Au pair in Belgium

Requirements for an au pair in Belgium

In Belgium, the au pair programme is a form of cultural exchange. As an au pair, you temporarily live with a host family, where you receive room and board in exchange for caring for the children and doing light household tasks. At the same time, you get the opportunity to improve your Dutch, French, or German language skills and experience Belgian culture up close.

Requirements

To work as an au pair in Belgium, the following conditions apply:

• You are between 18 and 25 years old (for EU citizens, in some cases the maximum age is 26).
• You are unmarried and do not have children.
• You have a diploma that gives you access to higher education, or you can prove that you attended school until at least the age of 17.
• You have a basic knowledge of the language spoken in the region (Dutch, French, or German).
• You sign an official au pair agreement together with the host family, which must be approved by the competent regional authorities.
• The au pair programme lasts a maximum of 12 months and cannot be extended.

Working as an au pair

As an au pair in Belgium:

• You work a maximum of 20 hours per week.
• You work a maximum of 4 hours per day.
• You receive free room and board, including your own bedroom.
• You receive monthly pocket money of at least €450.

Au Pair Plus

Babs Au Pair Agency also offers an Au Pair Plus programme. This is intended for candidates with additional experience or relevant training in childcare.

You qualify, for example, if you:

• Have completed a childcare or educational training programme.
• Have a diploma that corresponds to the Dutch collective labour agreement (CAO) for childcare.
• Have previously worked as an au pair.
• Have extensive demonstrable experience caring for and supporting children.

An Au Pair Plus receives a monthly allowance of €550.

Insurance

In Belgium, the host family is responsible for arranging the required insurance for the au pair.

The insurance provides coverage for, among other things:

• Medical expenses.
• Hospital admissions.
• Accidents.
• Personal liability.
• Extraordinary expenses, such as repatriation.
• Hotel costs in case of a possible transfer to another host family.
• Travel luggage.
• Cancellation costs.

Practical information