Au Pair Visas

The au pair visa is available to single people between the ages of 17 and 27 years who want to come to the United Kingdom to learn English and live with an English speaking family working as an au pair.

The usual arrangements for an au pair are as follows:

You can live for up to two years with an English speaking family and have appropriate opportunities to study
As an au pair you are expected to help with the housework and take care of any children in the household for up to five hours a day
You are entitled to at least two full days off work
You are entitled to a reasonable allowance and your own room
You are expected to attend an educational institution at least twice a week to improve on your English language skills

Nationals from the following countries are able to apply under the au pair visa:

Andorra
Bosnia-Herzegovina *
Bulgaria
Croatia *
Faroe Islands
Greenland
Macedonia *
Monaco
Romania *
San Marino
Turkey *

Any application for an au pair visa must be made from outside the UK. Anyone from the EU is also allowed to participate in the au pair scheme.

*If you are a national from Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Republic of Croatia, Macedonia, Romania and Turkey it is necessary for you to get entry clearance from your British Embassy or Consulate before you travel to the United Kingdom.

How to qualify

In order to qualify for an au pair visa, you must satisfy the following requirements

You must not be married
You must not have any dependents
You must not plan to remain in the UK for longer than two years as an au pair
You must be able to prove that you can support and accommodate yourself without relying on public funds
You must intend to leave the UK once you have finished your two years as an au pair

Is it possible to move to another host family?

It is possible to move to another family provided the new arrangements still adhere to the Immigration Rules. The au pair visa cannot be extended beyond two years.