Young woman playing with two children on the floor
Parent & Child
28.08.2025 Ifenna Ekezie 2716

Hosting an Au-pair : Requirements & process

Hosting an Au-pair at home means not only relief in everyday family life, but also cultural exchange at eye level.  

Michelle Mihm, Au-Pair Product Manager & Specialist Consultant for Care in Private Households at pme Familienservice, explains what requirements must be met, what the process looks like and what prospective host families should look out for when choosing an au pair. at pme Familienservice.

What you can expect in this article

What does it mean to host an Au-pair in Germany? 

Hosting an Au-pair means welcoming a new family member - usually a young person who comes from a different culture and first has to get used to life in Germany.  

During the stay, the Au-pair takes onlight care and household tasks, while in return receiving accommodation, food and pocket money. For the host family, this means above all investing time, patience and openness in order to make the Au-pair 's start in a new country easier. At the same time, an Au-pair enriches everyday family life through cultural exchange and new perspectives 

"An Au-pair should be seen as a younger sister or brother who is integrated into everyday family life and with whom you grow together," says Michelle Mihm, Product Manager Au-Pair & Specialist Consultant for Care in Private Households.

Can anyone host an Au-pair ? 

In principle, anyone who meets the necessary requirements can take on an Au-pair . These include a suitable living situation, the care of a child and certain legal conditions. Anyone who meets these criteria can benefit from the many advantages that an Au-pair brings to the family.

What are the requirements for hosting an Au-pair in Germany? 

For a family to be able to host an Au-pair in Germany, a number of requirements must be met: 

  • There must be at least one child under the age of 18 in the family. 
  • The Au-pair must have their own furnished, lockable and heated room of at least 8 square meters. 
  • The colloquial language in the family should be German. 
  • At least one parent must have German citizenship. 
  • The family covers the costs of accommodation, food, pocket money and insurance as well as a subsidy for the language course. 
  • The host parents enable participation in the language course and other courses and leisure activities offered by the pme Familienservice. 
  • The Au-pair is entitled to 4 weeks paid vacation (or 2 days per month pro rata) for a 12-month stay.

How much does it cost to host an Au-pair in Germany?

If a family takes in an Au-pair in Germany, the cost of living increases accordingly. This is because there is another adult living in the household.   

The costs that families should consider when taking in an Au-pair are made up of various items: 

  • Pocket money: at least 280 euros per month 
  • Accident, health and liability insurance: around 50 euros per month 
  • German course: approx. 70 euros per month 
  • Costs for board and lodging, including during the au pair's free time or illness: around 250 to 300 euros per month 

How long can an Au-pair stay in Germany? 

An Au-pair can stay in Germany for a minimum of 4 months and a maximum of 12 months . The length of stay is agreed individually and can be adjusted according to the needs and possibilities of the family and the au pair. 

How do I find an Au-pair? 

At pme Familienservice , we place au pairs with selected families throughout Germany and support both au pairs and host families throughout their stay. We attach great importance to careful selection and continuous support from our experienced local staff. 

In addition to pme Familienservice as an Au-pair in Germany, there are also other platforms that place au pairs. 

"Many families find their Au-pair independently and then come to us for further support. We offer consultations in advance and explain what to look out for when Au-pair on your own. It is important to know that au pairs must be between 18 and 26 years old. While some platforms don't always check the age exactly, we make sure that all requirements are met." - Michelle Mihm

pme Familienservice is the leading Au-pair

pme Familienservice is one of the leading Au-pair in Germany and is an official member of the international Au-pair IAPA and the German Au-Pair. The pme Familienservice Familienservice are also certified by the Gütegemeinschaft Au-pair e.V. with the RAL quality mark. 

Challenges that families and au pairs may face

Hosting an au pair in Germany enriches everyday family life with new perspectives and cultural experiences. But it also brings challenges. 

Many au pairs who come to Germany often experience a culture shock, and language barriers can make the start a little bumpy. This phase requires a lot of patience, understanding and loving support. For the families, this means investing time in intensive training and good organization.  

This intensive initial period pays off, as the Au-pair gradually becomes a great relief and enriches everyday family life with new perspectives and experiences. 

The pme Familienservice is there to support families and au pairs throughout their stay, e.g. with tips against homesickness, assistance with language problems and help with health issues.

We look after au pairs during their entire stay! 

Our au pairs are well looked after during their stay. We offer WhatsApp groups, a Facebook group, regular meetings and a 24-hour emergency hotline just for au pairs. This means they are well connected and supported at all times. 

All information for au pairs in Germany. 

How long does it take to get an Au-pair in Germany? 

The time it takes for an au pair to arrive in Germany can vary greatly. The appointment for the visa at the embassy depends on the country of origin and can range from 8 weeks to 8 to 10 months. There are often au pairs who already have an appointment so that the decision can be made within 2 to 4 weeks. Overall, the process can take between 2 and 10 months, depending on the country of origin and the political situation.

Is the process also supported with your own au pairs? 

Yes, we also support families exclusively with the visa process. Here, too, we conduct preliminary consultations with the families who would like to look for an Au-pair on their own and then support them in the further process.

Which countries do the au pairs come from? 

Our au pairs currently come mainly from India, Madagascar, Indonesia, South America and Armenia. Countries such as Australia, America or New Zealand are hardly represented, as no visa is required for au pairs there.

Au-pair with pme Familienservice

pme Familienservice is your strong partner for safe and qualified Au-pair in Germany. With over 30 years of experience in Au-pair, pme Familienservice offers families and au pairs comprehensive information, qualified advice and reliable support throughout their stay. 

Placement is free of charge for au pairs.

zero Digital kindergarten: Less documentation, more time for the children

Kindergarten child looks through a peephole
Pedagogy
12.06.2024 Sabrina Ludwig 7451

More time for the children thanks to the childcare center app

No more printing, folding notes and sticking them on the pinboard: our childcare center app makes communication between parents and teachers and the documentation of everyday educational activities easier. This not only saves paper and printer cartridges, but above all time.

"Emil is unfortunately ill today" flashes the message on the display of the tablet at childcare center Wolkenzwerge in Berlin in the morning. Parents and teachers can communicate via an app at childcare centers at pme Lernwelten . With just a few clicks, parents can call in their child sick in the morning or let them know who is coming to pick them up in the afternoon. "That alone makes our work easier. One look at the app and I can see which children are already here, which are sick and which are still missing," says Benjamin-Henrik Mahl from the childcare center management team at pme Lernwelten.

The heart of the app, however, is that the teachers can use the digital log to document the children's day. When did the child eat and what, was it changed, did it sleep, did it learn something new? Instead of communicating this verbally to each parent and writing it down on paper as before, the teachers can simply type everything that happened during the day into the app. Special activities and experiences such as "Emil discovered a butterfly!" or "We built an insect hotel together today" can also be recorded in the daily log.

More time for individual support

Teachers at childcare center Blütenallee in Darmstadt have been using the app since January 2017. Thanks to the app, parents receive a lot of information during the day, leaving more time to talk about more important matters such as the child's development when picking up the children. "We save time as a whole team thanks to the digital documentation, which benefits both the children and the parents," says head of childcare Katrin Kob. "Thanks to the childcare center app, we spend less time on everyday things such as meals and bedtimes and are better able to discuss what the child has experienced and how they have been throughout the day."

The childcare center app reduces the administrative workload for teachers because information reaches parents faster and in a more targeted way. "Instead of phone calls, text messages or other communication channels, we have a single channel through which we inform parents," explains Benjamin. "We can also easily send information about the upcoming parents' evening or the menu using the app. And we can even see who has read the message and who hasn't yet."

 

No crowded group chats like on WhatsApp

Teachers don't have to worry about chat groups overflowing with messages like WhatsApp or other messaging services. The childcare center app actually only knows one direction of communication: the teachers inform the parents, not the other way around. The only exception: Parents can sign their child out or in sick.

Door-to-door conversations remain important

The free app for parents does not replace face-to-face conversations and exchanges between parents and teachers. "The app is not there to replace door-to-door conversations at drop-off and pick-up times. But it is a supplement. The fact that facts such as bedtime or eating habits have already been clarified means that there is room to focus more on the child's individual experiences and development or to talk about educational concepts," says Kristina Müller from the childcare center management team at pme Lernwelten.

The childcare center app is not a must for parents. But most parents have downloaded the app. "The app is very popular with parents. They feel well informed, even if they don't pick up the children themselves, and are happy to receive messages from their child," says daycare manager Katrin. Parents and teachers are also on the safe side when it comes to data protection. The data in the childcare center app is subject to European data protection regulations.


 

About us: We are pme Lernwelten

As a provider of over 75 childcare and educational facilities, we offer parents and children high-quality and flexible education. Our colorful teams are made up of people from different nations, with diverse talents and interests.

You can find out more about our educational concept and current vacancies here: www.familienservice.de/web/pme-lernwelten

Get to know us as an employer!

Creating a balance between work and private life is an integral part of our culture.

You can also look forward to a range of benefits such as a fitness card, job bike and much more: Your career as an educator at pme

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Portrait Michelle Mihm

Michelle Mihm

Product manager Au-Pair & specialist consultant for care in private households

Michelle Mihm is responsible for Au-pair and care in private households. She advises families competently in the event of childcare shortages and emergencies and enables a suitable caregiver to be found quickly. As a former daycare center manager and mother of two small children, she knows the challenges of families with children aged 0 to 6 years.
 

Contact:

michelle.mihm@familienservice.de