Au pair
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An au pair is a single girl (or, rarely, a boy) who helps a host family with childcare and/or housework while staying as a guest with a host family and generally receiving a small allowance (or pocket money). In many cases, the au pair is from another country and intends to learn a foreign language or culture during her stay.
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Arrangement
An au pair placement is an arrangement where a single person between 17 and 27 lives for up to two years in a foreign country as a member of a local family, helping in the home for a set number of hours a day, with often at least two full days off a week. In return she receives a reasonable allowance and a private room. (In the United Kingdom, current recommended amount for the weekly allowance is £55.)
The council of Europe recommend that every au pair is issued a standard contract with their family.
Specific countries
United Kingdom
In the UK, an au pair must be a national of the one of the European countries of Andorra, Faroe Islands, Romania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Greenland, San Marino, Bulgaria, Republic of Macedonia, Turkey, Croatia or Monaco. Although European Economic Area nationals are not included in the au pair scheme, they are free to come to take au pair placements.
Nationals of Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Republic of Croatia, Macedonia, Romania and Turkey need a visa from their British Embassy or Consulate.
Au-pair permits are limited to candidates who are unmarried, have no dependants, do not plan to stay in the United Kingdom for more than two years as an au pair and can support and accommodate themselves without help from public funds. They are also required to leave the United Kingdom after completing the au pair period. Au pairs may move to another family as long as the new arrangements continue to meet the requirements of the Immigration Rules.