FAQ and Enrolment process for Au Pairs

What type of visa do I need to do the Au Pair House Program?
Au pairs need to have a student visa or a working holiday visa to join our program. The fee you pay for our program does not include the cost of visa or airfare. If you need information about visas, please go to http://www.immi.gov.au/contacts/overseas/index.htm

What is the difference between Au Pair House Accommodation and Homestay?
Au Pair House Accommodation:

1. Family environment with carefully selected families
2. Great selected locations on the Gold Coast and elsewhere
3. Own bedroom and most of the time own bathroom as well
4. All meals included
5. 4 hours of light housework and/or child minding
6. Families that participate in this type of accommodation program are interested in cultural exchange, friendly company during the day and help with the house. They are not doing it for money.
7. Au pairs improve their English language skills naturally practicing with the family
8. Au pairs receive au pair experience
9. Au pairs receive a Certificate of Completion in Au Pair program
10. Au pairs receive a Reference Letter for future jobs
11. Au pairs receive assistance finding a paid job, studies and general information during their stay
12. Au pairs have many extras included as airport transfer, blue card and much more!
13. The placement fee is always the same, if you stay 1 month or 1 year is up to you! During the first month Au Pair House will assist you to adapt to the new family routine and work-schedule. If placement is found not suitable, Au Pair House will assess the situation and if approved, Au Pair House will offer another family, however this offer is only available during the first month of placement and conditions apply.

Homestay accommodation:

1. Family environment
2. Any location in Gold Coast
3. Own bedroom
4. 2 to 3 meals a day included
5. No housework involved
6. Families that participate in this type of accommodation program are interested in cultural exchange and the payment they receive from the schools or from agenst.
7. You improve your English language skills naturally practicing with the family
8. Costs approximately AU $200 per week

How do I know what the family expects from me?
Before the arrival, au pairs will receive the family profile with lots of details such as: hobbies, age, number of children in the house, number of adults in the house, how many bedrooms, if they have pets, etc. Along with the family profile, the au pair also receives a description in detail of the hours and duties they will do to help the family, avoiding misunderstanding and wrong expectations from both sides. The family expects the au pair to follow the plan and to respect the house routine. It is very welcome and acceptable to talk about any doubt, suggestions that may arise during the stay. The work schedule is created before the au pair arrival to facilitate the every day routine. This helps the au pair and the family to know what is to be done and when. Both sides have to be flexible, if there is a change to be made in the work routine, please talk through until everyone is happy with the change. Au Pair House sends emails regulary to the au pairs and families to make sure everything is ok and going as planned.

How long does it take to enrol?
The application is done on-line, and the placement match and confirmation process can take from 1 week to 3 weeks. Normally we have plenty of wonderful families waiting to host au pairs and participate in our programs, so if the candidates need accommodation straight away, it is almost guaranteed that it can be done in a couple of days.

If I wish to study, what hours will I be working?
Au pairs generally work up to 4 hours a day, 5 days a week. In the application form au pairs must state their wish to study and in which school (location and timetable), so we can try to find a family near to their course that can match with the timetable. So most of the time, when au pairs are studying they normally do their hours late in the afternoon through to the evening.

Can I find work outside the home in my free time?
Yes, and au pairs can ask for Au Pair House assistance to help find a paid job! If that is what is desired, this should be mentioned on the application form so that Au Pair House can find a family that lives in a very central area.

How do I apply?
Using our website, just fill out the Registration Form and send to us. After we receive your application, we will match you with one of our families available. We will send you via email, the details of the family we chose for you, called the family profile.
If you do not accept the first family profile, or you wish to change the type of program you have chosen (Dolphin or Mermaid), you can have other options, condition apply. Please advise us via email and we will forward another family match with your new enquiry. If you want to cancel, please advise us at this time.
No cancellation fee is charged.
If you don't reply to the Family Profile option in 2 weeks, your request will be cancelled.
Once you accept the family, payment is required. We will send you the agreement and the invoice via email, including all payment details.

How and when do I pay?
The total fee of the program must be paid after the au pair agrees with the family profile.
Before that, no payment is required.
Payment must be done into Au Pair House business account.
If you are outside of Australia, you can transfer the money from your bank to our bank in Australia or if you are in Australia deposit directly into our bank account. Our bank account details will be provided in the invoice, with the full amount and details of our services. The applicant must pay any bank fee charged for money to be transferred, please check with your bank before doing the money transfer.

After I pay, what happens?
After payment is received in full, we will send you:
• Confirmation of Enrolment
When you have the air ticket, travel insurance and visa organised, you must advise us with the final details, such as flight number, date, time and airport area (international or domestic).

You must carry Au Pair House contact details with you when travelling to Australia. It is important that you have it easily placed, for example in your wallet, or handbag. Please do not put it in your luggage. You must collect your luggage and go to the meeting point at the airport.
During the airport pick-up, our driver will be there on time and at the pre-determined location. You will then be driven to your host family home.

What type of work will I be doing?
In Australia the families usually do all the housework themselves, and this is where the au pair’s help comes in handy. Normally the family will need help with cleaning and tidying the house, also playing and caring for their children. All families are different and need help in different areas. The aim for Au Pair house is to match what the au pair would like to do to with what the family needs the most. Please make sure that when you fill out the application, try to write all the information that you think that might be relevant for us to match you and the family, for example: if you are going to study, please tell us when you start, which school and the course time table; or if you wish to be in a certain suburb or with a particular family.

Am I going to have my own bedroom?
Yes, all homes will provide you your own bedroom, a wardrobe and a side table with a lamp. Also they provide the bed sheets, blankets and towels. Some of the families also offer TV/ DVD in the room, own bathroom and toilet.

Can I go out at night with friends?
Yes you can. However the only condition is that you do not disturb any one in the house with noises when you arrive back home and also that you are on time and ready to do a good job the next day!

Can I bring friends to the house?
This depends on each family’s rules. If you wish to bring any friend to the house on a special occasion you must ask the families permission in advance.

What if there are problems during my stay?
Once au pairs arrive in the host family house, it is advised to try to get to know a lot about the expectations of the family. Nevertheless, the first weeks might not be very easy for you. Everything will be new to you. You will possibly be homesick. Try to talk about it with the family and give the family and yourself time to get used to each other. Show the family photos of your family and your life back home so that they get to know you a little bit better. You have to adapt to their life style, diet and house rules.
If anything bothers you for any reason, or the work cannot be done in the time expected, the best way to avoid problems is to talk. It may sound difficult, especially if you still have difficulties with the language. However, Australian families are very open for conversation and will be willing to sort things out. The most important thing is to have everyone happy in the house. If you can't finish the work in time for any reason, you must talk about it. If any family member upsets you, you must speak up. If you can't follow any house rules for any reason, you must tell them.

Am I able to move to a new family once the program has started?
During the first month, Au Pair House will offer assistance to the au pair in adapting to the house routine and adjusting into the work standard expected from the family. If the placement is not found to be suitable for reasonable reasons during this first month, the au pair must give 2 weeks notice to Au pair House. Au pair House will assess the situation and if approved, Au Pair House will offer at no extra cost, a replacement to the au pair and to the family, condition apply. This offer will be only available after Au Pair House assessment of the situation and reason for termination request, also only for requests received during the first month of placement and according to the availability of replacements. Au Pair House cannot guarantee a replacement matching all the previous request related to the first placement, e.g. location of house, number of family members, work-schedule. For the second placement, if any of the families available is not satisfactory to the au pair, Au pair House is not responsible for any cost related to any other type of accommodation and no refund is applicable.