No minimun stay defined.

1 year.

Maximum 30 hours/week or 5 hours per day.

Note that longer workdays may not be negotiated and childcare at night is considered as night work.

At least one day off per week and at least one weekend per month off. 

After 26 weeks of work with a family the au pair has the right to one week off and may spend it elsewhere than at the host family’s house.

The duties of the au pair include:

• caring for children
• accompanying children to and from school, and during leisure activities
• carrying household chores (i.e. easy cleaning of the home, simple cooking and light shopping).

An au pair shall not care for children with long-term illness or other individuals in similar situations.

Minimum 15.000 ISK per week.

Board and lodging are provided by the family for free, even in case of illness.

The au pair is entitled to his/her own room.

The host family shall ensure that the au pair gets sufficient time to study Icelandic.

Usually, it is the au pair who pays for his/her own language course.

Depending on the agreement between the au pair and the host family, the travel costs will be either split between parties or paid in full by the host family. 

The host family pays the full travel expenses

• If the family terminates the contract without the au pair being in default.
• If the au pair is unable to honor the contract due to illness or accident.
• If the au pair terminates the contract on grounds of default or misconduct by the host family.

If the au pair leaves the engagement at own initiative the au pair shall pay the travel expenses if the termination of engagement is not due to default by the host family.

The host family is responsible for health and occupational injury insurance of the au pair.

If the au pair transfers residence from a country outside the EU area, he/she will not be covered by the icelandic health insurance during the first 6 months of stay in Iceland. The host family is responsible for health insurance during that period.

The au pair must submit a confirmation of insurance that is valid for at least six months, minimum coverage ISK 2,000,000, from an insurance company that is licensed to operate in Iceland.

A list of the licensed insurance companies can be found at the web site from The Icelandic Directorate of Immigration.

Everyone who has been a legal resident of Iceland for a certain period of time, automatically becomes a member of the Icelandic social insurance system, regardless of nationality.

More information can be found here.

Au pairs must pay taxes.

The tax percentage is dependent on the au pair's wages.

On the website of the National Director of Taxation the au pair can find information on the withholding of tax based on the amount of wages.

Paid taxes are stated on the pay slip. It is important to keep the payslips to prove that taxes have been paid.

Detailed information can be found here.

• pocket money: 60.000 ISK
• insurance
• lodging
• board
• ev. public transportation ticket
• ev. higher car insurance fee if the au pair is allowed to use it

Both the au pair and the host family may terminate the contract on grounds of default by one party or on grounds of other serious circumstances. If either the au pair or the host family terminates the contract before the engagement period is over, the contract must be terminated in writing and both parties must notify the Directorate of Immigration of this. The termination of an engagement contract takes effect when it has been made known to the other contractual party. The Directorate of Immigration issues a termination sheet and may request the police to visit the home of the host family and to examine the circumstances of the au pair.