What are your thoughts on Au Pairs?

[thatchick]

We are considering childcare options and are looking at possibly getting an aupair…Anyone have experiences with au pairs? Pros and cons?

I thought aupairs are no longer a thing since Brexit. They are so scarce on the ground that you might as well get a nanny.

Which country are they from and what is the pocket money they are asking for?

The agency I found brings them in on a visitors visa for 6 months at £450 a month pocket money

I didn't think you could use the au pair for childcare really

So they are brought in illegally? Do not go any where near that agency.

Australians, kiwis and I think South Africans can get working holiday visas so that might be an option.

Good point! I did ask about that as well and found it strange that they were able to do that

This sounds illegal. Aupairs are not supposed to work on a visitors visa. If they were, the aupair market will be flooded with potential aupairs even post-Brexit. 450 a month is what I was paying 6 years' ago in London pre-Brexit when we have all the EU aupairs. If it is the same price, then that is because this arrangement is probably non-kosher.

If this were a legal Antipodean aupair on an ancestry visa, they would command more i.e. equivalent or just below an inexperienced live in nanny because of the scarcity.

Even pre-Brexit, there were lots of Indonesian, Philippino, South American, even US aupairs wanting to come to UK. I would not touch them with a barge pole because of visa issues.

The danger is that Home Office finds out you are an employer of illegal staff. If you work in the regulated sector, you'd be done for. Even worse is the aupair has you over a barrel by threatening to report you if the relationship sours for whatever reason. Sadly, there is a more than insignificant chance of that happening from bitter experience.

I'd say no.

Seeing as you asked…

I see it as a form of slave labour which mainly targets young females.

You need to pay minimum wage.
I definitely wouldn't bring some young girl in to the country illegally and then exploit them.

What do you think au pairs do if not childcare?

I think pp means that au pairs are not recommended for sole care of very young children as a cut price nanny service. Most do school/preschool drop offs/pick ups and perhaps some wrap around babysitting.

These days you have to pay minimum wage and NI.

I would be very wary about dodgy companies running a migration scam and bringing over people on tourist visas. You could potentially get convicted for employing someone without a legal work permit and HMRC may impose penalties.