The right au pair for the right Family

Rules and regulation

Au pair requirements

Language requirements

The primary goal of an au pair stay is to improve language and other relevant skills, as well as expand au-pair's cultural horizons by learning about Denmark. The requirement that au-pair must have a working knowledge of either Danish, Swedish, Norwegian, English or German ensures that this can happen.

Arrangement

Length of stay

Maximum 24 months from the issuing of the residence permit. It can exceed neither the duration of your au pair contract nor the point at which the youngest child living in the family turns 18.

Work permit

The average processing time for au pair case is 2 months. Au Pair may be granted a residence permit for up to 24 months, but no longer than the duration of au pair contract. In exceptional cases, the residence permit can be extended by six months, resulting in a total of two years.

Travel costs

The host family must pay for your trip to Denmark if you live in the country outside the EU/EEA or Switzerland and for your return trip if f you go back home to your country of origin or previous country of residence, and this country is outside the EU/EEA or Switzerland.

Visa fee

You are the one who is responsible to pay Embassy fee, which is aprox. 1.600 DKK (215 Euro).

Changing family

The main idea of the Au Pair program is that an au pair candidate should be happy and be treated as a part of the family he/she is staying with. In case the candidate is not happy with his/her family, he/she can change a family (but you should stay no more than one year with the family in order to find a new one).

Work duties

The basic idea is that the au pair should take part in the host family's daily chores in their house. These chores may especially include, for instance, housework duties, child care, and minding animals.

Working conditions

Working conditions

The au pair must be ensured free housing (lodging) for the period being applied for. The applicant must live with the host family for the entire period of employment and have his/her own room.

Pocket money

Minimum 4.850 DKK per month (before taxes if you have applied for an au pair permit after 1.01.2024). The allowance must be paid into a Danish bank account in your name no later than the last workday of each month.

Taxes

Must be paid from the amount of the au pairs' pocket money. The tax percentage is estimated by the au pair's monthly salary and the value of lodge the au pair receives. The au pair has to be registered by the Tax Office.

Family requirements

Language courses

The au pair has to be given the opportunity to attend Danish language courses. When your residence permit is granted the payment for language courses should be made. The family is the one who is responsible to cover language course expenses.

Period of notice

Termination of the contract must be done in writing. You can terminate the contract with two weeks’ notice and your family can do this with one month’s notice. While staying during this period with your family, they must continue to provide you with free food, lodging, and monthly salary.

Registration

You must be registered with the local Citizen’s Service Centre (Borgerservice) as a resident at your host family’s address no later than 5 days after the arrival in order to receive a final residence permit, personal number (a so-called CPR number) and a "health card".

Holidays

You earn paid holiday which you can use from the beginning of your au pair stay.

You earn 2,5 days per month if you work 6 days per week or 2,08 days if you work 5 days per week.

You must enter into a written agreement with your host family about when you will be taking holiday.

When your au pair stay ends, your host family must pay you for any holiday days earned but not used.

Insurance

It is the responsibility of your host family that you are covered by the Danish national health insurance, which entitles you to free medical care. It is also the responsibility of your host family to provide you with appropriate care if you fall ill.

Your family is responsible for taking out three following insurances covering you: insurance against industrial injures, insurance against personal injury outside work, and insurance covering your transportation to your home country in case of death, serious illness and injury.

Social security

The au pair has to be registered with the Social Registration Office in order to obtain a social security number.