Au Pair in Australia

Are you between the ages of 18 and 30? Would you like to become an au pair and have a unique experience? Have you always wondered what it’s like to live on the other side of the world and would like to find out for yourself?

Australia may be the destination for you!

Sydney, Melbourne, Canberra–whichever city you choose, you’ll have the chance for a grand adventure in self-discovery. Host families in Australia, on the other hand, will not only receive help with the children but will experience a true cultural exchange.

Requirements

  • First, one must have a valid passport in order to apply for a Working Holiday Visa (Subclass 417).

How to apply for a Working Holiday Visa? The au pair must apply for the visa online at the Ministry of Immigration page.

In the online visa application process, the au piar will be required to attach a copy of your bank statement in whichyou must prove that you have at least 3,800 euros in your bank account in Italy (which corresponds to 5,000 Australian dollars).

  • The au pair should create an ImmiAccount and attach all necessary documents. All documents will need to be translated into English. In some cases, a medical checkup is also required.
  • Finally, the au pair will have to pay the visa fee.

When confirmation of receipt of documents is sent, the au pair will be able to see how long the visa process will take and how long he or she will have to wait for a response. If the visa is granted, the au pair will receive a confirmation by e-mail or mail. The au pair should always keep the confirmation notification with them, as this notification contains a description of all the features and conditions of the visa.

The visa is valid for 12 months. If the au pair has applied for it from outside Australia, it will be valid from the day they arrive in Australia.

The visa is electronically associated with the passport number entered in the application. The au pair will be able to view the visa at any time through the free online VEVO service. It will only be necessary to affix a sticker to the passport if explicitly requested by the Immigration Office. You can find such a sticker at any relevant office in Australia.

Foreign nationals and those on temporary visas are not covered by the National Health Service or eligible for medical care. Exceptions are citizens from: Belgium, Finland, Italy, Malta, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Slovenia and Sweden, Ireland, Norway and New Zealand. If needed, they will then be treated under public health care in accordance with the reciprocal health care agreements between these countries and Australia. However, they will not enjoy any other benefits.

For Italians heading to Australia: for stays of less than 6 months, basic health care is guaranteed based on the Italy-Australia bilateral agreement. For more information see the link: https://www.salute.gov.it/portale/assistenzaSanitaria/dettaglioContenutiAssistenzaSanitaria.jsp?lingua=italiano&id=594&area=Assistenza%20sanitaria&menu=italiani

For stays longer than 6 months and should you stay longer than 12 months, you will have to register with AIRE (Anagrafe Italiani Residenti all’Estero). More information can be found at https://conssydney.esteri.it/consolato_sydney/it/i-servizi/per-i-cittadini/anagrafe

In this case, the au pair can enroll in Australia’s national health service called Medicare(https://www.servicesaustralia.gov.au/medicare). To do this, Medicare will require the au pair to provide a document that the Australian Consulate will issue in which it is confirmed that the au pair is enrolled in AIRE and is no longer using national health care in Italy.

Medical care in Australia can be very expensive. In other words, should medical treatment or hospitalization become necessary, the au pair himself or herself will be responsible for the related expenses. For this reason, the Australian Department of Immigration and Citizenship recommends taking out a private policy for the duration of the stay. It should cover the costs related to any hospitalization and also part of the doctor’s fee.

Stay in Australia

Length of stay

The Working Holiday Visa (417) is valid for 12 months. Those on this visa may not work for the same employer for more than 6 months. However, au pairs are allowed to stay with the same host family for up to a maximum of 12 months upon authorization signed by the Immigration Office or by signing Form 1445.

Working hours

According to current labor standards in Australia, au pairs work a maximum of 38 hours per week. However, it is possible to add a few extra hours of work. In our experience, however, an au pair should help out between 25 and 40 hours per week at most (including babysitting hours).

Expenses to be borne by the au pair
  • Agency fee: €500
  • Return flight
  • Visa
Remuneration
  • The au pair is entitled to receive weekly or monthly pocket money. In Australia, au pairs receive the minimum wage which is currently $18.29 AUD per hour (gross).
  • Room and board (the average value of which is about $350 AUD) should be deducted from the total salary.

However, based on our experience, we can recommend an amount between 200 and 250 AUD for a commitment of 30 hours per week.

Au pairs who spend at least 6 months in Australia will be eligible for a $500 bonus, which they will receive at the end of their stay.

Leisure and vacation time

The family and the au pair must agree in advance on when and how much free time the au pair will have available. Unfortunately, there are no official rules on this. However, the au pair should have at least one day off per week, and once a month the day off should correspond to a Sunday.

Working Holiday and Work and Holiday visas regulate only the number of vacation days that the visa holder should be entitled to during his or her stay, as well as the maximum period during which he or she will be allowed to work. As far as vacation time is concerned, the au pair should discuss this directly with the family. For six-month stays, we recommend 2 weeks of vacation. For shorter stays, we suggest adjusting accordingly.

In Australia, there is an official regulation regarding public holidays as far as labor standards are concerned. Au pairs should not work on public holidays, except in exceptional cases. In such cases, the host family is required to discuss this in advance with the au pair.

Upon completion of the program, au pairs will receive a Certificate of Participation.

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