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.

How is an au pair a luxury but a childminder not? They’re usually cheaper than a childminder. Is it because it’s a funny foreign word so it must be for people with butlers?

All those of you who say they don’t feature in your world, why did you feel the need to respond? There may be others who do need to look into this.

When KFC ran out of chicken, I didn’t feel the need to comment, because that isn’t something that features in my world either, but that doesn’t mean I couldn’t have sympathy with those for whom it was important (although I’m still baffled with those who rang 999).

We had au pairs in the 60's. They certainly existed before we joined the ec, eec, or whatever it was called then.

why is an au pair a luxury? It's just a certain form of childcare and very useful with school-aged kids and if you work unusual hours.

Rather obviously @ChariotsofFish, I meant the same role. I didn't think I'd have to point that out.

Myusername, what? Childminder’s cost a LOT more than au pairs. If you have a full time job and school going kids and a room you can squeeze out of your house then au pair is half the price of your non-luxury childminder.

If already in the UK, they will need to follow the regs for all EU to stay.

Non-EU nationals need a tier 5 (2 year) visa. There is no reason that couid not apply to EU nationals after we leave. Though if hard Brexit, there may be a delay until tier5 regs updated.

Chariotsoffish probably, and I suspect also because the young people who will potentially be affected are only forriners...

Some might not see it as a negative that people would now be forced to pay minimum wage to U.K. residents rather than shipping in cheap foreign labour for people that are prepared to work for peanuts.

So if people aren't crying in the streets about au pairs not being readily available that makes them racist..... OK

Saucy jack - that was one of my main reasons for voting brexit.

If there does become a demand for this, this could be a good thing. 20 year old wants to move out of family home, and go and find a job in the city. Perfect.

To be honest I've always been concerned about the lack of both pay and protection for au pairs

Winnietheworm the point is that au pairs won’t qualify under the settled/pre-settled status scheme, which we’re told all EU citizens will have to register under. AFAIK, no provisions have been made for au pairs. Hence why saveaupairs are campaigning for an updated visa - it doesn’t exist yet.

Lucisky yes, they existed in the 60s. Just like a lot of other things that have been replaced by new rules and regulations. Our immigration policies are vastly different than in the 60s. Ever hear of Windrush???

KFC ran out of chicken?? And we haven’t even Brexited yet

Can' t link, but have a look at gov website about au pairs. They aren' t employed as such, the rules are not the same as for other jobs.

a childminder isn't a luxury, but an au pair absolutely is!

you do realise that a childminder is a lot more expensive than an au-pair, and a lot less flexible with hours and ability to look after a sick child?

Why is this thread attracting all the afternoon trolls, bizarre.

I'm a staunch remainer, but I bet the Daily Mail will use this thread to take the piss out of middle class mummies.

Lucisky agreed - au pairs were around in the 60s! My nana (mum's mum) had 2-3 French au pairs when my mum was 14 or so and recalls they laid round the house doing not a lot... and going out a lot.

the plus side of that was that in the school holidays my mum was invited to the south of France by the separate au pairs where she had a great time and her mum (she had her own business) didn't need to worry about child care then either, and my mum returned fairly fluent in French!

I'm sure they existed before we joined the EU. Two if my aunt's were au pairs in France and Germany.

It'll just need the same easy to complete paperwork it used to need. Like many other things people seem to want to scaremonger about.

Immigration lawyer here. This is a bullshit claim. There is so far no provision for EU nationals to come to the UK as au pairs once the transition period has finished, much less requiring the same paperwork as it did pre accession.

Also, applying for UK visas is many things, but simple paperwork it is not. Either by accident or design, the whole thing is massively over-complicated. Take it from someone who earns a living from that very fact.

Non-EU nationals need a tier 5 (2 year) visa. There is no reason that couid not apply to EU nationals after we leave.

This is somewhat true in that some Tier 5 visas do allow work as an au pair, though not all. Easiest one to au pair with is youth mobility, which only covers certain non EU countries. Most of them are excluded. I agree there's no reason why this couldn't be extended to EU countries in the event of a hard Brexit, but we need to be clear that at the moment there are no proposals at all to do this.

I don't have one but an au pair is a lot cheaper than a childminder.

Yes, because they're not entitled to worker rights like minimum wage or paid holidays and they rarely earn enough to incur the costs of national insurance. It's not a mode of 'employment' (they're not technically employees) that I would fight for, personally.

Saucy the au pair relationship isn't just about childcare - the au pair gets an embedded relationship with an English-speaking family which in terms of language development is pretty useful, to say the least, free accommodation (priceless depending on where you are but in expensive cities like London? Come on.) and an allowance in return for a specified number of hours childcare. I'm sure plenty of au pairs are from families just as middle class as their host families!

To be honest I've always been concerned about the lack of both pay and protection for au pairs

Yes, me too.

As others have said, I don' t think it is the most pressing concern and if it stops the exploitation of people from overseas I actually think it would be a good thing.

Something tells me though that Brexit or no, someone is going to manage to negotiate an Au-pair backstop. After all, you couldn't have rioting in North London could you?

Dandelio if the Daily Mail want to try fine by them but my nana who had au pairs was maybe at a stretch middle class but was more working class.

other people I know who have them are varying degrees of class from middle to working. I still wouldn't do what my boss who is middle/working class does though and have an au pair for his 3 and 1 year old DC - au pair has replaced his nanny, but that's their look out.

Don’t you need a spare room, or at least a spare bed, to have an au pair?
You might not THINK you’re rich to use this ‘affordable’ childcare based on disposable income per month, but you’re pretty privileged to have the living space for them!

I was an au pair- it was an awesome opportunity for me to live in Paris for a year.
Other family members have worked on boats, bars and hotels in Europe.

Let’s all pretend only middle-class/qualified people ever want to travel.