Frequently asked questions

Yes, all services on Premier Au Pair are completely free for Au Pairs. There are no registration fees, no messaging fees, and no placement fees at any stage.

Working Holiday Visa (Subclass 417) is for applicants from Belgium, Canada, Republic of Cyprus, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Republic of Ireland, Italy, Japan, Republic of Korea, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Taiwan, and the United Kingdom. Work and Holiday Visa (Subclass 462) is for applicants from Argentina, Bangladesh, Chile, China, Indonesia, Malaysia, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Thailand, Turkey, and the USA. If you want to be an Au Pair in Australia you will need to qualify for a visa from the two above categories. Premier Au Pair and Host Families cannot assist in visa applications nor sponsor potential Au Pairs from countries not listed above. Our lists are updated on a regular basis to reflect new nationalities able to obtain the above working holiday visa. You can also keep up to date on these changes at www.immi.gov.au.

The sooner, the better. We recommend starting around six months before your intended arrival in Australia. This gives you plenty of time to find the right match, have proper conversations with families, and prepare everything calmly.

There are several ways of improving your profile. Putting any experience regarding children shows that you are invested in the Au Pair program and are a genuine candidate. You should focus on why you want to be an Au Pair and have chosen to travel to Australia. Honesty is also important. You do not need to be the best at everything and putting down information that is exaggerated will only lead to disappointment. Have you lived abroad before? This shows that you are already independent and capable - two traits that host families are looking for. Other extras that will make you stand out include: First Aid Training, Life Guard qualifications, approved Language Examinations, volunteer work, creative projects you have worked on, and school and university achievements you have earned.

The most important thing is to create a detailed and personal profile. Share who you are, what motivates you, and why you want to be an Au Pair in Australia. Add photos, and avoid overly generic or AI-generated text — families are looking for someone real and relatable. You can also contact families directly rather than waiting for them to approach you.

There can be several reasons. Some families are busy with work and children and may take a few days to reply. Others may have already found an Au Pair but not yet updated their status. If you check the message icon and it shows double green ticks, the family has read your message. We recommend following up with a friendly message after about a week, and making sure your profile is as detailed and personal as possible, as this greatly increases your response rate.

In the message overview, there is an icon next to each recipient. Double green ticks mean the family has opened and read your message. Grey ticks mean the message was delivered but not yet opened.

No. Your personal contact details such as your phone number, email address, and real name are not visible to other users. We take your privacy seriously.

Go to My Profile, then Job Details. In the section 'Has this position been filled?', update your status to indicate you are no longer searching. Your profile will be hidden from the family search but can be reactivated any time in the future.

Go to My Profile, then Personal Data, and click the Delete Account button. Please note that if you think you might need your profile again in the future, it is better to simply hide it by updating your status under Job Details.

No. Firstly, we believe that trust and honesty are very important values, in our business and the wider community. Secondly, from conception, users have enjoyed our platform and rewarded us with interesting and convincing profiles. Our promise - You will only connect with genuine and legitimate profiles on Premier Au Pair.

It is very important that you do your due diligence before you agree to join a host family through Premier Au Pair. You should be performing certain checks on your potential Host Family. These include: connecting with their social media accounts and confirming that they have a long history and that their photos match certain details they have told you; checking the comments section on their photos for friendly and personal messages; checking their friends list for people with the same last name; asking to speak with former Au Pairs who have been part of their family; requesting a video chat and a walkthrough of the house and garden; having regular video or voice calls with the Host Parents and children; and asking for a National Police Clearance for all adults living in the home - you have the right to request this. Trust your gut! If it doesn't feel right, move on. There are plenty of Host Families looking for a great candidate like you.

Put it in writing before you book flights. It protects both of you, and the conversation itself tells you a lot about the family.

Cover at least: weekly amount and when it is paid; the number of hours and a typical roster; which days are free; how babysitting and evenings are handled; what happens when the family travels; your room and whether you have your own bathroom; use of a car and who pays for fuel and insurance; internet and phone; language course arrangements if any; notice period on both sides; and what happens if the placement ends early.

Premier Au Pair provides a sample agreement you can download and adapt. We are not a party to it — the agreement is between you and the family — but using it means neither side has to invent the terms from scratch.

If a family will not put the basics in writing, treat that as information.

Talk to the family first. Most problems in a shared household are misunderstandings about expectations, and they get worse if nobody says anything for weeks.

If that does not work, you are not stuck. You can end the placement and look for another family — a change of placement is normal and is not a failure. Your profile stays active and you can search again straight away.

If the problem is about pay or working conditions, the Fair Work Ombudsman gives free, confidential advice on 13 13 94, in your language if you need it. Your visa status does not affect your rights, and you cannot get in trouble with immigration for asking.

If you feel unsafe, leave first and sort out the details afterwards. In an emergency in Australia, call 000.

You can also contact us directly — if you are logged in, that takes you straight to a chat with our support team. We cannot arbitrate between you and a family, but we can help you get moving again, and we want to know if a family on our platform is behaving badly. Tell us, and we will look into it.

The Australian Government requires all working holidaymakers to prove they have at least $5,000 AUD before they travel to Australia. This is a condition of your visa being approved. We can't provide an exact amount of how much you should save. Budget according to how much you would like to travel and how many different activities you would like to do whilst you are an Au Pair. Generally speaking, $5,000 AUD saved can get you quite far during your year, if you budget wisely. But it really depends on the type of person you are and what you do!

As an Au Pair, you are taking part in a cultural exchange program. You are generally expected to assist with 25-35 hours of childcare and household duties. Household duties are limited to light cleaning or errands for the family. Every family is different and so are their needs. You should openly discuss the number of hours and duties you are comfortable with before agreeing to a placement.

More than many people will tell you. Australia has no special au pair visa and no official au pair programme — and that does not mean there are no rules. It means ordinary Australian workplace law applies to you.

The Fair Work Ombudsman states: “Au pairs are often employees too.” Whether you are one depends on the real arrangement, not on what it is called. The main question is control: if the family sets your hours and directs your day, you are likely an employee.

If you are an employee, you are entitled to a minimum hourly rate, penalty rates for evenings, weekends and public holidays, four weeks of paid annual leave a year, paid sick leave, payslips and notice before your placement ends. Free room and meals are on top of your pay, not instead of it.

You can check what applies to you, free and anonymously, with the Fair Work Pay Calculator. The Fair Work Ombudsman also gives free advice on 13 13 94, and your visa status does not affect your workplace rights.

None of this is meant to make you suspicious of host families — the great majority are decent people who want this to go well for both sides. It is meant so that you can agree things clearly at the start, in writing, instead of discovering a misunderstanding in month three.

Weekly pocket money in Australia is typically $250 to $375 depending on hours and experience, plus your own room, meals and household costs. That is the going rate you will see on this and every other platform.

You should also know the legal position. If your arrangement is employment, Australian minimum rates apply — the national minimum wage is $26.44 an hour from 1 July 2026 — and board and lodging cannot be counted towards it. For many au pair arrangements there is a real gap between the two figures. We would rather you hear that from us than from someone else later.

Work out your own position with the Fair Work Pay Calculator.

Whatever you agree, get it in writing before you fly: weekly amount, hours, days off, babysitting, and what happens on holidays. A family that is happy to put it in writing is usually a family worth joining.

Possibly. For domestic or private work, superannuation is payable if you work more than 30 hours in a week — regardless of how much you are paid. At 30 hours or fewer, it is not.

So a 35-hour arrangement generally attracts super at the current rate of 12 per cent; a 25-hour one does not. See the ATO guidance.

If super is paid for you, it goes into an Australian super fund. When you leave Australia permanently and your visa expires, you can apply to the ATO for a Departing Australia Superannuation Payment. Tax is withheld from it, but it is your money.

Ask about this before you start, not at the end.

Yes! You will require travel insurance that covers you for medical, repatriation, and liability.

Au Pairs are expected to pay for their own flight to the host family unless specifically agreed otherwise. If you are moving to a regional location it is common that the host family will contribute to the cost of this flight from a major capital city. The host family is responsible for collecting you from the airport or train station. Hot tip: Double-check your luggage allowance. Excess luggage may cost as much as your ticket!

Every family is different and that includes their housing situation. At a minimum, you will need to have a bedroom that is just for you. Your bedroom should contain a bed, somewhere to put your clothes and a desk. You will either get your own private bathroom or you will have to share with the family. Most Host Families will make your space welcoming and comfortable. We hope that you feel at home!

Au Pairs travel to Australia on a Working Holiday Visa. One of the conditions of this visa is that the employee can only work in one workplace for 6 months or less. Au Pairs have a special exemption and can easily apply to extend. All they need to do is fill out a form on the Immigration website and provide proof that they are indeed an Au Pair.

We have Host Families registering every day! So you can hop on a plane and go to Australia whenever you like. Just choose a month you'd like to be in Australia by and start communicating with Host Families!

We have host families all over Australia! Many in popular places like the major cities, but also in rural and outback Australia. Maybe you have a dream to live near the beach or on an island? The sky is really the limit!

If you have a full, clean driving licence you should be permitted to drive in Australia. We recommend that you apply for an International Driving Permit well before arriving in Australia. If the family needs you to drive their vehicle, they will arrange appropriate insurance for the car you will be driving. We also ask them to assess your driving ability prior to driving alone and with children. Prior to arriving in Australia, you should do some research about driving in Australia. For example, for most Au Pairs you will be driving on the opposite side of the road and the steering wheel will be on the right. Never drive if you are not feeling confident. Communicate this clearly with your host family.

Please speak to your host family if you would like to earn more. They may be able to help you. Babysitting: Your host family may be able to recommend you to their friends for babysitting. That way you will come recommended and you know you will be safe. Dog Walking: If you like fresh air and keeping fit, why not help a busy dog owner by walking their dogs. It saves you money on gym membership and you meet new people in the park too! Tutoring: Your host family may be able to recommend you to their friends for language tutoring or help with homework. It is sometimes nice to gain additional experience from working with children of a different age group than the host family's children.

Preferably, yes! As part of the cultural exchange, you will be expected to share meals with your host family. It is also a good chance to teach your host children good manners and introduce meals from your own country. However, your free time is also your free time. You might like to join friends for a meal or sometimes eat at a later time in the day.

No, you have to pay for your own products. Basic home essentials will be provided by the host family such as toilet paper, linen, hand wash, and laundry detergent.

No, as long as you are going as their Au Pair, your host family is responsible for excursions, travel costs, and meals. However, if you have a day off during this trip or holiday, and you decide to do some sightseeing by yourself and have lunch or dinner on your own, you will be in charge of your own expenses.

Yes. Your host family has agreed to welcome you and accommodate you for a certain period of time. Therefore, they cannot ask you to leave when they want or have to go somewhere.

A demi-pair can help with childcare up to 15-20 hours per week, usually to fit around their student schedules or primary casual job. School holiday care hours can be longer if agreed. The demi-pair program contains the same duties as the Au Pair program, with fewer weekly hours. Pocket money is between $100-$150 a week depending on hours and experience. Host family obligations are the same as the Au Pair program in regards to board and utilities.