References and visas for Au Pair

[Metrobaby]

Thanks everyone for all the advice in hiring an au pair. It's been really useful for someone relatively new to this.

I have found an au pair who sounds lovely. If she becomes our next AP, will she need a special visa and/or passport? She is from the EU and has told me she only has a identity card. Is this enough?

Also, I would like some references. How do i go about doing this? I would like to give a short questionnaire to say her lecturer at University and to someone who she has had childcare experience with. However, my problem is that the family she has had the childcare experience speak no English! She has said she can email it to me and do a translation but I am a bit worried about that as potentially she could write anything. Or maybe am I worrying too much

Please help
MB

Needs no visa as a citizen of the EU has the right to work in UK, if from one of the accession countries (recent joiners to the EU) will have to register under WRS otherwise OK. And yes she can travel on her identity card this is very common for everybody within Europe except us!.

References I will always take them up directly and always insist on work rather than personal email addresses.

THe translation thing I use babel fish (google) and write the email in English with the babel fish translation underneath (with an apology for the poor translation. When I get the reply I again feed it through babel fish and try and make sense of it.

What language is it? Someone on here may be able to help.

czech/slovak can be sent my way ;)

Hi Metrobaby

European Economic Area citizens can work in the UK. As an employer you are responsible for ensuring your employees can work here legally. You need to see the original passport or identity card when they arrrive. Those from the Accession Countries that joined the EU in 2004 may need to register under the Worker Registration Scheme. Romanian and Bulgarian citizens will need an accession worker card unless they have completed 12 months employment in the UK and have a Blue Card.

You can read more about this and find interview and reference templates at www.universalaupairs.com/family/about_au_pairs__nannies.html.

We may be able to assist with a translation if you tell us the original language.

Good luck
Phil