Employment and jobs

How to work as an au pair in Luxembourg

An au pair program consists of a young person, usually between 18 and 30 years old, moving to another country to live with a host family for a certain period. If you're under thirty, keen to see Luxembourg, have a strong language proficiency, and enjoy working with kids, then being an au pair in Luxembourg can be the ideal chance for you. In this article, we will tell you everything you need to know to access this program in Luxembourg.

Table of content

Being an au pair in Luxembourg is more than just signing a contract and relocating to the Grand Duchy, it's a regulated program with rights and obligations for host families as well as au pairs. The goal of this framework is to protect against potential abuses or misunderstandings and to give a fair and enriching experience for all parties.

Au pair relocation program in Luxembourg

The first question we must answer is what is an au pair? An au pair is a person between 18 and 30 years old who decides to live abroad with a host family for a certain period, usually between 6 and 12 months. The au pair must take care of the children of the family and small household tasks and as compensation, the young au pair receives accommodation in the same house as the family that hires her, food, and a small financial compensation.

To protect both au pairs and host families from exploitation, Luxembourg implemented a legal framework in February 2013. This legislation clearly outlines the rights and obligations of both parties, ensuring proper working conditions, fair compensation, and mutual respect. This regulatory structure provides a safeguard, defining the specifics of the au pair’s role and the conditions under which they are hired.

The main objective of this temporary stay should be above all cultural exchange and should be an enriching experience for the young person and her host family. The young person should have the opportunity to improve their language skills and expand their general knowledge while providing a service to the family by taking care of their young children and doing light housework. In no case, a young au pair can be only a cleaner or a substitute for childcare.

Cultural exchange

Language learning

Economic advantage

Housing, food, and pocket money

This program has grown in popularity in recent years, with the number of au pairs in Luxembourg rising steadily. By 2023, approximately 220 young people were participating in the au pair program in the country.

Source: Eurostat

This way of work has a lot of advantages, although it also has some disadvantages, let's take a look at some of them:

Living with a host family means a total immersion in the Luxembourgish culture and it's perfect for improving your language skills. It’s like living like a local in a foreign country.

The au pair program includes free lodging and meals, which drastically lowers the expense of living overseas. This is especially helpful in Luxembourg, where lodging is known to be expensive.

Although financial compensation does not replace a full wage, it does assist in paying for auxiliary costs such as transportation or social activities.

By living with a local family and participating in daily life, you can develop close ties with the host family and make friends in the new environment.

The au pair job allows you to live a time in Luxembourg without spending too much money, which makes this opportunity accessible to many young people with few resources.

Although you receive pocket money, it is not comparable to a standard salary. The purpose of the program is cultural so the financial compensation is not very high and may be insufficient if you expect to save or have an expensive lifestyle.

Even if they have a separate room, living with a host family can occasionally seem constricting, and some au pairs may want more privacy or independence due to the continuous interaction.

Although integrating yourself into a foreign culture can be gratifying living in a new country can be difficult especially if there are important linguistic or cultural barriers.

Even though au pairs don't often work long hours, their daily schedules are sometimes set up to accommodate the demands of the family, which makes it challenging to organize leisure activities or pursue interests outside of work hours.

The au pair program is not for those looking for a long-term solution or a career abroad because it is only temporary. It will be most like a beginning for those looking for a longer stay or an international career.

What are the usual responsibilities and workload of au pairs?

As mentioned, there are au pair rules in Luxembourg, the responsibilities and workload of an au pair are regulated to avoid abuses and ensure a balance between the tasks to be performed and the compensation received. Below are the usual responsibilities and workload expected of an au pair in Luxembourg.

Daycare responsibilities

An au pair's main task is childcare. An au pair prepares children for school, takes them to and from school, and supervises them. The au pair may also do arts and crafts with the children, help them with their homework, or simply take care of them during their free time.

Small tasks with the kids

An au pair shouldn’t do the family’s laundry or clean the whole house. She does however wash the kids’ clothes, tidy their toys and clean their rooms. She might also cook them a few simple meals.

Family life

as a member of the family, the au pair is expected to join in with family life. The au pair joins in with the meals, get-togethers, and family activities that the family plan or attend.

Number of working hours

The participation of the young au pair in the routine tasks of the family cannot be the only objective of the stay. The working time cannot be more than 5 hours per day on average during one week, or about 25 hours of work per week on average during one month.

Salaries and benefits on the au pair program

The au pair job is not only a responsibility, it also has compensations such as salary and accommodation. In addition au pairs are entitled to breaks, days off, and more, let's see this in detail:

Days off

The au pair is entitled to at least 3 afternoons off per week, one full day off per week, and 2 extra days off per month. In addition, the host family must allow sufficient time for the au pair to follow language courses and improve their cultural knowledge.

Pocket money

this is an important point, the au pair salary in Luxembourg, the family must give the au pair a fixed monthly amount equivalent to 1/5 of the minimum social wage as pocket money which is equivalent to about 514 euros per month. This allowance also has the advantage that it is not subject to the general tax and social charges applicable to wages.

Accommodation and food

The host family must provide the au pair with a private room in the house and access to the apartment. They must also guarantee food for the duration of the program.

Language course

Language learning is part of the charm of this program and it must be financed by the host family.

Social security

the host family must make the necessary arrangements to cover the au pair in social security.

Liability insurance

the host family must take out liability insurance for the benefit of the young au pair with an insurance company for the duration of the au pair program.

Repatriation

in case of illness, accident or revocation of authorization or withdrawal of authorization of the au pair, the family must ensure the return of the au pair to her country.

Show all

Requirements to work as an au pair for foreigners

Let's now take a look at the requirements, some of these are restrictive such as age while others simply require the completion of some paperwork. Let's see them in detail.

There is an age limit for an au pair in Luxembourg, you must be between 18 and 29 years old at the most.
Have a diploma that allows you to pursue higher education in your home country or proof that you have attended school until at least the age of 17.
Proof of basic knowledge of the languages spoken by the host family, as well as English or one of the country's three administrative languages (German, French or Luxembourgish).
Have a medical certificate established less than 3 months before the intended arrival date, proving that you can perform simple routine family tasks, including childcare.
Have an au pair host contract with an authorized host family.
An au pair host contract with an approved host family.

And what about the au pair visa to go to Luxembourg? Well, once all the requirements and documents are in place, the future au pair must apply for a residence permit from her country of origin to the General Department of Immigration, to a diplomatic or consular representation of Luxembourg, or a diplomatic or consular mission representing Luxembourg.

How to find a job as au pair in Luxembourg: agency, personal research and advice

Check the requirements to become an au pair in Luxembourg

Find a host family

Establish a contract with the family

Obtain the approval of the Ministry of Youth

Obtain the residence permit

Being an au pair in Luxembourg is an amazing idea, it has a lot of advantages that we have seen throughout the article. Although there are also disadvantages if you are aware of the characteristics of the program and you look for a family that fits your expectations everything should be fine.