Au Pair in Germany: Requirements, Visa, and Preparation

Being an au pair in Germany is not an ordinary nanny job, but a form of cultural exchange: a young person lives with a host family, helps with children and light household tasks, learns German, and gets to know everyday life in the country. For nationals of third countries, participation involves a visa and official requirements, so it is important to check the age limit, length of stay, contract, and the family’s responsibilities before applying.

What Is an Au Pair in Germany?

An au pair lives with a family as a temporary member of the household. Their main role is to help with minor children: supervising them, taking them to nursery, school, or activities, playing with them, and handling simple child-related tasks. Light household duties are also permitted, but the programme is not intended to replace a cleaner, care worker, or full-time nanny.

In return, the host family provides accommodation, meals, pocket money, insurance, and the opportunity to attend a language course. For participants, it is an affordable way to live in Germany, improve their language skills, and decide whether further study, Ausbildung, or another lawful route to moving to Germany is right for them.

Key Conditions in 2026

Condition	What You Need to Know
Age	At least 18 when the stay begins; the upper limit for the Aufenthaltstitel is before reaching age 27.
Duration	Usually from 6 months to 1 year; a repeat au pair stay in Germany is not provided for.
German language	Basic knowledge is required, generally at least A1.
Working time	Up to 6 hours a day and 30 hours a week, including childcare.
Time off	At least 1.5 full days off per week and at least four free evenings.
Pocket money	€280 per month; this is not a regular salary.
Language course	The family contributes at least €840 over 12 months, or €70 per month, towards the cost of a course actually attended; it must separately pay travel to a suitable course.
Insurance	The family pays insurance for illness, pregnancy/childbirth, and accidents; Haftpflichtversicherung is often arranged as well.

If a family promises substantially more hours, expects you to replace household staff, or is not prepared to put the conditions in writing, that is a reason to decline before applying for a visa.

Who Is the Programme For?

Being an au pair makes sense if you want to:

improve your German through daily interaction;
experience life in Germany without high accommodation costs;
gain experience of independence and intercultural communication;
prepare for further study, Ausbildung, or a language course;
spend a limited period abroad without committing to long-term migration.

The programme is less suitable for people seeking a high income, full-time employment, or a quick route to permanent residence. Au pair status is not a work visa for any job and does not replace study or skilled-migration routes.

Requirements for the Host Family

For an au pair, not only the participant’s application but also the family’s compliance with the rules matters. At least one minor child must live in the family. For au pairs from third countries, German must usually be spoken in the household as a native or family language; if German is the family language, the participant must not come from the same country as the host parents.

Before the programme begins, the parties sign a written contract. It should set out in advance:

the start and end dates of the stay;
the list of tasks and an approximate weekly schedule;
days off, evenings, and holiday;
the amount of pocket money;
the language course and travel costs;
insurance;
the conditions for terminating the contract and how to deal with conflicts.

How to Find a Host Family

There are several practical ways to search.

Platforms and Independent Search

Services such as AuPairWorld help you create a profile, describe your experience with children, and communicate directly with families. When searching independently, it is especially important to check the family’s documents, avoid agreeing to unclear duties, and never transfer money for dubious “guarantees.”

Agencies and RAL

An agency can help match you with a family, prepare the contract, and handle conflicts. In Germany, agencies associated with Au-Pair Society e.V. or bearing the RAL-Gütezeichen Au-pair are considered a quality benchmark. This does not replace your own checks, but it reduces the risk of ending up without support.

Recommendations and Communities

Personal recommendations, groups of former programme participants, and relevant communities can be useful, but they are best used as an additional channel. Even when friends recommend a family, the terms should be discussed in writing.

Documents and Visa Preparation

Nationals of countries outside the EU/EEA and Switzerland generally need a national entry visa for an au pair stay. The application is submitted to the German embassy or consulate before entry, unless a special exemption applies to your country. Permission to work as an au pair must be explicitly stated in the visa or Aufenthaltstitel.

The basic set of documents usually includes:

a valid passport;
a signed au pair contract;
proof of basic German language skills;
documents from the host family;
a CV and letter of motivation;
proof of insurance or the family’s commitment to arrange it;
the visa application form, photographs, and documents required by the particular consulate.

The list may vary according to the country where you apply, so make the final check on the website of the German mission and with the Ausländerbehörde where the host family lives.

How to Prepare Before Departure

Check that the duties fit the programme: children and light household tasks, not full-scale cleaning or elder care.
Ask for a sample weekly schedule, including evenings, days off, and the language course.
Discuss the room, meals, internet, transport, holiday, and house rules.
Keep copies of the contract, visa documents, insurance, and agency contacts.
Set aside a financial reserve for travel, initial expenses, and a possible change of family.
Improve your German to at least a confident A1 level before arrival: this reduces stress in the family and at the visa interview.

What You Can Do After Being an Au Pair

After the programme ends, some participants move on to university study, Studienkolleg, Ausbildung, or a language course. This change does not happen automatically: check the requirements for the new residence status, funding, language skills, and application deadlines with the Ausländerbehörde in advance.

An au pair year can help you adjust, understand everyday life in Germany, and make a realistic plan for a future move. However, it is best to prepare the next status several months before the contract ends so that you do not find yourself without a legal basis to stay.

Common Mistakes

relying on verbal arrangements instead of a written contract;
ignoring limits on hours and free time;
treating pocket money as a salary sufficient for all personal expenses;
leaving visa matters until the last month;
choosing a family solely for its location without discussing parenting style and expectations;
failing to clarify who pays for the language course, insurance, and travel to the course.

FAQ

Can You Work Elsewhere While You Are an Au Pair?

An au pair permit is tied to a specific stay and is not unrestricted permission to take any additional job. Before undertaking additional employment, check the conditions of your Aufenthaltstitel and consult the Ausländerbehörde.

Is Going Through an Agency Mandatory?

Not always. You can find a family independently, but an agency or trusted organisation can be useful when you need a contract, support, and help in a conflict.

Do You Have to Be Unmarried?

The official requirements of the Bundesagentur für Arbeit also allow married au pairs if all other conditions are met. In practice, family circumstances may affect the visa assessment and plans for the stay, so they should not be concealed.

How Much Money Should You Take With You?

Even with accommodation and meals provided by the family, you need a reserve for travel, communication, clothing, documents, personal expenses, and an unforeseen change of family. The exact amount is best calculated based on the city and the terms of the contract.