's house or in another place. Presence in the family is not a must for the au-pair in this case.
During the vacation you should not pay any additional payments to your au-pair. In your household an au-pair has free food, but not if she spends her vacation alone.
Of course it is up to you whether to support your au-pair financially or not.
In Germany it usually works following way: an au-pair whose stay is 1 year has 4 weeks of vacation or 2 free work days per month in which she continues to stay in the au-pair relation with her host family. Time of the vacation can be discussed between a host family and an au-pair. If the au-pair decides to stay by the host family for the vacation, she should do only inessential things and her presence in the family is not a must.

Free registration now!

top of page

W

Work permits in Germany and Austria

If certain criteria are executed, work permit is issued by the Federal Employment Office or the Working Service. For example, the work permit can be given when it does not have negative influence on the labor-market.

Free registration now!

top of page