Au Pair in Austria
Austria offers au pair employment opportunity from six months to one year. This is based on the work Visa from the government of Austria which is only good for six months but could be extended for one year per request from the host family. To qualify for work Visa, employment contract has to be presented. The host family should apply for work permit and this permit should be physically received by the applicant before applying for work Visa. The process time for work Visa on au pair work is at least two weeks.
Requirement for Applicants
Those applying for an au pair job in Austria should be 18 to 28 years old. An employment agency is also a requirement to ensure the safety and legality of transaction between the host family and the au pair candidate. The transaction for acquiring work Visa from Austria should happen in the local Austrian embassy. Au pairs should also show that they have not stayed in Austria for the last five years.
Aside from age and agency requirement, the applicant should also show proof of expertise in language and specific household skills. Specifically, the application should show proof of their ability to speak German. They should also show documentation that would prove their experience with household work especially in childcare.
Au pair Work and Activities in Austria
Once in Austria, the au pair will be required to work at least 25 hours. The work will be limited to chores related to caring for children of the host family. They will be provided with lodging by the host family and their vacation will be based on the employment laws of the Austrian government. While working in Austria, au pairs should also go through language classes. The au pair will pay half of the tuition fee and the rest will be paid by the host family. This is very important as Austria’s primary language is German and au pairs will have a difficult time adjusting without basic familiarity of the language.
Although au pairs will generally work with the kids of the host family, their responsibilities should be specifically laid out before they start their first day of work. This allows the host family and au pair to reach an agreement on what the family should expect and what the au pair could do. The contract for au pairs in Austria is only up to one year and extension is not allowed.
