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.

We've had an au pair through Go Au Pair for about 2 years now and honestly it's been great. Ours is from Italy and she lives with us full-time. The biggest pro is flexibility, she works around our schedule, not the other way around. She helps with school runs, meals, and stays with the kids when we need to travel. It's also a cultural exchange, which my kids love. The cons: you need a spare room, and you're hosting someone from another culture, which takes adjustment. Not for everyone, but it worked really well for us.

We had aupairs from Scandinavian and Germany then the children were younger to do after school care. Mostly to keep up the childrens' language skills. It worked well.

It wasn't cheap.
Pocket money, board, utilities, contributions to public transport, English language classes, travel expenses from Scandinavian/Germany. It adds up if you do the sums.

UK no longer has a dedicated au pair visa, participants usually enter via the Youth Mobility Scheme or student routes and may legally require National Minimum Wage depending on their hours. You will have to seek advice for how to do things legal. It's not as easy as it has been.

How has that worked with a visa ?

We had au pairs both pre and post Brexit.

Pocket money was about £150 a week + travel card + phone + board and lodgings.

You definitely don’t pay minimum wage!

It used to be 20-25 hours work a week and ours did the school runs + some homework supervision and making kids tea. Usually an hour or so in the morning and 2/3 hours in the afternoon.

Post Brexit they came on student visas and were typically in college 9-3 or so most days.

Brilliant form of childcare for 6-11 year old kids.

The Government disagrees with you

Au pairs are entitled to the National Minimum Wage and National Living Wage.
If accommodation is provided by the employer, this will need to be taken into account when calculating the National Minimum Wage or National Living Wage.
It’s the responsibility of the employer to keep records proving that they are paying the minimum wage.

https://www.gov.uk/au-pairs-employment-law/au-pairs

I suspect the OP hired someone after the rule change.