Au pair stay in the UK

Who can work as an au pair for your family?

EU & EFTA countries

If your au pair is an EU or EFTA citizen, he/she can enter the UK with a valid passport or identity card. No entry visa is needed. EU and EFTA citizens enjoy freedom of movement. There are no restrictions with regard to the duration of stay or residence. Citizens of those countries may live and work in the UK even if they have already done so in the past.

Exception: Nationals of Romania and Bulgaria

With regard to the right to freedom of movement, Romanians and Bulgarians form an exception. They still need a work permit in order to work in the UK. You can find more information on this topic on our page Travelling to the UK as an au pair (EU citizens).

Good to know

If your au pair is an EU citizen and wishes to stay in the UK for more than 3 months for working purposes, he/she should contact the UK Border Agency of the Home Office to find out if it is necessary to register.

Tier 5 states

Is your au pair neither from the EU nor from an EFTA state? In this case, this young person can probably become an au pair in your family under the Tier 5 Youth Mobility Scheme. Under this programme, the following persons may apply:

• citizens of Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Canada, Monaco and Taiwan
• British overseas citizens, British overseas territories citizens or British nationals (overseas)

Visa

Au pairs have to apply for the visa at the British embassy. For this purpose, your au pair needs the au pair contract. The Tier 5 visa is usually issued for a period of 2 years. Also, the work permit the au pair receives under the youth mobility scheme is automatically valid for 24 months.

Should an au pair entering the country on a visa need to register with the police, this will be noted in his/her passport. In this case, the au pair should do so within the first 7 days upon arrival.

The webpage of the UK Border Agency will provide you with all information about visa. You will find much additional information about this programme on our page Tier 5 Youth Mobility Scheme.

Other countries

Is your au pair neither from the EU nor from an EFTA state and does not fulfil the requirements of the youth mobility scheme? In this case, a student visa could present an option.

For a student visa, your au pair should fulfil the following requirements:

• Evidence of having sufficient money in available maintenance (funds) in order to afford the stay in the UK
• Evidence of enrolment in an English language course taking no less than 10 hours a week.

Should these requirements be met, the au pair may be granted the right to work for a certain number of hours per week. Please clarify this matter with the British immigration authority before your au pair leaves his/her country.

To apply for a student visa at the British embassy, the au pair also possibly needs the au pair contract. The visa is usually issued for 2 years. Therefore, the respective au pairs do not need to contact the Home Office after 6 months.