Au pair in Switzerland
Official Au Pair in Switzerland Program Information
It is possible to work as an au pair in Switzerland. Young
foreigners from non-EU countries must be aware that
there are tight restrictions and it may be difficult to become an
au pair in Switzerland. In general, Switzerland accepts non-EU au
pairs from Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the USA. The best
advice we can give you is to contact your local Swiss embassy or
consulate for more information.
Au pair in Switzerland Mandatory Criteria
- An au pair in Switzerland must be between 17-30 years of age
for EU /
EFTA nationals
- An au pair in Switzerland must be between 18-25
for non EU /
EFTA nationals
- You must have a written contract from the host family in
Switzerland, where the terms and conditions of employment are
clearly stated
- An au pair in Switzerland must willing to attend a language
course
Au pair in Switzerland Host Family Mandatory Criteria
- If hiring a non EU citizen, a host family
must engage a licensed Swiss agency to obtain the appropriate visa
and work/residence permits
- The host mother and father must not have the same first
language as the au pair in Switzerland
- Host families must have children under 16 years of age if
employing an au pair in Switzerland
Au Pair in Switzerland General Information
Pocket Money
- An au pair in Switzerland is paid approximately 700-800 CHF per
month after taxes / deductions depending on age,
experience, working hours and canton
- Tax at source, employee contributions to the OAP / II / EO /
UI, half of the premiums for health insurance and the total premium
for non-occupational accidents may be deducted from the au pair's
pay
- An au pair in Switzerland is required to pay taxes on income in
the year they turn 19
Working hours, free time and holidays
- An au pair in Switzerland can work up to 30 hours per week, 5
hours per day.
- Free time is 1.5 days per week and at least 1 whole weekend per
month
- An au pair in Switzerland has 4 weeks holiday per 12 month
stay, 5 weeks if you are under 20 years of age
Accommodation and Meals
- An au pair in Switzerland is provided with their own lockable,
well heated room, 3 meals per day and free access to the family
home
- Should an au pair in Switzerland not receive all board and
lodging provisions, compensation must be made
Travel Costs
- The au pair is to pay for travel costs to and from Switzerland
in most instances, check with local canton authority
- Please refer to our Travel
Partners for discounts on flights and travel
insurance
Language skills and courses
- TheBestAupair recommends an au pair in Switzerland have basic
German or French, but it is not mandatory
- Your host family is required to enrol you in a language school
within 4 weeks of entering Switzerland. They may cover 50% of the
cost. You must start your language course within 4 weeks of
arriving in Switzerland. Confirmation of enrolment in the language
school must be sent to the AWA. Check with local AWA for who pays
for the language course and the required course length
Length of stay
- An au pair in Switzerland can stay for up to 2 years for EU / EEA
nationals and 12 months maximum for non-EU
nationals
Insurances
- EEA
citizens who possess a European Health Insurance Card can access
healthcare services during temporary visits abroad. Please read
through the relevant sections for you to decide if this insurance
is appropriate for you and if it is, please take your health
insurance card with you. (http://ec.europa.eu/social/main.jsp?catId=559)
- Work accident and sickness insurance is paid by the host
family
- Accident insurance outside of work must be paid for by the au
pair
- We recommend non-EAA citizens take out
comprehensive travel insurance which includes medical cover
Job Duties
- Au pair in Switzerland duties include childcare and ight
housework
Driving
- If you are required to drive as an au pair in Switzerland, you
will need to be 18 and have a valid driver's licence
- Foreign driving licenses are only valid in Switzerland if you
have obtained the license during permanent residence (i.e. a
minimum of twelve consecutive months) in the issuing country
- You can drive with your national licence for the first 12
months in Switzerland, after this time, it must be exchanged for a
Swiss licence
- TheBestAupair recommends obtaining an international driving
permit from your home country if your licence is not valid on its
own in Switzerland
- Discuss with your host family what happens if you have a car
accident, who pays, and have your agreements put in the
contract
Visa Information
EU /
EFTA nationals require an employment contract for
placements from three up to twelve months. Employment contracts of
less than 3 months duration within a calendar year are not subject
to a permit but are regulated via a registration procedure. For
nationals of Bulgaria and Romania all employment is still subject
to a permit, the permit is valid for the duration of the contract
and it can be extended for a total period of less than twelve
months. Provided the quota has not been exhausted, the permit can
be renewed after an overall stay of one year without foreign
nationals having to interrupt their residence in Switzerland.
Please refer to the Federal Office for Migration website for
detailed information regarding employment in Switzerland for EU /
EFTA citizens here.
Non-EU nationals may only stay 1
year. They require a visa and a work/residence permit. There is a
limit to the number of residence permits the Swiss Government
issues for citizens of non-EU countries. For further
information regarding eligibility, the host family will need to
contact their local canton authority found here.
The cantons are responsible for issuing permits. For detailed
information on the application procedure please contact the
relevant cantonal authorities.
Prospective au pairs from non-EU countries must engage an agency
endorsed by SECO (http://www.seco.admin.ch/index.html?lang=en) to
obtain the necessary visa / permits. Once you engage an agency, we
recommend you request a formal au pair contract for both the host
family and au pair to agree on and sign.
We recommend you contact your local Swiss consulate / embassy
for the latest information.
Useful Visa Links
There are links to AWA sites for various cantons where you can
find relevant information regarding becoming an au pair in
Switzerland. In your browser type "Amt für Wirtschaft und Arbeit"
and then search for "au pair".
Here is an example for the Zurich canton.
Here is the government website for Geneva canton: http://www.geneve.ch/
Additional Information
You can find additional information about being an au pair in
Switzerland in the websites listed in the Relevant links section on
the right panel of this page.
If you have any comments regarding this page,
please Email us - we value your feedback!