To ask if you realise au-pairs are seriously under threat after Brexit?

[Dontblameitontheboogie]

On another thread discussing a potential au-pair who would be starting this summer, I was struck that not a single poster pointed out that it’s far from certain au-pairs will be able to arrive or even stay after 29 March!?!

I thought this deserved its own thread, and in AIBU rather than the “Brexit” echo chamber. People may not even realise they could be affected.

Even in a “Deal” scenario, au-pair status isn’t guaranteed, as far as I know. They won’t qualify for pre-settled status, as they’re here temporarily and won’t be able to provide proof of ordinary residence. So technically they could be here illegally from 29 March. Access to health care would be a worry, as would re-entering the UK after trips home - or getting here in the first place.

The current au pair scheme is an EU-wide arrangement, that allows young EU nationals to temporarily live in another EU country without exercising Treaty rights. Some countries, like France or Germany extend the scheme to au-pairs from outside the EU too, but the U.K. doesn’t.

In case of a no deal Brexit, the Immigration Bill that was passed last Monday means that EU citizens wishing to come here must have a job offer worth at least £30,000k. Some exceptions I believe, such as nurses and doctors, but I haven’t seen any mention of au pairs anywhere.

Check out www.saveaupairs.uk for more info.

This thread is unreal. In the UK, many mums do not work, more so than on most European countries. The childcare system is appalingly scarce and expensive, when compared to continental European childcare... An au pair is really reasonably priced childcare, convenient for those who work outside of the 9-5 office hours. All those snorting here must either be stay at home yummy mummies or able to afford more conventional childcare or work flexibly to pick up their kids at 5pm. I was never able to personnally.. Whatever your situation, don't laugh at other women trying to have a career for themselves and affordable childcare, please!

@davidbritten65
What you say is true I have no doubt. When even Mogg confirms we'll be poorer you ignore the facts at your risk. Do you think we'll be worrying then about the predicament of the au pairs? I 'm scared about getting self-protective and heartless. 😨. What can be done, given it's no use just sitting waiting for Brexit to crash in on us?

To people who say Au Pairs are cheap labour - I agree they are a lot cheaper than a child minder HOWEVER the hosting family has to provide their own room, food, travel card (if London based), also the au pair does not pay bills such as electric, heating, council tax, cleaner or wifi for example. Just doing a rough estimation of what we pay our au pair plus what it would cost her to rent a room in a house share in the area in which we live, then add on amounts for bills each month which we pay - our au pairs would need to have a POST TAX salary of £26k - which at 25 hours of work per week means that's £20 per hour POST TAX - not bad for a young Uni Student or one who has recently graduated - (and yes it's because London is expensive to rent in - but it gives her a chance to experience the city in that way). You have to see the whole package before you call it cheap Labour. Yes some do get taken advantage of and wind up being child minder, cleaner and general dogs body but not all families are like that. Ours have always been well treated, they don't have to clean, kids are in school all day so they attend language classes (which we pay for), they may babysit on the rare occasion but they get paid separately for that, and they get lovely gifts for their birthdays, christmas and going away. We've stayed in touch with all of them down through the years and many have come back to visit and stay with us again. We prefer the flexibility of au pairs as opposed to child minders and the bond which our children make with them and most importantly the maintenance of our childrens second language. This is as issue. I really don't get the sniping on here against au pairs and the first world problem view...... if someone said that over night their child minder was to lose their licence to mind children due to the actions of the government I am sure there would by some sympathy.

@hawkinspace I totally understand, and this is why I have decided to do something about it. I cannot just be a keyboard warrior, and I want to be able to look my children in the face when we are in this mess in 5 years time and say I did something to stop Brexit. I have joined one of the new Pro EU parties that exist and go out campaigning every week, with a view of Rejecting the lies that the Politicians told. We need to stay in the EU, and we need to do it now.

by the way
au pairs are not supposed to be exploited .
they are only supposed to work a certain amount of hours per week .
they are not supposed to look after children under two
or so the job if a full time qualified nanny .

I am surprised anyone had not realised that this would be an issue.

Only on Mumsnet would loosing one's Au Pair be classed a crisis

If it means your work commitments are affected, and that's what childcare's for, then yes it is, just as if you lost your nursery place, CM, or parental care.

Sorry, that should have read grandparental.

Lots of aupairs used to come before UK has joined European Union . Lots of aupairs still are arriving from non EU countries - there is a special programme and visas. In fact after many Eastern European countries joined EU - aupair programme stopped being used by them or families as per se. It became much more informal etc.

And yes I totally agree that many families have started to exploit aupair programme which was never meant for young adult to come to a foreign country and work endless hours cleaning etc . No babies care under two... in practice we can see a very alarming exploitation!
So I am glad if British families will have to treat the programme more responsibly and read the real meaning of it.

I am sure in a orderly, thought-through Brexit, a visa or simple system would probably emerge in the course of a transitional period, I don't believe that's too much of a stretch. However, seeing as we appear to be headed for cliff-edge no-deal, my fear is it'll be a gamble as to whether current au pairs coming back from a visit to their home country or new APs arriving here will be let in because, for understandable reasons, no one will have thought how it's going to be handled, or border staff will just conclude it's not a legal reason to be in the UK because the free movement style arrangement no longer applies.

@davidbritten65
You go out every week to fight Brexit - wow! How do you go about that ? I sometimes go to a stall with local cross-party friends but it's too coooold for me right now! I think others may be interested though, do tell!

The brexit thing in regards to au pairs is of course a worry for those that rely on them.However I wonder how many people realise they are not suppose to be left with the children for long periods of time but to work alongside parents.The government rules in regards to childcare includes dbs checks and encourages also Ofsted registration

Private childcare at home does not need to be dbs checked, otherwise most nanas would be in trouble. Au pairs are expected to provide some sole care for over threes. Not long hours, not babies. But it's perfectly legal and ok to use them before/after school as sole care, or overnight while child is asleep, as a babysitter. Dbs not necessary, checks should be carried out by the hosts.

BiscuitStories

Not just au-pairs. Butlers, valets, and house servants are all under threat.

if you were trying to be funny, you failed miserably.

Well it made me laugh.

@echobelly exactly, how we can have confidence in this Government is beyond me as they are leading us to a cliff edge. If I lived in Europe I would not be too happy that my daughter would be going to be an AP in the UK after watching the scenes of the yellow jackets chanting their racists songs and aggressive xenophobic behaviour to anyone who was not born in their village.

Give your au pair a £30k job offer then or you could actually bring up your children yourself - considered that?

Give your au pair a £30k job offer then or you could actually bring up your children yourself - considered that?

spoken like a true brexiteer.

well said @helmetbymidnight

Don't people keep up with the news ?

£30,000 for a graduate in London is the going rate

30k for a Graduate - depends on what area they work in - Finance maybe or Law - but precious little else. Qualified Teachers in London get less than that and they're actual Teachers - not just graduates who may or may not require further study to qualify for something else and childcare definitely does not pay that much per annum.

Oh here we go..... yeah cos most families have £30k per year to spend on childcare....... this is one of those situations where my Mum would say - if you can't say something logical best to keep quiet dear!!! As it happens Helmutbymidnight I once did pay that except it was £36k per annum to a Nanny when my kids were young - but I know that's not the norm for most families and as children grow up and spend most of their day in school - you don't need to pay that much money..... why don't you try joining the grown up conversation.

why don't you try joining the grown up conversation

how do you mean?

where is it then?