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Strasbourg Agreement
The nations which have accepted this agreement are: Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Great Britain, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Norway, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, and Sweden. As established by this agreement the rights and obligations of the person "au pair" and the host family, as those rights and obligations are defined in this Agreement, shall be the subject of an agreement in writing to be concluded between the parties in question, in the form of a single document or of an exchange of letters, preferably before the person placed as an "au pair" leaves the country in which that person was resident and at latest during the first week of the placement. A copy of the agreement referred to in the preceding paragraph shall be lodged in the receiving country with a competent authority or the organisation chosen by this authority. The person placed as an "au pair" shall receive board and lodging from the host family and, where possible, shall occupy a separate room as well as a small allowance available as 'pocket money' which will vary from country to country. The person placed as an "au pair" shall be given adequate time to attend language courses as well as for cultural and professional improvement; every facility as regards the arrangement of working hours shall be accorded to this end. The person placed "au pair" shall have at least one full free day per week, not less than one such free day in every month being a Sunday, and shall have full opportunity to take part in religious worship. The person placed as an "au pair" shall not be less than 17 or more than 30 years of age.
(Even though the age limit is generally fixed at 18 to a maximum of 27). The au pair must be single, with no children and have a minimum level of the language needed in the country in which they wish to work. It is commonly asked that the 'au pair' has a valid driver’s license and smokers are not often welcome. Preference is given to those with documented experience with children. Only in Austria is the work of a male 'au pair' completely excluded, the best opportunities for a male 'au pair' are in France, the Netherlands and the Scandinavian countries and always the placement is for a minimum of six months. The cost and attendance of any language courses are always borne by the 'au pair’ except in such cases where there are different agreements with the host family. Travel costs (both outgoing and return) are always borne by the 'au pair’ except in some cases during long durations of stay and specific agreements with the host family and any journeys within the host's country on behalf of the host family. The only legal document that a European Union (EU) citizen must present on arrival in another member state is a medical document confirming they are in good health and must be dated at maximum within three months preceding their start date as an 'au pair'.
Also needed is a letter of introduction for the host family written in the language of the country in which the 'au pair' wishes to work (stating their personal interests, qualifications gained and the reasons the 'au pair' wishes to have this experience). For an EU citizen it is possible to reside without any formal documentation (in some countries you are requested to register with the local authorities) for a period of six months, though in some nations this term is fixed at three months. Medical assistance in EU nations is guaranteed at no cost for a period of three months. With the introduction of the Tessera Europea di Assicurazione Malattia (TEAM) or the European Health Card, health assistance is guaranteed at the same level as for native citizens, reducing beaurocratic and linguistic obstacles. It is also possible to take a private insurance policy, though this is at the expense of the host family. The insurance policy is taken for a period of minimum two months to a maximum of twelve, extendible by a further twelve). Although in exchange the host family often requires a minimum availability of six months stay, though often nine or twelve months are requested starting from the beginning of the academic school year or January. For brief periods during the summer (two-four months) or from August/September until Christmas, most requests come from Great Britain and Ireland. In Spain, France, Greece, Germany and Austria the 'au pair' must be available for a period of at least three months and in all cases the duration of stay depends upon agreements made with the host family. Appropriate work to be undertaken by the 'au pair' is normally looking after children and general housework (light cleaning, help in the kitchen, tidying). In all cases it is prohibited the 'au pair' is forced to do heavier housework More information can be found in the following legislation related to the au pair from the European Treaty for the work of an 'au pair'
-Law of 18th May 1973 No 304
-'Au pair' placement is the temporary reception by families, in exchange for certain services, of young foreigners who come to improve their linguistic and possibly professional knowledge as well as their general culture by acquiring a better knowledge of the country where they are received.
%uF02D Placement of an "au pair" which shall initially be for a period not exceeding one year, may, however, be extended to permit a maximum stay of two years.
- The person placed as an "au pair" shall not be less than 17 or more than 30 years of age.
- The person placed as an "au pair" shall have a medical certificate, established less than three months before placement, declaring that person's general state of health.
- The rights and obligations of the person placed as an "au pair" and the receiving family, as those rights and obligations are defined in this Agreement, shall be the subject of an agreement in writing to be concluded between the parties in question, in the form of a single document or of an exchange of letters, preferably before the person placed "au pair" leaves the country in which that person was resident and at latest during the first week of the placement.
- A copy of the agreement referred to in the preceding paragraph shall be lodged in the receiving country with the competent authority or the organisation chosen by this authority.
- The person placed as an "au pair" shall receive board and lodging from the receiving family and, where possible, shall occupy a separate room.
- The person placed as an "au pair" shall be given adequate time to attend language courses as well as for cultural and professional improvement; every facility as regards the arrangement of working hours shall be accorded to this end.
- The person placed "au pair" shall have at least one full free day per week, not less than one such free day in every month being a Sunday, and shall have full opportunity to take part in religious worship.
- A person placed "au pair" shall render the receiving family services consisting in participation in day-to-day family duties. The time effectively occupied in such services shall generally not be more than five hours per day.
- Each Contracting Party shall state, the benefits to which a person placed "au pair" will be entitled within its territory in the event of sickness, maternity or accident.
- If and in so far as the benefits listed cannot be covered, in the receiving country, by national social security legislation or other official schemes, taking into account the provisions of international agreements or the Regulations of the European Communities, the competent member of the receiving family shall, at his own expense, take out private insurance.
- Where the agreement referred to in Article 6 has been concluded for an unspecified period, either party shall be entitled to terminate it by giving two weeks' notice.
- Whether the agreement was made for a specified period or not, it may be terminated with immediate effect by either party in the event of serious misconduct by the other party or if other serious circumstances make such instant termination necessary.
The nations which have accepted this agreement are: Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Great Britain, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Norway, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, and Sweden. As established by this agreement the rights and obligations of the person "au pair" and the host family, as those rights and obligations are defined in this Agreement, shall be the subject of an agreement in writing to be concluded between the parties in question, in the form of a single document or of an exchange of letters, preferably before the person placed as an "au pair" leaves the country in which that person was resident and at latest during the first week of the placement. A copy of the agreement referred to in the preceding paragraph shall be lodged in the receiving country with a competent authority or the organisation chosen by this authority. The person placed as an "au pair" shall receive board and lodging from the host family and, where possible, shall occupy a separate room as well as a small allowance available as 'pocket money' which will vary from country to country. The person placed as an "au pair" shall be given adequate time to attend language courses as well as for cultural and professional improvement; every facility as regards the arrangement of working hours shall be accorded to this end. The person placed "au pair" shall have at least one full free day per week, not less than one such free day in every month being a Sunday, and shall have full opportunity to take part in religious worship. The person placed as an "au pair" shall not be less than 17 or more than 30 years of age.
(Even though the age limit is generally fixed at 18 to a maximum of 27). The au pair must be single, with no children and have a minimum level of the language needed in the country in which they wish to work. It is commonly asked that the 'au pair' has a valid driver’s license and smokers are not often welcome. Preference is given to those with documented experience with children. Only in Austria is the work of a male 'au pair' completely excluded, the best opportunities for a male 'au pair' are in France, the Netherlands and the Scandinavian countries and always the placement is for a minimum of six months. The cost and attendance of any language courses are always borne by the 'au pair’ except in such cases where there are different agreements with the host family. Travel costs (both outgoing and return) are always borne by the 'au pair’ except in some cases during long durations of stay and specific agreements with the host family and any journeys within the host's country on behalf of the host family. The only legal document that a European Union (EU) citizen must present on arrival in another member state is a medical document confirming they are in good health and must be dated at maximum within three months preceding their start date as an 'au pair'.
Also needed is a letter of introduction for the host family written in the language of the country in which the 'au pair' wishes to work (stating their personal interests, qualifications gained and the reasons the 'au pair' wishes to have this experience). For an EU citizen it is possible to reside without any formal documentation (in some countries you are requested to register with the local authorities) for a period of six months, though in some nations this term is fixed at three months. Medical assistance in EU nations is guaranteed at no cost for a period of three months. With the introduction of the Tessera Europea di Assicurazione Malattia (TEAM) or the European Health Card, health assistance is guaranteed at the same level as for native citizens, reducing beaurocratic and linguistic obstacles. It is also possible to take a private insurance policy, though this is at the expense of the host family. The insurance policy is taken for a period of minimum two months to a maximum of twelve, extendible by a further twelve). Although in exchange the host family often requires a minimum availability of six months stay, though often nine or twelve months are requested starting from the beginning of the academic school year or January. For brief periods during the summer (two-four months) or from August/September until Christmas, most requests come from Great Britain and Ireland. In Spain, France, Greece, Germany and Austria the 'au pair' must be available for a period of at least three months and in all cases the duration of stay depends upon agreements made with the host family. Appropriate work to be undertaken by the 'au pair' is normally looking after children and general housework (light cleaning, help in the kitchen, tidying). In all cases it is prohibited the 'au pair' is forced to do heavier housework More information can be found in the following legislation related to the au pair from the European Treaty for the work of an 'au pair'
-Law of 18th May 1973 No 304
-'Au pair' placement is the temporary reception by families, in exchange for certain services, of young foreigners who come to improve their linguistic and possibly professional knowledge as well as their general culture by acquiring a better knowledge of the country where they are received.
%uF02D Placement of an "au pair" which shall initially be for a period not exceeding one year, may, however, be extended to permit a maximum stay of two years.
- The person placed as an "au pair" shall not be less than 17 or more than 30 years of age.
- The person placed as an "au pair" shall have a medical certificate, established less than three months before placement, declaring that person's general state of health.
- The rights and obligations of the person placed as an "au pair" and the receiving family, as those rights and obligations are defined in this Agreement, shall be the subject of an agreement in writing to be concluded between the parties in question, in the form of a single document or of an exchange of letters, preferably before the person placed "au pair" leaves the country in which that person was resident and at latest during the first week of the placement.
- A copy of the agreement referred to in the preceding paragraph shall be lodged in the receiving country with the competent authority or the organisation chosen by this authority.
- The person placed as an "au pair" shall receive board and lodging from the receiving family and, where possible, shall occupy a separate room.
- The person placed as an "au pair" shall be given adequate time to attend language courses as well as for cultural and professional improvement; every facility as regards the arrangement of working hours shall be accorded to this end.
- The person placed "au pair" shall have at least one full free day per week, not less than one such free day in every month being a Sunday, and shall have full opportunity to take part in religious worship.
- A person placed "au pair" shall render the receiving family services consisting in participation in day-to-day family duties. The time effectively occupied in such services shall generally not be more than five hours per day.
- Each Contracting Party shall state, the benefits to which a person placed "au pair" will be entitled within its territory in the event of sickness, maternity or accident.
- If and in so far as the benefits listed cannot be covered, in the receiving country, by national social security legislation or other official schemes, taking into account the provisions of international agreements or the Regulations of the European Communities, the competent member of the receiving family shall, at his own expense, take out private insurance.
- Where the agreement referred to in Article 6 has been concluded for an unspecified period, either party shall be entitled to terminate it by giving two weeks' notice.
- Whether the agreement was made for a specified period or not, it may be terminated with immediate effect by either party in the event of serious misconduct by the other party or if other serious circumstances make such instant termination necessary.