Please understand that in spite of time-consuming process of the search there is no guarantee for efficiency and absoluteness of your request fulfillment. Instead, your initiative is welcomed.

Au-pair in Switzerland

The directives for the au-pair employment are regulated in every canton differently. Registration of every AU-PAIR should be done at the Migration department of a certain canton. There you can receive the only official au-pair contract. Please, inform yourself at the foreign police department and migration department of a certain canton about what regulations are applied for you

Language and culture

Switzerland has an interesting regulation about its national languages. The official national languages are German, French, Italian and Rhaeto-Romanic (spoken most of all in the Swiss canton of Graubünden). However, Rhaeto-Romanic is not included into the list of the state languages of the country, because the fifth language of Switzerland is still "Jenaisch". It is the language of the Jenen people and consists of elements of German, Hebrew and Celtic. In the constitution the sign language is considered as  a state language of Zurich canton.

If you have a map of Switzerland with colored language areas, you can see that Rhaeto-Romanic is spoken most of all in the west of French, the middle of German and the southeast of Italian. In spite of this phenomenon the population of Switzerland speaks several languages only in some areas. Those, who are in French-speaking part of Switzerland and speak German, will be asked to speak English, because nobody understands German there. So, for German-speaking au-pairs the French part of the country will be more interesting.

Requirements for the au-pairs‘ stay in Switzerland:

- Stay period: 6-12 months
- Age:  between 17 and 30 years old. (For non EU-citizens 18-25 years). It is advisable to enquire more information at a cantonal authority
- Language knowledge: basic knowledge of French, Italian or German
- Education: high school or college
- Experience in child care and household
- Work time is 30 hours per week, 2-3 evenings of babysitting. A free day per week and a free weekend per month
-Costs: the au-pair pays for his/her journey and language courses (Often the part of the costs or all of it can be paid by the host family). The au-pair should pay for her way to the journey to the host family, and the best possibility for that is by bus. Almost every big European city has an opportunity for that. The au-pair should inform her host family about arrival o the airport, railway or bus station, so that the family could meet her.
-Other:  valuable international passport. Single and without children

Registration at the Registration department: After entry the au-pair should register at the authorized registration department within 8 days.

Conditions for au-pairs in the host family:

- Own room and support
- Pocket money: 550-720 SFr/month
- Monthly ticket for the public transport to the language school
- Au-pair has at least 1,5 free days per week; in addition 2-3 evenings of babysitting by arrangement with the family
-Vocation: At least 4 weeks per 12 months stay. If you are 18 or 19 years old and stay in the country for 6 months, you can have 2 weeks of vacation. If you are 20 years old and more, you can have 2.5 weeks.
-Time for visiting the language courses is given by the host family (a must).

- Illness/accident: According to a certain health insurance scheme an au-pair candidate is insured by the employer from the consequences of illness (incl. per diem) and accident. 50% out of 100% of the fee for the workplace accident insurance are paid by an employer. Anyway, as a member of an EU-country, the au-pair can have free medical care. Moreover, before departure the candidate should get the form E111 from a health insurance company at his native country. The form should be submitted to the health authorities in Switzerland and three months of the insurance will be renewed. But the form covers only urgent illnesses, so an additional insurance is advisable. It is also subject to any costs for dental treatment.
- A family car can often be used by the au-pair
NOTE: Families and people without children cannot have an au-pair.

Entry and stay formalities:

- German and Austrian citizens can work as an au-pair only in the French speaking Switzerland and not in the German speaking.
- Citizens of the EU need only a valid ID or passport for the entry. The expiry date of the ID documents must be at least 3 months longer than the duration of stay. After the entry the au-pair should register at the responsible registration department, having the au-pair contract with her.
- For the citizens of the new EU-countries the host family should apply for the residence permit at the authorized cantonal department before the entry of their au-pair.
Non-EU citizens are the au-pairs from the third countries (e.g., the USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Thailand, and etc.) need visa. Age: 18-25. According to the new foreign law of 01.01.2008 the au-pairs from the third countries can enter Switzerland only if they have a contract with an agency recognized by SECO.
Social insurance expenditures: The activity should be registered by the employer at the clearing house. 50% of the fee for the social security can be held back from the au-pair's salary.  
Taxes: Au-pairs are taxed and should be informed about it by their employers. The tax at source can be held back from the au-pairs‘ salary.
Money reserve: Remember to take extra money for the first time in Switzerland, because Switzerland is very expensive.

Map of Switzerland

top of page