What is a au pair agreement?
An au pair lives with a host family, helps look after the children and takes part in family life, usually while studying the language. It works best when expectations are written down early. Most problems come from hours creeping up, unclear days off, housework that was never part of the deal, or no one knowing how to end things politely. An au pair agreement settles those points before the au pair travels.
This template covers the placement dates and any visa, exchange program or agency, and says that program rules come first where they set a different or higher standard. You list the children and the childcare duties, set the maximum hours a day and a week and the usual schedule, and choose the pocket money, how often it is paid and how. It describes the private room, the meals and any extras like a phone plan or transport pass, and makes time for language classes, with an optional family contribution. It sets days off, paid holiday, illness, travel costs, health insurance and whether the au pair may drive. It also covers house rules, safety, privacy (including never holding the au pair's passport), a settling-in period, notice, and what happens when the placement ends.
- Best for
- Host families and au pairs, with or without an agency or exchange program
- Signed by
- Host family and au pair, with initials on every page
- Covers
- Duties, hours, pocket money, room and meals, classes, time off, travel, insurance, house rules, notice
- Length
- About 4 pages
When to use a au pair agreement
- Welcoming an au pair found through an agency or exchange program
- Agreeing terms with an au pair you found yourselves
- Setting out the schedule, babysitting evenings and days off before arrival
- Agreeing who pays for flights, insurance and language classes
- Putting terms in writing midway through a placement when things have drifted
What you fill in
33 blanks, then the name and email of each person who signs: host family, au pair.
1 The host family
- Host parent's full name*
- Family home address*
- Host family phone*
2 The au pair
- Au pair's full name*
- Au pair's home country (optional)
- Au pair's emergency contact (optional)
3 The placement
- Start date*
- Planned end date*
- Visa, exchange program or agency (optional)
- The children*
4 Duties and hours
- Childcare duties*
- Maximum hours a day*
- Maximum hours a week*
- Usual schedule*
5 Pocket money, room and meals
- Currency*
- Pocket money*
- Paid* each week · every two weeks · each month
- Paid by* bank transfer · cash, with a written receipt · another agreed method
- The au pair's room*
- Meals*
- Other things provided (optional)
6 Language classes and time off
- Host family contribution to language classes (optional)
- Classes the au pair plans to attend (optional)
- Days off*
- Paid holiday*
7 Travel, insurance and the car
- Travel to and from the placement* The Host family will pay the Au pair's travel to the placement at the start and home at the end. · The Au pair will pay their own travel to and from the placement. · Travel costs will be paid as the program or agency rules set out.
- Health and accident insurance* the Host family will arrange and pay for it · the Au pair will arrange and pay for it · it is provided through the program or agency
- Driving* The Au pair will not drive for the Host family. · The Au pair may drive the family car for childcare duties only. · The Au pair may drive the family car for childcare duties and for limited personal use as agreed.
8 House rules and ending
- House rules*
- Settling-in period (weeks)*
- Notice during settling-in (days)*
- Notice after settling-in (weeks)*
- Governing law (optional)
9 Who signs
- Host family signature and date, initials on every page · A parent or guardian signing for the host family.
- Au pair signature and date, initials on every page · The au pair joining the family. If they arrive through an agency, the agency's own documents may also need signing.
What the au pair agreement covers
- The placement and program rules
- The children
- Duties
- Hours
- Pocket money
- Room, meals and household
- Language classes and study
- Time off and holiday
- Travel, insurance and the car
- House rules and safety
- Privacy and respect
- Ending the placement
- General
Using the au pair agreement, step by step
1 Check the program rules first
If the au pair is coming under a visa, exchange program or agency, name it and look up its rules on hours, pocket money, study and time off. The agreement says those rules win, so your figures should match or beat them.
2 Describe the children and duties
List the children with their ages and anything important, such as allergies or school times. Edit the default childcare duties so they match your family. The agreement makes clear an au pair is not a housekeeper.
3 Set hours, pocket money and time off
Enter the maximum hours a day and a week, the usual schedule, the pocket money and how often it's paid, the days off and paid holiday. Choose who pays travel and insurance, and whether the au pair may drive.
4 Add house rules and sign
Write the house rules you want agreed, set the settling-in period and notice, and send. You both sign and initial online, and the signed copy is filed in your FileIt vault.
Tips before you send it
- Talk through the agreement on a video call before the au pair books travel. It is easier to adjust now than after arrival.
- Count babysitting evenings in the weekly hours. That is where hours most often creep up.
- In some countries an au pair counts as an employee, so minimum wage, tax or registration rules can apply. Check your local rules or ask your agency.
- Never keep the au pair's passport or ID. The agreement says so, and in some places holding someone's passport can be unlawful.
- Hold a short check-in every few weeks. Small problems are easier to solve early.
Sign it online in minutes
- Fill in the blanks. Names, dates and amounts go straight into the agreement — the preview shows exactly where.
- Name who signs. Tick “This is me” for your own part. FileIt builds the PDF with every signature, date and initials box on the right line, and you can check or move anything before sending.
- Send it. Each signer gets a secure link and signs from any device — no account needed. The signed PDF, with an audit trail and a Certificate of Completion, is filed in your vault and emailed to everyone.
Au pair agreement: frequently asked questions
Does this replace my agency's or program's paperwork?
No. If the placement runs through an agency or a visa or exchange program, sign its documents as well. This agreement fills in the family's own details, and says the program's rules apply wherever they set a different or higher standard.
How much pocket money should an au pair get?
It depends on the country and program. Many programs set a minimum amount and a maximum number of hours. Check those rules and enter at least the amount they require. The template does not suggest a figure.
What is the difference between an au pair and a nanny?
An au pair lives with the family as a cultural exchange, works limited hours and gets pocket money, room and meals. A nanny is usually an employee on a wage. If you're hiring a nanny, use the nanny agreement instead.
Can either side end the placement early?
Yes. During the settling-in period either side gives the short notice you choose, then the longer notice after that. Serious misconduct, like putting the children at risk, allows immediate ending. The family pays pocket money to the last day and gives the au pair a fair chance to arrange somewhere to stay or travel home.
Is an electronically signed au pair agreement valid?
Electronic signatures are generally accepted for private agreements like this in the US, UK, EU, Canada and many other places. An agency or immigration authority may still ask for its own forms. FileIt keeps an audit trail with the signed PDF.