DESTINO IDIOMAS AGENCIA AU PAIR (+34) 693 438 601
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Au pair in Spain

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General info on au pairing in Spain

Destino Idiomas’ Au Pair in Spain Programme offers you the opportunity to immerse yourself in Spanish culture, while living with a host family. You will get the opportunity to explore Spain and our lifestyle as an insider, living with a host family and caring for their children.  ​You will make new friends, live new experiences and gain new skills which will be valuable in both your personal and professional future.

Most families in Spain ask for English speaking au pairs, but also German or French... Enroll now! 
Recipe for best au pair:
​

3 parts of truly affection for children,
3 parts of real previous child care experience,

3 parts of energy, initiative and creativity,
2 parts of responsability and matureness,
2 parts of patience,
2 parts of skills for daily family life,
1 part of honesty,
1 part of empathy,
1 part of punctuality,

1 part of flexibility to unforeseen happenings,
0 parts of mobile addicted to person.

What is an au pair?

  • ​​Young person willing to live a cultural exchange experience by travelling to another country and living with a host local family. The au pair must have previous childcare experience and be good at kids.
  • In exchange for a certain amount of weekly hours looking after host family's kids and doing some light housework, the au pair receives full board and lodging, weekly pocket money, and free time to attend language lessons or other.​

Who can be an au pair?

  • Female and male applicants. Demand is significantly lower for male applicants though.
  • 18—30 years old.
  • ​Non smokers preferred.
  • Single / No children.
  • Experienced with children.
  • Have no criminal records.
  • Have at least high school diploma.
  • In good state of health (physichal & psychological)
  • Basic knowledge of Spanish preferred. Though many families host au pairs with no Spanish. English is most requested language by Spanish families. Good knowledge of this language will be fine regardless of your nationality. Do not hesitate to contact us if your language is other; some families are interested in other languages. 

How long can you stay?

  • From one month up to a year.
  • Short stays up to 90 days usually take place in summer time. (June and July most common starting dates)
  • Long stays usually go for the academic year September till June. (January and March other starting dates for long stays)
  • But every scenario is possible, specially if well planned ahead.  ​For example, first time host families usually start hosting an au pair for a short stay regardless the time of the year. Do contact us to find out. 

Do you speak Spanish?

  • Basic knowledge of Spanish preferred. 
  • Many families host au pairs with no Spanish. 
  • English is by far, most requested language by Spanish families.
  • Good knowledge of English will be fine regardless of your nationality. Do not hesitate to contact us if your language is other; some families are interested in other languages. 
  • You will interact at all times with the kids in English or other language you speak and host parents would ask you to (French, German ...)
  • Host parents will interact with you in Spanish.

Legal entry requirements

  •  EU nationals just need a valid identity card or passport to enter Spain for as long as they wish.
  • Non EU nationals
  1. Stay up to 90 days. No visa needed if your country is exempted from this obligation, it is a Schengen country or has special agreements with Spain. No need to enroll in a Spanish Language course either. Visa needed if your country does not have any agreement with Schengen territories.
  2. Stays over 90 days. You will need a visa and therefore enrollment in Spanish classes or other educational courses is required as a full time student.
Rules and regulations for visas vary depending on your country of origin. In U.S.A. even varies depending on Spanish consulate. Contact the Spanish consulate in your own country ​to check updated information and plan well ahead to submit your application.  On average, you should contact your consulate at least 60 days before your departure. ​ ​

Medical coverage

  • EU nationals have the right to receive medical coverage in Spain in the same way a Spaniard would.
    You need to bring your European Health Insurance Card
  • ​Non EU nationals  do not have medical coverage in Spain and need a private health insurance to cover them all along their au pair stay.  Important: Host families will reimburse half of the cost of this insurance for the period the au pair stayed with them.​ (Following European Agreement on Au Pair Placement, Strasbourg, 24.XI.1969 (ETS No 068), article 10).

Medical insurance

Your health and wellbeing are priority to you and you must travel well covered in this respect. Medical costs can be very expensive if you do not have the right coverage/insurance. We strongly recomend to all au pairs, regardless where they come from, to book a private travel and medical insurance.

EU citizens:
As explained before, you will travel with your European health insurance card which guarantees you will get medical treatment. But you must keep in mind that

The European Health Insurance Card:
  • is not an alternative to travel insurance.
  • does not cover any private healthcare.
  • does not cover costs such as a return flight to your home country in case of illness or accident, lost/stolen property, repatriation, etc.
  • does not cover your costs if you are travelling for the express purpose of obtaining medical treatment.
  • does not guarantee free services. As each country’s healthcare system is different, services that cost nothing in one EU country, might not be free in another EU country.

Non EU citizens:
As explained before, you must bring a private travel and medical insurance to cover illness and accidents and receive medical assistance during your stay as an au pair.



We recommend to book your insurance here​.
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Liability insurance

As an au pair is also important to have your work insured.

Liability losses within the scope of your work as an au pair are common and you'd be better off if you cover yourself to face them.

As an au pair, you look after the kids of your host family and spend the majority of time in their living spaces. That is why it is important that the scope of the liability insurance also includes losses towards the host family. With this liability insurance for au pairs, bodily injury as well as damages to the immovable and movable property of the host family are covered.

For example, losing the house key during your time as an au pair quickly results in a discussion about the costs for a new lock, with this insurance you will cover the risk of key loss.

We recommend to book your liability insurance here.
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Costs for the au pair

  • Free matching service for au pairs.
  • Other expenses: 
  1. Round trip to Spain.
  2. Some savings to face emergencies or indulgences.
  3. Visa fees (if required).
  4. Language courses (if attended).
  5. ​Travel and medical insurance (if required). 
  6. Liability insurance (if taken). 

Destinations in Spain

Our families' portfolio cover all over Spain, cities, towns and villages alike. (North to South, East to West including the Canary and Balearic islands.)

You can establish your preferences on your application form, we will do our best to satisfy your preferences, though we cannot guarantee a specific destination. 

We kindly remind our au pairs that the success of any matching falls on matching people with people and not with a place. 'Cause people are what matters!  See Discover Spain.

What you do and what you get

  • You live in with a Spanish host family.
  • ​Your responsabilities are: Child related duties and light household related duties.​
  • Weekly au pair hours: 25 to 30 and a couple of babysitting maximum.
  • You get single room, full board, pocket money and free time to attend language lessons and socialize.
  • ​See below Au pair hours, time off, pocket money and other incentives

Childcare duties

​Your responsibilities and duties with the kids will vary depending on their ages and whether kids are attending school or on school holidays.

ALWAYS SUPERVISING THEIR WELLBEING AND SAFETY AND PURSUING THEIR AMUSEMENT AND ENTERTAINMENT.

If they go to school:
  • Get them up in the morning, help with personal hygiene and dressing. 
  • Prepare their breakfast.
  • Take them to school by walk, to schoolbus stop, by car, etc.
  • Collect them up from school.
  • Take them to after school clubs: sports, arts...
  • Help them with homework.
  • Entertain them: arts and crafts, face painting, sports, dancing...
  • Helping them to go to bed: prepare school bags, uniforms ...
  • Babysitting.
If they are not yet in school:
  • Get them up in the morning, help with personal hygiene and dressing. 
  • Prepare breakfast for children and feed the babies.
  • Change nappies.
  • Take them for a walk, to the park, etc.
  • Interact and stimulate with games, activities, physical exercise etc.
  • Supervise bedtime: hygiene, bathing, nappies, reading stories, etc.
  • Babysitting.
 
These are most common responsibilities, but this is not an inclusive list and it varies according to family needs. These should be about 75% of your responsibilities as au pair.

Housework duties

Most Spanish families do not require much house work from their au pair, if any. Many have external domestic staff to help with housework.
However, the au pair is expected to behave as another adult in the family and will help and assist in the normal running of a home.
Au pairs will always look after their own room and keep it neat, clean and tidy, this is not an au pair's duty but a common sense thing.

Household chores may include but are not limited to: 
  • Keep the children’s rooms and bathroom clean, neat and tidy.
  • Take care of children’s laundry: washing up, drying, ironing/folding.
  • Occasional cooking for you and the children.
  • Clean after yourself when cooking for you and/or the children.
  • Load / empty diswasher.
  • General light cleaning of the house: dusting, hoovering...
  • Help with pets and plants at home.
  • Help with small errands.
  • Help with pets.

Generally speaking, these should not be over 25% of your responsibilities as au pair.

Au pair hours, time off, pocket money and other incentives

  • Au pair hours: 25 to 30 per week including a couple of babysittings (maximum). Usually distributed Monday to Friday.
  • Time off: During the week to attend language lessons + at least one complete weekend a month. Average families offer au pairs full weekends + some time off during the week.
  • * Room: Single room.
  • Full board: All through your au pair stay.  
  • Pocket money: 70€ - 25hrs p.w.  /  75€ - 30hrs p.w. Destino Idiomas encourages host families to offer better pocket money to English native speakers (at least 10€ + p.w.).
  • Extra hours: 5€ per extra hour.
  • Public transport passes: In big cities, suburbs or whenever au pairs need to use public transport to do their duties or to attend language lessons, families should offer a public transport pass or some extra money on top of weekly pocket money for transport.
  • Holidays: For every 12 months of stay, the au pair has the right to 2 weeks paid holidays, Shorter periods should be prorated. Family and au pair have to agree best time to take those holidays. If the aupair benefits from holidays before due time and eventually do not honour the lenght of stay, host family may prorata last week's pocket money and deduct any possible excess.
*Room features
  • It is within the family home.
  • Single not shared.
  • Furnished with bed, wardrobe, side bed table. Optional: tv, study table and chair.
  • Window with natural daylight + lamp.
  • Size: proper, adequate one.
  • Heating: have proper heating for cold weather.
  • Air conditioning /fan: to relieve from hot temperatures.
  • Lock: not compulsory but nice to have for privacy.
  • Shared bathroom or ensuite bathroom depending on host families' homes.

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